ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Barley farmers supporting New York's craft beer industry will get some help under an amendment to the federal Farm Bill passed by the House and Senate.
  
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says her amendment would direct the National Agricultural Statistics Service to document barley production in New York state. That would give producers the information they need to decide on future plantings and could eventually help farmers get crop insurance for malting barley.
  
Democrat Gillibrand says the amendment would also support farmers who want to begin brewing beer under the "farm brewery" designation, which requires a significant percentage of New York state-grown ingredients. Barley is the main ingredient in most beers but it's hard for breweries to find enough locally grown malting barley to meet the growing demand.