WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier this week, Anheuser-Busch hosted the seventh annual Brew Across America competition here, bringing together six teams of members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to craft exceptional beers, foster bipartisan cooperation, and showcase their mission to bring people together over beer. This year, Brew Across America supported charities benefiting farmers and rural communities, which included The Rice Foundation.
The Rice Foundation was paired with House Ag Committee Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) who brewed their Midwestern Pale Ale, ‘This BudZ for You,’ at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri, earlier this year. Their beer was the winner of the 2024 People’s Choice Award, based on popular vote from the hundreds of event attendees. As a result of the win, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation will make a $15,000 donation to The Rice Foundation.
“When Americans work together, we can do – and brew – amazing things,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “It was great to team up with Congressman Nunn, the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery, and The Rice Foundation to create a signature brew inspired by the St. Louis area’s great beer industry – the home of Budweiser – and to highlight the importance of bipartisanship. I couldn’t be prouder that our batch, ‘This BudZ for You,’ is the winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award!”
Supporting American farmers is part of Anheuser-Busch’s 165+ year legacy. Each year, they purchase more than $700 million in high-quality ingredients from American farmers, including rice, and are proud to be the first company to offer U.S. Farmed certified brands nationwide (see
USA Rice Daily, March 20, 2024).
“It’s not lost on us that Anheuser-Busch is the number one user of U.S.-grown rice,” said USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann. 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 through our industry’s partnership with their company. We greatly appreciate the generous donation to The Rice Foundation by Anheuser-Busch and the opportunity to be part of this great event, and we are proud of Representatives Budzinski and Nunn for brewing the crowd’s favorite beer and representing the House Agriculture Committee well!”
The Rice Foundation is a 501c(3) organization, that promotes research, education, and leadership for all segments of the U.S. rice industry. Financial support helps The Rice Foundation work to ensure the long-term sustainability and future competitiveness of U.S. rice.