施韦策.布莱恩州长现身蒙大拿州立大学，为表彰蒙大拿州对于新大麦品种研究发展所做出的科学贡献——这个品种的大麦有利于糖尿病、心脏病以及肥胖症的防治管理。
　　施韦策州长向蒙大拿州立大学的研究学者表示祝贺，祝贺他们的新研究成果BGLife™大麦_——一种可促进血糖趋于正常水平的新种系大麦——获得验证。验证的结论是：该品种的大麦能够降低胆固醇水平，促进健康血糖趋于健康水平，并有利于体重控制，而上述几种情况都与糖尿病及心脏病有关。事实上，这个专利品种的大麦背后凝聚了30多年的农业学研究的成果。

　　“BGLife™大麦食品将于全世界范围形成积极的效应，同样也会为我们州带来巨大的影响。”施韦策州长说，“这将会为蒙大拿的出口业开辟一片新的市场。”

　　BGLife™大麦的实验研究的实质是通过自然选择，选出那些营养丰富且富含β葡聚糖的大麦品系。其中的β葡聚糖是核心所在——β葡聚糖的含量决定了大麦降胆固醇、促进血糖趋于健康水平、促进体重管理的功效。

　　2型糖尿病构成了21世纪最大的健康威胁。据美国糖尿病协会称，在美国有20，800，000人患有糖尿病；有6，200，000人还不知道自己还有糖尿病；有41，000，000人处于糖尿病前期。

　　“我相信，如果科学是问题解决方法的动力，那么我们有责任去寻找问题的解决方法，”开发这种新品系大麦的农业研究厂主席兼总经理罗恩说。

　　相关的大麦研究开始于1978年，由蒙大拿州立大学的罗伯特.艾斯里克教授、沃特博士、罗斯纽曼等研究学者主持进行，参与这个项目的学生后来继续致力于优质大麦品系的研究与开发，最终BGLife™大麦由WestBred的研究学者戴尔.克拉克、丹.彼得斯塔夫博士、克里斯蒂安.法斯特诺德博士、格瑞格.福克斯博士研发成功。

　　“所有在对抗糖尿病以及肥胖症的战役中的武器都应该被发挥到极致，”“完美健康方案临床中心”（一个位于华盛顿雷蒙德的体重与健康危害管理临床机构）的合作创始人、首席医学官医学博士法兰妮塞斯.高蓉说，“内科医生、营养学专家、护理人员都有义务广泛宣传这种大麦食品，因为它有利于体重管理和血糖控制。”

  近期，BGLife™大麦与日本的制造商签署了合约，意在将大麦食品作为大米的扩展产品提供给市场，大麦的纤维含量是大米的三倍。“我们正在开拓向全世界范围内的潜在市场”， BGLife™大麦的商务经理凯文.霍杰斯说。并且，一些包括食品制造商在内的购买商已经签署了意向书。

Governor Brian Schweitzer appeared at Montana State University to celebrate Montana's scientific contribution to the development of barley varieties that serve as a natural way to help manage diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

The Governor congratulated MSU-trained researchers for their development of BGLife™ Barley, a new strain of barley that promotes healthy blood sugar, is proven to reduce cholesterol, promotes healthy blood pressure and helps control weight, all conditions associated with diabetes and heart disease. These patented barley varieties are the result of almost 30 years of agricultural research.

"The BGLife™ Barley food products help address a worldwide epidemic that also has a big impact in our state," said Governor Schweitzer. "This will open new markets for Montana exports."
The BGLife™ Barley research was based on a natural selection process that focused on a superior nutritional profile and a high concentration of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is the key to the barley's ability to lower cholesterol, promote healthy blood sugar levels and help with weight control.

Type 2 diabetes poses one of the greatest health threats of the 21st century. According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million Americans have diabetes; 6.2 million do not know they are afflicted, and 41 million Americans are pre-diabetic.

"I believe that if science has the ability to find a solution, we have the responsibility to provide the solution," said Ron Ueland, president and general manager of WestBred, LLC, the agricultural research firm that brought the new varieties to development.

Research focusing on barley began in 1978 with the leadership of researchers at Montana State University, Prof. Robert Eslick, Dr. Ken Goering and Drs. Walt and Rosemary Newman. The students of this research legacy went on to develop superior beta-glucan barley strains. BGLife™ Barley was developed by WestBred researchers: Dale Clark, Ph.D; Dan Biggerstaff, Ph.D; Kim Shantz; Christine Fastnaught, Ph.D. and Greg Fox, Ph.D.

"Every tool in the fight against the epidemics of diabetes and obesity should be employed to its fullest," said Frances Gough, M.D., co-founder and chief medical officer for Sound Health Solutions, a Redmond, Washington based weight and health risk management clinic. "Physicians, dietitians and care providers should evangelize an intervention as simple as BGLife Barley, which supports weight loss efforts and enhances glucose and insulin regulation."

BGLife™ Barley recently signed contracts with Japanese manufacturers to provide barley food products to be used as extenders in rice products. The barley has more than three times as much fiber as rice. "We are just opening up the potential applications in markets worldwide," said Kevin Hodges, commercial manager of BGLife™ Barley. Additionally, several major buyers have signed letters of intent, including food manufacturers.