JONESBORO, AR – The full hitch of eight Budweiser Clydesdales arriving in presidential fashion with a grand motorcade of red semi-trucks, flashing lights from local law enforcement, and a sea of onlookers was one of many impressive draws to the annual University of Arkansas and Anheuser-Busch (A-B) partnership discovery farm showcase to celebrate hardworking rice growers.
This year’s large outdoor event was held June 27 on the green lawns at the A-B rice milling facility here featuring industry partners including USA Rice, rice research highlights, kids’ activities, local food venders, and rice libations.
“USA Rice has been a part of the Anheuser-Busch producer field days for many years, and it is very impressive seeing it grow into the large industry and community celebration it is today,” said USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann. “Bill Jones, A-B agronomist and U.S. sustainable ag lead, and his team have gone above and beyond to organize this event and we are proud to continue to be a part of it.”
The A-B leadership team in attendance made sure to highlight why the company continues to be the largest end user of U.S. grown rice.
“Since 2020, Anheuser-Busch B has invested more than a million dollars to support model and discovery farms across various land grant universities but we’re especially proud of our partnership with the University of Arkansas,” said A-B U.S. Chief Sustainability & Procurement Officer John Rogers.
Earlier this year, A-B helped launch U.S. Farm Certification, and became the first-ever company to have its products branded and certified as U.S. Farmed (see
USA Rice Daily, March 20, 2024).
“What that certification means is more than 95 percent of the agricultural ingredients that go into the brewing of Bud Light, Budweiser, Busch Light, Busch, and Michelob Ultra are grown right here in the United States,” Rogers continued. “That’s a message that we’re communicating to consumers across America to make sure they’re doing what we all are doing – supporting the American farmer.”
A-B U.S. CEO Brendan Whitworth, who attended the field day, acknowledged his deep ties to Arkansas letting the crowd know his mother graduated from UofA. He went on to share the A-B commitment to quality. “In our business we brew what we believe to be the world’s best lagers and ales, and we market the world’s best brands, but what is critical to our business is our partnerships, and our farmers are our partners. We place emphasis on the quality of our products, and the quality of those products begins with the quality of the ingredients that you so meticulously take care of, every season, every day. We love to talk about that as it helps reinforce what we know and believe, that we have the highest quality ingredients in the industry.”
Whitworth discussed the fact that Budweiser began their business with rice, a very special ingredient in its recipe that no other beer of any significance had utilized.
“The inclusion of rice delivers a crispness and freshness that the original brewmasters at A-B in the creation of Budweiser wanted and needed, one that you’re not going to find in a lot of beers,” he said. “As the company continues to evolve our portfolio, rice is a critical component you simply don’t find in other beers, that delivers the same quality, the same flavor, refreshment, and crispness that we have in ours. And so we thank you for allowing us to put your rice in our beers.”
Rice was definitely in the beer here but also in many dishes provided by participating food trucks as well as samples of rice bratwurst developed by Arkansas State University, and, wait, more beer, this one developed by the University of Arkansas featuring, you guessed it, rice, a favorite ingredient.
“We’re already looking forward to next year’s celebration of rice in Jonesboro, and to working closely with A-B in the coming months and years to showcase the U.S.-farmed seal,” said Bachmann.