Anheuser-Busch's Grower Days Celebration Highlights Barley Growers' Commitment to Quality Ingredients, Agricultural Innovation, and Environmental Sustainability

Annual Celebration Returns to Moorhead Malt Plant to Recognize Barley Growers and Applaud Strong Sustainability Practices as Part of Brewer's Commitment to 2025 U.S. Sustainability Goals

MOORHEAD, Minn. (July 11, 2019) - Anheuser-Busch today hosted its fourth annual “Grower Days” celebration to honor the hardworking men and women who grow barley for the brewer's leading beers.

The brewer has proudly supported farmers and the agricultural community for generations, and has long-standing, intergenerational partnerships with growers who share the brewer's drive and passion for superior quality.

“We are proud of our generations-long partnerships with our growers,” said Ingrid De Ryck, VP of Procurement and Sustainability at Anheuser-Busch. “Our commitment to quality beer starts with quality ingredients, and our grower partners are who make our beers possible. As we like to say, ‘barley today, Budweiser tomorrow!'”

Anheuser-Busch's Grower Days celebration also serves as an occasion to share best practices and educate growers on the company's progress towards achieving its ambitious 2025 U.S. Sustainability Goals. As part of its commitment to ensure that 100 percent of its direct farmers are highly skilled, connected and financially empowered, Anheuser-Busch announced a new app to help farmers manage their grower contracts. The app, called Bushel, is the product of a partnership between Anheuser-Bush and Myriad. The app has the potential to enhance the livelihoods of barley farmers in North Dakota and the surrounding region by connecting farmers to up-to-date data about their deliveries and contracts.

The announcement comes in the middle of the two-day Grower Days celebration, which kicked off last night as the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Clydesdales made special beer deliveries around the Fargo, North Dakota region. Today, the celebration continues at the Anheuser-Busch Moorhead, Minnesota Malt Plant as growers from around the area participate in all-day festivities and educational events to learn about the latest in agriculture technology and sustainable farming. Both growers and the general public are invited to enjoy an immersive experience with multiple leading Anheuser-Busch brands, including Budweiser, Busch, and Michelob Ultra. Further, guests and growers will be able to tour research test plots and the malt plant to learn just how the country's leading beers are brewed from seed to sip. The Grower Days celebration will also include sky divers, bag pipes and a chance to see the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales.

“Our barley farmers and their families are dedicated to growing the best barley possible for our beers, and Grower Days is our way of honoring their partnership and celebrating all they do for us,” said Nicole Zahradka, Regional Agronomy Manager for Anheuser-Busch. “We're thankful for their commitment to quality and sustainability and look forward to many more years of strong partnerships.”

During the celebration, multiple local growers will be recognized with awards honoring their accomplishments and impacts on the industry. Awards include:

• Next Generation Barley Grower – this award will be given to growers who are continuing, or just beginning, the tradition of growing barley. Thirty-three growers from the region will be recognized, including one who is a third-generation grower.
• 2019 Sustainable Barley Grower—this award will be given to a barley grower who has incorporated strong sustainability practices on their farm.
• 2019 Soil Health Steward – this award will go to a barley grower who implements best practices on their farm to support soil health.
• 2019 Women in Barley award – this will go to a female grower who is a strong example of leadership in the barley growing community.

“Our Moorhead Malt Plant plays an integral role in Anheuser-Busch's brewing process,” said Paul Bolin, Director of Midwest Malt and Barley Operations. “Barley is a key ingredient in beer, and our malt plant is the perfect backdrop for this year's Growers Days celebration. We're proud to work with growers in the region to produce our leading beers.”

As the nation's leading brewer, Anheuser-Busch is a major purchaser of U.S. agricultural products. The brewer uses barley, rice, corn, malt and hops across its brand portfolio, and sources the vast majority of its ingredients from U.S. farmers, including 98 percent of its barley and 100 percent of its rice and corn. As part of its commitment to supporting the broader agriculture community, Anheuser-Busch this year was proud to support a few leading agriculture organizations, including:

• At the beginning of the year, Busch Beer donated more than $500,000 to Farm Rescue, an organization dedicated to providing planting, haying, harvesting and livestock feeding assistance free of charge to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster.
• Anheuser-Busch recently donated $150,000 to USA Rice's “Rice Stewardship Partnership” to provide farmers with access to technical information and funding to make their operations more sustainable, with a specific focus on irrigation and nutrient efficiency.
• The brewer invested $30,000 to support the Hop Growers of America's “Good Bines” program, which provides educational resources to hop growers on sustainability, food safety, and farming best practices.
• Anheuser-Busch launched a partnership with Indigo Agriculture, a private-sector agriculture startup, to purchase 2.2 million bushels of rough rice grown with 10 percent less water, nitrogen, and carbon emissions.
• The Anheuser-Busch Foundation recently announced a $100,000 investment – two $50,000 grants – to Montana State University and the University of Idaho to support Low Elevation Spray Application (LESA) pivots, which reduces water usage during barley irrigation. The grants will support farmers who adopt the LESA pivots, as well as research on reduced water usage.

These programs demonstrate Anheuser-Busch's commitment to building a more beneficial agricultural system — one that meets consumers' desires for sustainably-grown, high-quality ingredients, while benefiting growers and their communities.

ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH

For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been woven into the cultural fabric of the United States, carrying on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate 23 breweries, 14 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home to several of America's most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. 

From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home.

For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.