The latest McDonald’s television commercials mention sustainability in connection with the Quarter Pounder.
The company says at least 30 percent of the beef in that type of burger comes from certified sustainable sources.
McDonald’s is one of three food companies, along with Harvey’s and Chop Steakhouse and Bar, that source a portion of their beef from certified sustainable operations. That certification comes through the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
Through benchmarking, certification and sustainability projects, the CRSB is playing a role in quality beef production.
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It defines sustainable beef as a “socially responsible, environmentally sound and economically viable product that prioritizes the planet, people, animals and progress.”
The organization’s 2020 annual report indicates 9.3 million cattle are now raised on farms and ranches that have been certified sustainable. That is 16.5 percent of the Canadian cattle herd. Some 4.8 million pounds of beef were sold between July 2019 and July 2020 with the CRSB claim.
Cattle operations seeking the sustainable beef designation through the CRSB are subject to an on-site audit to assess whether or how they conform with the standards established by the organization in terms of ecosystem health, the role and treatment of people in the operation, animal management in terms of health and welfare, safety and quality of beef products and the operation’s efficiency and innovation.
