What happens when McDonald's, Cargill and a broad swath of beef producers get together on a picture perfect afternoon in Southern Alberta?

It's about asking questions. It's about providing answers. It's about taking a big step forward to showcase Canada's beef industry progress in the eyes of consumers, who every year are taking a greater interest and higher expectations on where their food comes from.

This in a nutshell is the mindset that is driving the McDonald's Verified Sustainable Beef (VSB) pilot project. A large number of beef producers filled the east Longview hall recently on a Chinook fueled picturesque afternoon in Southern Alberta as McDonald's and Cargill hosted an interactive information sharing event on the pilot and how producers can participate.

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By Alexis Kienlen
Alberta Beef Producers chair Greg Bowie, who was verified in May, explains what’s involvedThinking of becoming a producer of ‘verified sustainable beef,’ but wondering just what it involves?
There are 31 indicators (available at vsbpilot.ca) that cow-calf producers must meet to qualify for McDonald’s program — and at first glance, it can all seem overwhelming.

But it’s actually not that challenging, says Greg Bowie, a seedstock producer from Ponoka. The chair of Alberta Beef Producers also sits on the indicator committee for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which will take over the initiative after McDonald’s pilot ends next spring.

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