TORONTO – McDonald’s Canada will begin serving Angus burgers made of Canadian beef sourced from farms and ranches certified under standards created by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).

Over the next 12 months, consumers will see a certification logo alongside McDonald’s Mighty Angus line-up on the menu. McDonald’s Canada is a founding member of the CRSB.

The standards include more than 60 indicators across five principles for sustainable beef production that are maintained by on-site certification audits, the company said. Farmers and ranchers must manage grassland and grazing to maintain or improve soil health and protect watershed areas and achieve outcomes related to feed and water, animal care, shelter, herd health and handling procedures outlined in Canada’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle.

“This is a big step in our beef journey — not just for McDonald’s Canada and the Canadian beef industry, but around the world,” said John E. Betts, president and CEO, McDonald’s Canada. “Without the support from the industry and the incredible work Canadian ranchers do every day, beef sustainability in Canada would not be possible. This partnership, combined with McDonald’s scale, is creating change and encouraging responsible beef production for years to come that will benefit all Canadians.”

Cargill also is a member of the CRSB and launched a pilot program to test the audit and traceability systems needed to meet the CRSB’s Certified Sustainable Beef Framework standards. In the first quarter of the pilot, Cargill successfully certified more than 550,000 lbs. of beef produced by more than 70 cattle producers.

“Cargill recognizes that consumers want to know that their beef is raised and processed responsibly,” said Pete Richter, Cargill global foodservice group leader. “And we believe the framework developed by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef can provide the information they are seeking. By applying this framework to our Canadian beef supply chain, we look forward to becoming the first major Canadian processor to provide farm-to-fork traceability of beef from certified sustainable sources.”