ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. rice farmers can give a hearty “cheers!” to Anheuser-Busch and the American Farmland Trust (AFT) for their new partnership that will be putting a “U.S. Farmed” certification and seal on several products from the nation’s top brewer and largest user of U.S.-grown rice.
With a goal of using consumer education as a means of keeping American farmers on their land, AFT’s label program is reserved for products that derive at least 95 percent of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the United States. The seal will first appear on Anheuser-Busch’s Busch Light beer this May, and Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob ULTRA, all beers made with U.S. rice, have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification and will follow suit soon.
“We’re very excited by the launch of U.S. Farmed,” said Peter Bachmann, president & CEO of USA Rice. “Our nation’s rice farmers are proud to play a critical role in our domestic supply chain and broader economy; and to be associated with some of the most well-known and respected brands in the world makes it that much sweeter.”
Bachmann, who is a Michelob Ultra drinker, said he expects U.S. Farmed to highlight the importance of U.S. agriculture and manufacturing, and help consumers make the connection between rice farms and American restaurants, bars, and kitchen tables.
“American farmers are the backbone of this country, and Anheuser-Busch has been deeply connected to the U.S. agricultural community and committed to sourcing high-quality ingredients from U.S. farmers for more than 165 years – that’s who we are,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth. “We source nearly all the ingredients in our iconic American beers from hard-working U.S. farmers – many of whom we have worked with for generations. The U.S. Farmed certification takes our commitment to the next level, and we are proud to lead the industry in rallying behind American farmers to ensure the future of U.S. agriculture, which is crucial to our country’s economy.”
AFT says the program will transform the way consumers identify and shop for domestically sourced products and encourages consumer-packaged goods companies to join the effort by obtaining U.S. Farmed certification for their domestically sourced products.
“With the launch of the U.S. Farmed certification, we’re taking a bold step to help secure the future of American agriculture and create both a movement and a market niche that celebrates and supports our nation’s farmers,” said Beth Sauerhaft, acting president & CEO of American Farmland Trust. “Each U.S. Farmed certification has the potential to open new opportunities for farmers to receive assistance with succession planning, farmland protection tools for their operations, and other useful tactics to safeguard their land – our nation’s food systems.”
“Our research has long shown that given the choice between food grown in the U.S. or imported, U.S. consumers would prefer the homegrown – they just don’t always know which is which,” said Kirk Satterfield, Mississippi rice farmer, chair of USA Rice, and supporter of all Anheuser-Busch products. “The U.S. Farmed certification and label is going to make it easier for consumers to find the products and brands they want to be supporting, starting with the ‘Choose Beer Grown Here’ campaign.”