Nature Blossoms at Anheuser-Busch Operations

Ten Anheuser-Busch Facilities Certified By Wildlife Habitat Council

When employees of the Anheuser-Busch land application farm in Jacksonville go for a stroll, they watch where they step. That’s because the farm is also home to dozens of alligators who have settled in the property’s retention ponds. While most people might find this unsettling, the employees at the farm look forward to seeing their sometimes suspicious neighbors. It’s all part of the brewer’s efforts to promote wildlife conservation and be a good neighbor not only to people, but nature as well.

As a founding member of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), Anheuser-Busch has been actively involved with the organization that leads ground-breaking initiatives for the benefit of wildlife and conservation education. WHC members serve as leaders in environmental stewardship at the local, regional and national levels, voluntarily managing their facilities or properties to support healthy ecosystems and environmentally friendly societies. To date, ten Anheuser-Busch facilities have been certified as Wildlife at WorkSM by the WHC for various projects that help create a healthy and biodiverse natural world.

“Our association with the WHC has been a catalyst for our efforts to recognize and create natural habitats at our facilities across the country,” said Doug Muhleman, senior group vice president of brewing, operations and technology for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. “It’s very gratifying to know that in addition to brewing and supporting the production of some of the world’s most popular beers, our operations are also helping to create homes for various types of wildlife and plants. Whether it’s a peregrine falcon nest on top of the malt house in Manitowoc, a pollinator garden at the Jonesboro rice mill or the alligators who roam the ponds at our Jacksonville land application farm, we enjoy having the animals as our neighbors and helping nature bloom in unlikely locations.”

The following Anheuser-Busch operations have been certified as Wildlife at WorkSM sites by the WHC.

• Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) – certified since 1997
• Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) – certified since 1998
• Manitowoc Barley Malt Plant (Manitowoc, Wis.) – certified since 1999
• Jonesboro Rice Mill (Jonesboro, Ark.) – certified since 2001
• Ft. Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since 2006
• Ft. Collins Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) – certified since 2001
• Rome Can Plant (Rome, Ga.) – certified since 2002
• Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) – certified since 2004
• Merrimack Brewery (Merrimack, N.H.) – certified since 2007
• Baldwinsville Brewery (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) – certified since 2008

“This year, our 20th Anniversary, WHC celebrates two decades of solid leadership and on-the-ground achievements by our members in wildlife habitat preservation and conservation education,” said Robert Johnson, WHC president. “WHC members are continuing to lead the way to further define and demonstrate how corporations can use their lands to preserve our biodiversity, while preparing new generations through conservation education to understand how to be better leaders and managers for tomorrow’s sustainable businesses and communities. Congratulations to Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. for their volunteer-based efforts to preserve the biodiversity of their community and the world, and to connect people to nature.”

In addition to the certification, several of Anheuser-Busch’s operations have also been certified as Corporate Lands for LearningSM (CLL) sites. CLL facilities serve as educational resources in the communities in which they are located for local educators and wildlife researchers.

The following Anheuser-Busch facilities have achieved CLL certification.
• Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) – CLL site since 2000
• Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) – CLL site since 2006
• Jonesboro Rice Mill (Jonesboro, Ark.) – CLL site since 2005
• Fort Collins Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) – CLL site since 2007
• Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) – CLL site since 2008

Since 1990, WHC has certified 489 programs worldwide, of which 97 have been designated CLL programs. These programs reach thousands of learners from schools and scout groups to master gardeners and university researchers. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require that sites apply for periodic renewal.