Miller Coors CEO visits Iowa with message to corn farmers
Many Iowa farmers say they're upset with Bud Light for a controversial Super Bowl commercial that attacked corn syrup.
Miller Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley, whose company uses corn syrup in its beers, visited the Hitching Post in Bevington on Friday to let corn farmers know that they are appreciated.
Corn farmer Lance Lillibridge said, "By the end of (the Super Bowl ad), I was just absolutely irritated and wanted to shut the thing off. I felt betrayed."
Like many Iowa farmers, Lillibridge said Anheuser-Busch left a bad taste in his mouth and attacked his livelihood.
"Just wanted to go out and dump out every beer we had," Lillibridge said.
His wife, Heidi, said, "Honestly, it's disappointing more than anything."
It's a low blow, she said, after what's already been a hard year for farming families.
"You don't think a beer company will come and sabotage you also," Heidi Lillibridge said.
Other farmers won't argue with that.
"There's enough problems trying to sell corn and beans and everything else," farmer Denny Brommel said.
Hattersley said he's not ashamed of using corn syrup.
"They're making the wonderful ingredients for our brands," he said.
"I would like to say that us farmers, Miller Coors, it's a toast to you guys," Lance Lillibridge said.
There was a third and final party in Ames. It's becoming a nationwide ad campaign. Miller Coors is using the hashtag #ToastToFarmers.