Beef Sustainability
Beef sustainability[1] is defined by a socially responsible, environmentally sound and economically viable product that prioritizes the planet, people, animals and progress. The average sustainable beef producer or processor is guided by five core principles developed by the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).[2] These five core principles are natural resources, people and community, animal health and welfare, food, and efficiency and innovation. An expansion of these five core principles in beef sustainability follows below.
Natural resources[edit]
- Maintaining watershed health through responsible management of riparian areas, wetlands, surface and groundwater
- Responsibly managing water resources, usage and quality
- Monitoring and managing grasslands, pastureland and native ecosystems used for beef production
- Support carbon detachment and minimizing emissions
- Minimize negative impact on the environment
- Supporting wildlife on lands used for beef production
- Responsibly managing air quality
- Maintaining soil health
People and community[edit]
- Providing a safe work environment
- Involvement in and contributing to the community
- Employee training and career development
Animal health and welfare[edit]
- Well-being and meeting nutritional and water needs of cattle
- Feeding areas and pastures to allow cattle a natural environment
- Monitoring animal health and welfare regularly
- Ethical treatment of sick animals
- Responsible use and disposal of animal health products
- Maintain a healthy veterinarian relationship with clients and patients
- Care provided within a human and ethical Code of Practice
- Adequate shelter for animals
- Reduce animal stress
Food[edit]
- Supporting production of safe and high-quality food
- Food safety management plans
- Government oversight in beef processing by officiated Inspection Agency
- Minimize food waste and loss
- Food waste assessments and measurements to reduce loss and waster
Efficiency and innovation[edit]
- Pursuing continuous learning about beef sustainability and adopt new practices and technologies that meet the needs of the individual farm ranch or operation.
- Continually embracing new technologies to help minimize waste
- Using energy responsibly, and reducing energy use and adopting more efficient options where possible
- Identifying and adopting production efficiencies such as cattle performance, genetics, reproduce use, etc. that meet the needs of the individual operation
- Using crop production products such as fertilizer, pesticides and fungicides safely and responsibly
The importance of beef sustainability[edit]
The world population is growing fast, with the United Nations (UN) expecting the increase to reach.[3][4] The need to produce more food from fewer resources increases with the growing population. This is one of the reasons organizations like the CRSB knows why beef sustainability is important for our food system[5]. Significate beef retail companies have taken notice as well, such as Cargill, McDonald's, and Loblaws. Conservation groups like Ducks Unlimited Canada and World Wildlife Fund have also made efforts to support sustainable agriculture.
Beef sustainability in Canada[edit]
Learn more about how Canada is lowering the environmental impact from cattle production.
Beef producers[edit]
Beef processors and packers[edit]
Certification bodies[edit]
- Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Certification
- Where Food Comes From Canada
- Verified Beef Production Plus
References[edit]
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