Anheuser-Busch grant supports Arkansas rice research

RICE RESEARCH — As part of its celebration of National Rice Month, Anheuser-Busch has provided $130,000  to support ongoing rice research by scientists with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. | UADA photo

By JOHN LOVETT | University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station were recently awarded $130,000 from Anheuser-Busch, donated through the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, to support ongoing projects ranging from rice quality and brewing applications to water stewardship and crop management.

The funding to the research arm of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is part of more than $200,000 in grants from Anheuser-Busch to support rice research, grower education and industry partnerships as part of its celebration of National Rice Month. Other grants were awarded to the Arkansas State University Rice Program, Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice.

Arkansas is the nation’s leading rice-producing state, and Anheuser-Busch is the largest end user of rice in the United States, purchasing approximately 20 million bushels annually for its brewing operations. The company spends $700 million annually sourcing ingredients — like rice, barley and corn — from American farmers.

Anheuser-Busch states it maintains longstanding, intergenerational partnerships with 700 farmers across the country, including more than 80 rice farmers in Arkansas. One of the company’s rice mills is in Jonesboro near the Division of Agriculture’s Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center.

“Great beer starts with great ingredients, and great ingredients start with farmers,” said Damola Oshin, chief procurement officer for Anheuser-Busch. “We’re proud to support organizations that are advancing research and innovation across the rice industry. These investments help strengthen American agriculture and support the farmers and communities that make our beers possible.”

“Anheuser-Busch has a significant connection to Arkansas rice, and this investment in research is a great example of how industry partnerships can create value for both producers and consumers,” said Jean-François Meullenet, senior associate vice president for agriculture-research and director of the experiment station. “By supporting innovative research in rice quality, production efficiency and value-added applications, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation is helping us identify new opportunities for Arkansas-grown rice while giving our producers the knowledge and tools they need to remain competitive.”

The funded projects focus on factors affecting rice quality and performance in brewing applications, as well as aromatic rice market research and the shelf stability of rice products used in lager production.

Additional funding will support water-saving recirculation systems that improve irrigation, along with research focused on farming conservation initiatives.

The experiment station researchers are also affiliated with the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Researchers and projects

• Griffiths Atungulu, professor and agricultural engineer in the department of food science — Rice Processing Program.
• Kaushik Luthra, assistant professor of post-harvest grain processing in the department of biological and agricultural engineering — Impact of nutrient applications on sugar extraction and grain quality. Collaborators include Scott Lafontaine, an assistant professor of food chemistry in the department of food science, and Justin Chlapecka, assistant professor of agronomy in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences.
• Chlapecka — Evaluating a water recirculation pump that reduces overall irrigation use and its effects on nutrient management.
• Chlapecka — Best management practices for rice residue management when options are limited. His collaborator is Ana Morales-Ona Smith, an assistant professor and extension soil fertility specialist in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences.
• Lafontaine — Shelf stability of different rice formats and their effects on lager beer quality.
• Lafontaine — How agricultural practices shape rice quality for value-added uses, including brewing and aromatic rice.
• Mike Daniels, Distinguished Professor and extension soil and water conservation specialist in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences — Support for the Arkansas Discovery Farms Program.

Anheuser-Busch achieved U.S. Farmed™ certification for several of its American beers and encourages consumers to “Choose Beer Grown Here” in support of American farmers.

Mention of product names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.