FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Anheuser-Busch and Arkansas Wholesalers have donated $634,000 to the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences to create an endowed professorship in the college.

The gift will be matched by the university’s Matching Gift Program, creating an endowment of $1,268,000, which will fund an endowed professorship specializing in plant molecular genetics with a focus on rice. The gift was committed during the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century.

“We are very grateful to Anheuser-Busch and Arkansas Wholesalers for their generosity,” said Gregory Weidemann, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. “This gift will help propel Arkansas’ advancements in rice research.”

Because rice is the predominant food source for at least 60 percent of the world’s population, there is a significant interest in understanding the genetics of rice and the function of rice genes. The new position will play a key role in discovering the function of more than 45,000 rice genes. By understanding the function of each gene, the knowledge gained will significantly improve the ability of plant breeders to develop new, improved rice varieties that will benefit the farmer and the rice industry.

“This new position provides a tremendous opportunity for increased research in such a valuable agricultural commodity in Arkansas — and across the globe,” Weidemann said.

Steve Malin, president of Busch Agricultural Resources Inc., said: “Anheuser-Busch, through its Busch Agricultural Resources subsidiary, conducts and funds research into new strains of barley and rice as part of its commitment to having the finest ingredients in its beers. We are proud to join our Arkansas wholesalers in helping to endow this professorship at the University of Arkansas, which operates one of the top rice research programs in the world.”