Jan 27, 2020

Super Bowl beer promotion to support organic farming

A national beer brand on Monday launched a promotion to that it said would help farmers transition farmland from conventional to organic.

Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold is the first national beer brand to be USDA-certified organic, according to a press release from the company. It’s 6 For 6-Pack is a new program that allows consumers to join the brand in helping farmers transition six square feet of farmland into organic with each purchase of a 6-pack of Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold. The promotion will be included in a minute-long Super Bowl LIV commercial.

A portion of sales from each Pure Gold 6-pack will go directly to farmers looking to transition to organic, allowing consumers to help drive change, according to the press release. Less than 1% of U.S. Farmland is organic and farmers hoping to transition their fields from conventional face challenges.

“There’s an imbalance between consumer preference for organic products and the amount of organic farmland we currently have in the U.S. to support this need,” Azania Andrews, Vice President of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA, said in a press release. “The future of organic beer relies on more farmers converting to organic; we feel a responsibility to help provide choice and support to those who want to transition, so that together we can help farmers sustain and grow their business and provide consumers the products they want.”

The 6 For 6-Pack promotion is an expansion of an existing program launched in 2019, called Contract for Change, that offers 3-6-year transitional barley contracts with premiums for transitional and organic barley production, according to the release. Anheuser-Busch’s expert agronomists are working in partnership with the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Foundation, the leading organization in organic certification and training, to provide technical assistance to farmers as they navigate the steps required to grow certified organic crops. As demand for organic barley increases, Contract for Change aims to inspire the entire organic industry to assist farmers during the transition process by paying a premium for transitional and organic products and providing the needed technical training for farmers to succeed.

“We are eager to help farmers transition to organic production through the visionary Contract for Change program. Michelob ULTRA is truly an organic champion and we are inspired by their commitment to helping farmers overcome barriers while advancing the benefits of organic agriculture throughout the United States,” CCOF CEO Kelly Damewood said in the press release.