Choose Beer Grown Here: Anheuser-Busch is First to Adopt American Farmland Trust’s U.S. Farmed Certification, Helping Shoppers Choose Products Made with U.S. Ingredients

Today, American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national nonprofit that helps to keep American farmers on their land, launched a new U.S. Farmed certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95 percent of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the United States. Anheuser-Busch, the nation’s leading brewer, announced that it is the first-mover in adopting the U.S. Farmed certification and seal for several of its industry-leading beer brands. 

Aimed at transforming the way consumers identify and shop for domestically sourced products, the seal will first appear on Anheuser-Busch’s Busch Light this May, and Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification. Consumers are empowered to purchase U.S. Farmed certified products to benefit American farmers and invest in the future of domestic ingredient sourcing, helping to ensure a vibrant and thriving agricultural sector in America for generations to come.

Companies across the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry are encouraged to join the effort by obtaining U.S. Farmed certification for their domestically-sourced products. AFT will use funds raised through those certifications to expand programs and provide U.S. farmers across all 50 states with free resources and expert advisory services to help them access, protect, and maintain American farmland.

By harnessing the potential of U.S. sourced goods across the entire CPG industry, the U.S. Farmed certification aims to create a far greater impact for American agriculture than any one company could alone. This industry-wide effort will be supported by an Anheuser-Busch led campaign, “Choose Beer Grown Here,” to encourage consumers to seek the U.S. Farmed certification and seal when shopping for products. 

“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,” said 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. The U.S. Farmed certification takes our commitment to the next level, and we are proud to lead the industry in rallying behind American farmers to ensure the future of U.S. agriculture, which is crucial to our country’s economy. We look forward to other companies joining us in seeking U.S. Farmed certification for their products so that together we can make an even greater impact and show our support for American farmers.”   

The U.S. Farmed certification comes at a critical moment for American agriculture. According to AFT, within the next 15 years, ownership of over 30 percent of our nation’s agricultural land could be in transition as the current generation of farmers prepares to retire. At the same time, farmland loss threatens the very foundation of our agricultural capacity, and new and beginning farmers are often challenged to secure the capital needed to enter agriculture. The U.S. Farmed certification will address this challenge head on by providing growers with access to the direct support needed to pursue their options for maintaining and protecting their farmland, as well as innovative strategies for transitioning their land to the next generation of farmers.  

“For over four decades, American Farmland Trust has worked tirelessly to ensure the land that sustains us remains in farming and its soils stay healthy and productive. Now, with the launch of the U.S. Farmed certification, we’re taking a bold step to help secure the future of American agriculture and create both a movement and a market niche that celebrates and supports our nation’s farmers,” said Beth Sauerhaft, PhD, AFT Acting President and CEO. “Each U.S. Farmed certification has the potential to open new opportunities for farmers to receive assistance with succession planning, farmland protection tools for their operations, and other useful tactics to safeguard their land – our nation’s food systems. We appreciate Anheuser-Busch’s leadership in bringing the U.S. Farmed certification to some of the country’s most iconic brands, while also making a tangible impact for American farmers.”   

“As a third-generation barley farmer, my family has been growing high-quality ingredients for companies like Anheuser-Busch for decades – but until today, consumers couldn’t see that,” said Luke Adams, Farmer and Owner at Timm Adams Farms. “I’m thrilled to see AFT launch the U.S. Farmed certification and proud to grow for the first company to join the effort. 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.”  

“USA Rice maintains a strong partnership with Anheuser-Busch, the largest end user of rice in the U.S. The launch of U.S. Farmed – a new initiative that promotes American-grown commodities like rice – is an exciting new opportunity for our U.S. rice growers and industry partners around the country,” said Peter Bachmann, President and CEO, USA Rice Federation. “Our nation’s rice farmers, rice millers, merchants, and manufacturing customers are each proud to play a critical role in our domestic supply chain and broader economy. 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.”

“Efforts like this are a testament to the quality products that come from America’s farms each and every year,” said Minnesota corn farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle. “We appreciate the recognition of the hard work put in by hundreds of thousands of farmers to produce an abundant and reliable corn crop.”

“American farming operations have honed the craft of cultivating high-quality hops over generations, and today the pride and responsibility of this profession remains woven into the identity of each producer,” said Maggie Elliot, Science and Communications Director, Hop Growers of America. “The U.S. Farmed program by American Farmland Trust fulfilled by inaugural partner Anheuser-Busch will aid the development of domestic markets and empower our growers in delivering a world-renowned commodity that continues to revolutionize the brewing industry.” 

For more information on the U.S. Farmed certification and seal, including resources for American Farmers and product certification, please visit http://www.farmland.org/us-farmed.

Learn more about Anheuser-Busch’s commitment to U.S. farmers here http://www.anheuser-busch.com/USFarmed.

Additional Support for U.S. Farmed

National Barley Growers Association: “From beer to bread, barley is the foundation of products in nearly every American home. By highlighting products made with U.S. barley and U.S. agricultural commodities, the U.S. Farmed program will promote and support American barley growers and provide resources to help preserve agricultural production in the U.S.” – Chris Engelstad, President, National Barley Growers Association

Hop Research Council: “The American Farmland Trust’s new U.S. Farmed certification program will help further its mission to support American agriculture and promote environmentally sound farming practices, and Anheuser-Busch’s commitment to this program aligns with their leadership in agricultural research organizations like the Hop Research Council. The HRC looks forward to the positive impact this program will have on hop growers in the United States.” 

ABOUT AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 7.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families. Learn more at www.farmland.org.   

ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH 

At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life’s moments, dream big to move our industry forward, and make a meaningful impact in the world. We hope to build a future that everyone can celebrate, and everyone can share. For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. 

We are home to several of America’s most loved beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Cutwater Spirits, Stella Artois, Budweiser and Bud Light 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.