USA: International Malting Co., which is building a new barley malting plant just north of Great Falls, is being asked by the state Board of Investments to document how many Montanans are working on the project. The request from the board, which has authorized a $33.7 million state loan to help finance construction of the $60 million plant, comes in the wake of complaints by organized labor that IMC might be ignoring state law requiring preference to Montana workers.

But an attorney for IMC's parent firm said Monday that 80 % of the workers on the project have come from Montana, and that IMC is following the hiring-preference requirements of the state loan. "I think we've given people from Montana a fair shot, and I think our numbers bear that out," said Chris Kaltenbach, general counsel for Lesaffre International Corp., a French agribusiness company.

Kaltenbach also said the personnel information he'll provide to the Board of Investments is nothing unusual, and that it's needed before IMC can get money from the state-authorized loan. "We'd be providing the same information whether or not there was a letter written by someone on behalf of the union," he said. "The Board of Investments hasn't asked us for any documentation for compliance that we didn't expect, or that we're not comfortable with," he added.

IMC has completed the outer building at the plant north of Great Falls and is working now on equipment and other interior construction, Kaltenbach said.

The plant, which is expected to open in mid-2005, will employ about 35 permanent workers. It is expected to boost malt barley production in north central Montana and possibly pay farmers a premium for high-quality barley.