Record crowd comes out for beer, boil, and bonding
Jun 17, 2025
JONESBORO, AR – On June 12, Anheuser-Busch (A-B) hosted the 4th annual Rice Grower Day Celebration & Discovery Farm Showcase at their mill here. Close to 1,000 people participated in the lively event, which featured food, beer, live music, and opportunities to learn about innovation in rice production, as well as a chance to see A-B’s world-famous Clydesdale horses. USA Rice participated with a booth and also provided a crawfish boil in conjunction with Arkansas Rice and Louisiana rice farmer Allen McLain.
A-B Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brendan Whitworth provided words of welcome, noting the vital importance of U.S. rice in creating the crisp, clean taste of their beers. AB InBev’s CEO, Michel Doukeris, who flew in for the event, thanked rice farmers for their integral work raising a crop that has created a world-renowned beer. USA Rice COO Sarah Moran also thanked AB for their strong partnership and support of the U.S. rice industry through programs such as the Rice Stewardship Program.
“Anheuser-Busch is the largest end-user of rice in the U.S., with most of their rice sourced from Arkansas,” said Moran. “We are grateful for today’s event where we can all take a moment to appreciate not just the skill of the brewer, but also the hard work of the rice farmers – families who are every bit as much a part of the American beer story as the breweries themselves.”
The program concluded with the awarding of Anheuser-Busch's Rice Quality Awards with Highest Total Yield to WSJ Farms of Pocahontas (Steve Wren), Highest Head Yield to Stephens Farm Partnership of Cherry Valley (Brandon Stephens), and Rice Farmer Heritage Award to Pigue Farms of Paragould (Ron Pigue, Sr. and family).