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Cargill begins Canadian cattle sustainability acceleration program, increased traceability

Cargill is starting a pilot program to trace Canadian beef from birth to burger.  The company announced their sustainability acceleration project Thursday, with a goal of providing consumers with beef from producers who use RFID technology to follow the entire life of the animal.

Cargill says the pilot program will include only Canadian cattle, starting with animals processed at Cargill’s High River, Alberta, facility. The Beef Cattle Research Council and Canada’s provincial cattle organizations will be the first certification bodies to audit cattle producers who choose to participate.

The traced beef will be utilized by participating Loblaws supermarkets and restaurants including McDonald’s Canada, and the Swiss Chalet Rotisserie and Grill.

The program will also look at other new technologies for tracking animals such as DNA testing and blockchain database tools.  Cargill says the pilot should help them create the infrastructure to implement the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s standard in their supply chain.