Anheuser-Busch launches ‘Choose Beer Grown Here’ campaign

The nation’s leading brewer known to sell beer cans with tractors and corn cobs has announced another step to support U.S. farmers during National Agriculture Week.

American Farmland Trust launched a new U.S. Farmed certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95% of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the U.S. Anheuser-Busch announced it will be first to adopt the U.S. Farmed certification and seal for several of its beer brands.

The seal aims to transform the way consumers shop for domestically sourced products and will first appear on Busch Light beer this May. Anheuser-Busch’s new campaign, “Choose Beer Grown Here,” will encourage consumers to seek the certification and seal when shopping for products. Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA beers have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification.

Third-generation farmer Luke Adams, owner of Timm Adams Farms, says his family has been growing high-quality barley for decades, but until today, consumers couldn’t see that.

“I’m thrilled to see AFT launch the U.S. Farmed certification and proud to grow for the first company to join the effort,” Adams says. “Knowing that consumers can choose to support not just me, but all farmers across our country, means a lot to my family and to the people on my farm whose jobs rely on their purchases.”

Companies across the consumer-packaged goods industry are encouraged to join the effort by obtaining U.S. Farmed certification for their domestically sourced products. According to ATF, the funds from the certification will provide growers with access to the support needed to maintain and protect their farmland, as well as innovative strategies for transitioning their land to the next generation of farmers.

“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,” says 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.”

Industry groups support certification

Numerous commodity groups responded in favor to Tuesday’s announcement, including the USA Rice Federation, National Corn Growers Association, Hop Growers of America, National Barley Growers Association and the Hop Research Council.

Minnesota corn farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle explains the certification is a testament to the high-quality products coming from America’s farms. “We appreciate the recognition of the hard work put in by hundreds of thousands of farmers to produce an abundant and reliable corn crop,” Wolle says.

“U.S. Farmed will help highlight the importance of our U.S manufacturing base, as well as the important contributions that U.S. rice growers bring to American restaurants, bars, and kitchen tables each day,” says Peter Bachmann, president and CEO of the USA Rice Federation.