Anheuser-Busch raises a glass to local farmers at 12th annual Idaho Grower Days
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IDAHO FALLS – Anheuser-Busch paid tribute to local farmers at its 12th annual Idaho Grower Days on Tuesday afternoon.
The event was held at its elevator facility at 2121 West 145 North, one of four facilities it operates in Idaho Falls.
The beer company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, partners with 700 farmers nationwide to supply barley and hops, a small family of flowering plants used as a bittering, flavoring, and stability agent in beer. More than 230 of those farmers live in Idaho, and Grower Days recognizes their contributions.
Those in attendance heard from Damola Oshin, Anheuser-Busch’s Chief Procurement Officer, CEO Brendan Whitworth, and Idaho Gov. Brad Little.
“On behalf of the 65,000 hard-working Americans who bring our beer to life, we appreciate the important role that you (farmers) all play,” Whitworth said at the event.
Luke Adams of Rupert was among the growers in attendance. He and his wife are the third-generation owners of Timm Adams Farms, which grows 5,000 acres of different crops. About 3,000 acres are used to grow malt barley for Anheuser-Busch.
The farm has had a contract with the beer-maker for more than 25 years. As the farm’s owners since 2012, Luke and his wife have worked directly with the company for 14 years.
Adams tells EastIdahoNews.com their association with Anheuser-Busch has been “fantastic.”
“We’ve been able to grow our farm,” Adams says. “As we perform and grow high-quality barley, they’ve rewarded us with more acres to grow together.”
The company’s Grower Advisory Panel, made up of barley farmers, was formed in 2020. It meets four times a year with company executives to share best farming practices, tools, technology and other resources to aid in farming operations. Adams is a member of the panel, and he says being uniquely connected to company leadership provides an “excellent” resource.
“On a family farm, we take the long view, and if they show long-term commitment, that makes it easier to plan and continue doing this year after year,” says Adams. “It’s been a great relationship.”
‘We’re committed to the future of agriculture in Idaho’
Anheuser-Busch is celebrating 169 years of operation this year, according to its website. It began as a small neighborhood brewery in 1857. With the help of Eberhard Anheuser, Adolphus Busch and thousands of employees, it transformed from a local fixture into “an American icon.”
“Today, Anheuser-Busch is the nation’s leading brewer and maker of some of the top brands in beer and beyond,” the website says.
The company has nine flagship breweries in the U.S. and more than 100 plants and distribution centers.
Anheuser-Busch has hundreds of grower contracts in Idaho, and has been using Idaho barley for nearly 60 years, according to a recent report from Idaho Business Review. It’s the largest buyer of Idaho barley. A fact sheet given to local media at Idaho Grower Days says the company sources 70% of its barley from Idaho.
Anheuser-Busch operates four facilities in Idaho Falls, including a seed facility, two malt plants, and a barley elevator where about 21 million bushels of barley are processed every year. EastIdahoNews.com took a tour of the elevator, which you can watch in the video above.
The site, built in 1991, has 18 silos that are 70 feet tall. Employees say they can hold up to 100,000 bushels (roughly 1 million gallons) of barley a piece. It also has eight larger silos that are 126 feet tall and can hold 250,000 bushels of barley.
Barley processed at the elevator is hauled to the malt plant at 5755 South Yellowstone Highway. It was built in 1990 and expanded in 2004, according to the Idaho Barley Commission. It processes more than 300,000 metric tons of finished malt per year — enough to produce 6 million bottles of beer.
Since 2021, the company has invested $11 million in its Idaho Falls operations. During Tuesday’s event, Anheuser-Busch announced another $4 million investment.
“This will ensure that we can continue to operate efficiently, support local jobs, and fuel economic growth across Idaho’s agriculture community,” the media fact sheet says.
The company also awarded a $50,000 grant to the University of Idaho to support on-farm trials and research on barley fertilizer and nutrient management.
“The research helps optimize outputs and yields, while still helping our farmers grow high-quality barley,” Whitworth told the crowd. “With investments like these, we’re committed to the future of agriculture in Idaho and elsewhere.”
RELATED | Anheuser-Busch’s giant combine-turned-bar is rolling into Idaho Falls
In June, Anheuser-Busch kicked off a nationwide tour of its new Combar — a 10-ton, 400-square-foot mobile bar built from a real combine harvester. Its gleaming beer taps served up cold brewskis at Idaho Grower Days. It will be doing the same thing on Wednesday along the Riverwalk Greenbelt in Idaho Falls during Alive After 5.
AG AT-A-GLANCE
The following is taken from a news release from Chobani.
GOODING – Learn how to grow, prepare, and enjoy fresh, locally grown and nutritious food while celebrating Idaho’s agricultural identity.
Chobani invites the community to its second Saturdays in the Park summer program, a farm-to-table education series. At its next event, families will take part in hands-on meal preparation and interactive activities, and will leave with nutritious food to take home.
It’s happening on Aug. 8 from noon to 2 p.m. at 820 Main Street in Gooding.
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