

Budweiser celebrated its ties to the national parks with a newly designed bottle featuring the Statute of Liberty/Budweiser Budweiser celebrated its ties to the national parks with a newly designed bottle featuring the Statute of Liberty/Budweiser

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis waived agency policies against partnering with alcoholic beverage companies so the National Park Foundation could sign a multi-million-dollar agreement with Anheuser-Busch, a deal that provides Budweiser with valuable branding placements during the Park Service's centennial campaign.

In return, the Park Service hopes to gain a valuable partner in its search for a younger audience for national parks, co-branding with the beermaker at concerts in the parks, and "integration with AB's Responsible Drinking Campaign."

Word that the director had signed the waiver (attached below) back in January, revealed Monday night after the Traveler raised questions about the $2.5 million Budweiser contract, apparently hadn't traveled far beyond the Park Service's Washington, D.C., headquarters. The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees was not aware of it, nor was Dennis Galvin, a former Park Service deputy director who stays active in Park Service circles.

Alcohol long has been found in the National Park System, as visitors enjoy beer, wine, and cocktails during their vacations. Indeed, a microbrewery actually operates on the grounds of Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, and many microbreweries across the country label some of their beers after national park settings. But as an agency, the Park Service for about a quarter-century has had a prohibition against aligning itself with alcoholic beverage companies.

Under language contained within Director's Order 21, which pertains to fundraising and donations to the agency, "it is NPS policy to decline direct donations from a company which holds or is seeking a concessions contract or which would identify the NPS with alcohol or tobacco products." Additionally, the order states that, 'Corporate campaigns which identify the NPS with alcohol or tobacco products will not be authorized.'

Mr. Galvin told the Traveler that the "prohibition actually dates back to 1988 post-Yellowstone fire when we had an offer from a wine company to donate some sum for every bottle of wine sold to support Yellowstone rehabilitation. We rejected the offer on the basis that we didn't want NPS supporting alcohol consumption and also decided that was true of tobacco as well."

However, the Park Service's assistant director for Partnerships and Civil Engagement last Christmas Eve requested a waiver to that dictate so that Anheuser-Busch could "provide support for the Find Your Park public awareness campaign."

"This public awareness campaign is a critical tool for reaching the Centennial goal: to connect with and create the next generation of park visitors, supporters, and advocates," the request said.

The document also noted that current NPS policy does "allow the acceptance of donations from producers of alcohol producers, and the NPF has on its board the president and chief executive officer of Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P., the nation's largest distributor of AB products."

At the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, Maureen Finnerty said late last week that her group was waiting to see if Director Jarvis intended to rewrite DO21 to allow for partnerships with alcoholic beverage companies.

'My understanding is they have relaxed their policy on alcohol. I don't hear it on tobaco, but I hear it on alcohol, and I think it's to accommodate this Budweiser situation," she said Friday before word of the wavier had spread. 'Until I have a little more detail I don't know what to think."

When Budweiser last week announced a new bottle design that features an artistic rendering of the Statue of Liberty, which rises above Statue of Liberty National Monument in the Hudson River at the head of New York Harbor, company officials made clear they were hoping to lure more beer drinkers into the parks.

"We want to encourage a new generation of beer drinkers to get out there and see what America is made of," said Budweiser Vice President Brian Perkins in a press release. "And where better than in America's national parks? It's fitting for Budweiser'a big, bold brand'to team up with a pioneering partner like NPF. We are looking to draw attention to these parks with our eye-catching packaging '¦ as well as a pretty epic surprise concert this summer."

The move to tap philanthropic funding for the Park Service via alcoholic beverages has been under way for at least two years. In 2013 the National Park Foundation entered into an agreement with Alder Fells Winery of California to market bottles of wine bearing commemorative labels. Under that agreement, the Foundation was to receive $2 for every bottle of the "National Parks Wines Collection" sold.

Still, the Budweiser campaign seems at odds with the Park Service's Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative, which aims, in part, to 'bring about lasting change in Americans' lifestyle choices and their relationship with nature and the outdoors.' The initiative is described as being aligned with the Surgeon General's National Prevention Strategy, which identifies Prevention of Drug and Excessive Alcohol Use as one of its seven strategies. One of the recommendations under that particular strategy is to "(C)reate environments that empower young people not to drink or use other drugs."

Park Service Chief of Public Affairs April Slayton pointed out in an email to the Traveler that part of the agreement with Anheuser-Busch focuses on responsible drinking.

"The Anheuser-Busch InBev waiver to DO-#21 calls for the integration of the AB InBev Responsible Drinking Program. When Budweiser hosts events in national parks as part of their agreement, if beer is made available, Budweiser will activate its responsible drinking program," she wrote.

Ms. Slayton also noted the beermaker's philanthropic ties, writing that, "Anheuser-Busch InBev has a strong presence in the philanthropic community, partnering with large American non-profits, including the American Red Cross, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, and Living Lands & Waters."

In seeking the waiver, the Partnerships and Civic Engagement staff noted that the agreement with Alder Fels, which expired at the end of last year, led to sales of more than 39,000 bottles of wine and generated about $73,000 for the Foundation.

"With this waiver and its specific application, there was no adverse reaction from the public," Ms. Slayton pointed out. "The waiver permitting the Budweiser partnership carefully builds on that past successful partnership."