As part of National Rice Month, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation awarded $130,000 to scientists with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Arkansas leads the nation in rice production, and Anheuser-Busch says it is the largest U.S. end user of rice — buying about 20 million bushels a year and partnering with more than 80 Arkansas rice farmers. Funded work spans rice quality and brewing performance, aromatic rice markets, shelf stability for lager production, irrigation recirculation pumps and the Arkansas Discovery Farms Program.
Experiment Station Director Jean-François Meullenet said industry partnerships help producers stay competitive while opening value-added uses for Arkansas-grown rice. Related Anheuser-Busch grants also went to Arkansas State University’s rice program, Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice.
