Anheuser-Busch announced that it is the first to adopt the new U.S. Farmed certification and seal. The American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national nonprofit that supports American farmers, launched a new certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95% of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the United States. Anheuser-Busch will add the seal to several of its beer brands, the announcement said.
According to the press release, AFT created the certification and seal to change the way consumers identify and shop for domestically sourced products. Consumers can choose to purchase U.S.-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.”
The seal will first appear on Anheuser-Busch’s Busch Light this May. Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification.
Companies across the CPG industry are encouraged to join the effort by obtaining U.S. Farmed certification for their domestically-sourced products, the statement said. 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.
According to AFT, within the next 15 years, ownership of over 30% 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 agricultural capacity, and new and beginning farmers are often challenged to secure the capital needed to enter agriculture.
Read “The Beer Cooler of the Future” in the August 2023 issue of NACS Magazine.