In a major nod to the quality of Canadian beef, McDonald's Canada announced
that it will be the first company in Canada to serve Canadian beef from
certified sustainable farms and ranches, beginning with its Angus line-up.
This means that for the first time ever, McDonald's 3 million daily guests will
soon be able to enjoy Angus beef sourced from farms and ranches certified
sustainable according to world-class standards set by the Canadian Roundtable
for Sustainable Beef. More specifically, over the next 12-months, more than
20-million Angus burgers will be sourced according to the CRSB standards.
People will also soon see a new Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB)
certification logo alongside McDonald's Mighty Angus line-up on the menu.
This is all possible because McDonald's Canada has positioned itself to meet
the requirements of the CRSB's Certified Sustainable Framework. The CRSB
Sustainable Beef Production and Processing Standards include more than 60
indicators across five principles for beef sustainability and are upheld
by-on-site certification audits.
For example, a few of the indicators a farmer or rancher must achieve include:
- Grasslands and grazing are managed in a way that maintains or improves soil
health and protects watershed areas.
- Outcomes related to feed/water, animal care, shelter, herd health and
handling procedures are met as per requirements outlined in Canada's Code of
Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle.
As a founding member of the CRSB, established in 2014, McDonald's Canada was a
driving force and strong supporter in developing Canadian standards for beef
sustainability. The CRSB consists of a diverse group of stakeholders
representing academia, government, food and agricultural businesses, producer
associations, processors like McDonald's supplier, Cargill, retail and
foodservice as well as NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund U.S., Nature
Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Sourcing sustainably doesn't just benefit McDonald's; the entire ecosystem
stands to gain. As more producers have their operations certified sustainable,
McDonald's looks forward to growing the volume of available beef sourced from
CRSB-certified sustainable operations, with other companies also joining the
journey.