BeefUp Sustainability

We’re taking approaches to grazing and land management that keep cattle on the move, revitalize soils and help wildlife to flourish.

• In the United States, 40% of all land is grazed, while in Canada 30% of farmland is used for cattle grazing¹. This represents a huge opportunity to harness grazing for good. When cattle move across grassland, they feed on a range of plants, transporting soil on their hooves and stomping new seeds into the ground. As they migrate to new pastures, the soil is revitalized with nutrients and diverse grasses are allowed time to regrow. 
• Since grazing has co-evolved with grasslands, managed grazing can provide multiple benefits to ranchers, wildlife and the climate. By managing cattle movement, grazing time and intensity, a controlled approach to cattle roaming can improve grassland soils and biodiversity and sequester carbon. 
• That is where BeefUp Sustainability comes in. We are working with ranchers to mobilize resources and expertise to unlock the ecological and economic benefits of regenerative grazing. 
• Learn more about the benefits of managed and rotational grazing here.

¹Source: USDA NRCS; Canadian Census of Agriculture 2016

We’re investing in innovative technologies to scale solutions that are better for the environment, the cattle and the people raising them.

• Beef production accounts for 3% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S.² Of this, 63% is the result of a digestive process known as enteric fermentation, where cattle digest plant matter that humans cannot. A natural part of cattle digesting their food, this may seem to be an unavoidable by-product of feeding and raising livestock. However, by investing in technologies and exploring crossbreeding opportunities that support innovative nutrition and productivity solutions, we can reduce the environmental impact of cattle while continuing to meet consumer demand.

• While a potent greenhouse gas, methane is relatively short-lived in the atmosphere. By supporting advancements by farmers and ranchers to achieve methane reductions, we can ensure our industry is a key player in helping the world achieve ambitious climate change targets. At the same time, we will continue drawing on the expertise of today’s innovators and harnessing novel solutions that tackle emissions while safeguarding the future of beef.

• We are harnessing the latest science and technologies to diversify feed solutions that meet nutritional requirements of cattle while reducing the emissions they produce in digestion. We are also exploring and optimizing the role genetics plays, building on learnings from producers who are pioneering this research.

²Source: Rotz, A. C., Asem-Hiablie, S., Place, S., & Thoma, G. (2019). Environmental Footprints of Beef Cattle Production in the United States. Agricultural Systems, Vol. 169. pp. 1-13.

We’re working with our partners across every part of our value chain to reduce waste at every stage, maximizing our shared potential for positive impact.

• Currently, one-third of food produced globally is wasted – approximately 1.3 billion tons every year³. We believe that all food should reach the table and that, throughout today’s value chain, there are still opportunities to improve processing and handling efficiencies. At Cargill, our mission is to nourish the world and part of this is making sure as much food as possible is kept out of a landfill.

• To tackle the issue in our value chain, we must start with what we have control over. In 2020, we joined the Champions 12.3’s 10X20X30 initiative and committed to reducing food waste in our plants by 50% by 2030. In addition to this commitment, we will track progress, identify and address opportunities for improvement, and share best practices with other 10X20X30 members.

• We have worked with the World Resources Institute (WRI), developing their food loss and waste calculator to quantify the impact of various food waste destinations and their associated greenhouse gas emissions. Each of our plants has created a scorecard that discloses existing volumes of food waste compared to their relative baselines. These volumes are then input into the calculator and translated into emissions savings, giving us a comprehensive overview of the impact of our efforts to date.

• We are looking beyond our direct operations as well. Through product innovations like shelf-life extension, we continue to prevent food waste and help customers fulfill their own sustainability goals too. And by partnering with food bank networks across North America like Feeding America, we’re enabling efficient distribution of surplus food and protein products to communities in need.   

³Source: https://www.wri.org/research/reducing-food-loss-and-waste-setting-global-action-agenda