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Sustainable Beef

As more people around the world enter the middle class, global demand for protein is growing. So is consumer desire for food that they know has been produced sustainably. Beef will remain an important part of feeding the world and it will take collaboration across the supply chain to ensure future generations will have safe, sustainable protein.

Animal welfare, the health and safety of employees, and environmental stewardship remain at the forefront of sustainability for beef. This includes climate, land use, water, farmer livelihoods, and food and material waste.

Our commitment

We work to protect animal welfare, the environment and people – from the workers who interact with cattle to consumers who eat our beef products. And we’re committed to leveraging our connections across the entire North American beef supply chain to drive even greater progress in sustainability.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the North American beef supply chain is already over 35% more efficient from a greenhouse gas (GHG) perspective than the global average – we’re learning from the farmers and ranchers who have led that success, and are creating programs that will help the industry build on this leadership.

BeefUp Sustainability StoryMap Promo preview

BeefUp Sustainability

Through the BeefUp Sustainability initiative, Cargill is committed to achieving a 30% GHG intensity reduction across our North American beef supply chain by 2030 (measured on a per pound of product basis from a 2017 baseline). 
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Raising Beef Standards Promo Image

Raising Beef to Higher Standards

Learn how Cargill’s U.S. and Canadian beef supply chain works and discover how we serve our customers and communities to raise beef to higher standards. Follow the journey by exploring our interactive story map.
Launch Story Map

Our progress

For decades, Cargill has been working with thousands of family farmers, ranchers and producers to increase the efficiency of beef production. We are a founding member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and are helping lead efforts with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable beef. We collaborate with industry partners and customers to improve the sustainability and transparency of the beef supply chain.

We also continue to improve livestock feed efficiency. Over the last 15 years we have seen an overall trend in reducing the volume of feed for each pound of beef produced. We focus on developing more sustainable ways to manufacture feed and improve the nutritional and feed conversion value of feed. We participate in the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops, whose work also includes a focus on sustainable feed. 

Learn more about our animal nutrition business.

Our presence

Cargill is one of North America’s largest beef processors, harvesting more than eight million cattle and producing nearly eight billion pounds of boxed beef and by-products each year. We operate eight production facilities throughout the United States and Canada, including three dedicated regional beef facilities designed to more quickly respond to changing customer needs. In addition, Cargill operates beef processing and cattle feeding operations in Australia through a joint venture with Teys Australia.

sustainable beef - world map

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Partnership & Collaboration

We collaborate with others across the beef industry to identify and promote best practices.

Assessment & Certification

We implement assessment programs and pursue certification to increase transparency.

Health & Welfare

We are a leader in humane livestock handling, we continue to reduce use of antibiotics, and we protect the safety of workers and the food we produce.

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Environmental Impact

We conserve natural resources, improve water and energy efficiency, and reduce solid waste and reliance on fossil fuels.