In the third quarter of the scheme, it produced more than one million tonnes of meat, double that produced in its first quarter.
A Cargill spokesman said: “While much of this initial growth can be attributed to diligent efforts by the pilot’s partners as a result of updating systems, records and processes to ensure all beef that meets the standard is recorded and tracked, the program has also seen a steady increase in participation from cattle producers and foodservice partners.”
The scheme also reported a growing number of Canadian beef cattle producers were completing the steps necessary to qualify for the pilot.
The project was created in autumn last year and was designed to establish a certified beef supply in Canada. It traces beef from audited farms and ranches through the supply chain to consumers, and operates according to standards established by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) and involves Cargill, McDonald’s Canada, Loblaw Companies, the Swiss Chalet Rotisserie and Grill, and Original Joe’s restaurant units of Vaughan, Ontario-based Recipe Unlimited Corporation.
The scheme built on the learnings from a project that ended in 2016, in which McDonald’s Canada collaborated with Cargill and other supply chain stakeholders to demonstrate the viability of such a program.