2021 Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef leaders include diverse stakeholders

The 2021 Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef executive committee consists of a diverse set of stakeholders who share a common vision for improving beef sustainability around the globe. The people leading the global dialogue about sustainable beef aren’t shying away from complex topics like climate change and animal wellbeing.

The GRSB announced the new six-member 2021 Executive Committee, Dec. 28, 2020. Those individuals include:

• President: Bob McCan, Beef Producer-McFaddin Enterprises;

• Vice President: Ian McConnel, Tyson Foods;

• Secretary-Treasurer: Justin Sherrard, Rabobank;

• Member at large: Cherie Copithorne-Barnes-Canadian Cattlemen’s Association;

• Member at large: Lucas McKelvie-McDonalds Corporation;

• Past-President: Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, OSI Group, LLC.

Since 2012, the GRSB has been working to advance sustainable beef through leadership, science, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Leaders are elected from a membership that represents the full value chain, including beef producers and producer organizations, civil society, commerce and processing, retail, and others who aim to continuously improve beef sustainability around the world.

More than 500 companies and producer organizations are engaged in the work of the GRSB and its members including regionally focused beef sustainability roundtables and initiatives in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Southern Africa, the United States, and other countries around the world.

The following individuals were seated in their new positions Jan. 1.

President Bob McCan, McFaddin Enterprises, USA—McCan will be starting his second term as president of GRSB. He oversees the cattle operations and recreational hunting and wildlife operations for his family’s company, McFaddin Enterprises, Ltd. in Victoria, Refugio, and Bee counties, Texas. Using rotational grazing on native rangeland, the family strikes a balance that meets the needs of both livestock and wildlife, benefiting both. The ranches are stocked with Victoria cattle, a commercial crossbred of three-fourths Hereford and one-fourth Brahman with a uniform Hereford coloring.

Vice President Ian McConnel, Tyson Foods, Australia—McConnel serves as director of Beef Sustainability for Tyson Foods. Before his current position McConnel served as the Global Beef Lead for World Wildlife Fund where he led the global WWF networks approach to creating and communicating a more sustainable global beef industry. Facilitating global dialogue, collaborating across WWF offices, external stakeholders and industry partners Ian is successfully developing a cohesive and effective global effort to create a beef industry that is socially, economically, and environmentally responsible and is able to communicate this message to consumers. McConnel has served as the GRSB secretary-treasurer for the past two years.

Secretary-Treasurer Justin Sherrard, Rabobank, Netherlands—Sherrard is the global strategist for animal protein in Rabobank’s Food & Agribusiness Research group. He leads the bank’s global research, client engagement and profiling in the animal protein sector. His work is directed at challenging current thinking and advising companies on risks and opportunities from strategic issues on today’s and tomorrow’s CEO agendas. Justin is currently completing his first term as a member-at-large on the GRSB Executive Committee.

Member-at-Large Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canada—Copithorne-Barnes is a fifth-generation rancher operating in the foothills east of Calgary, Alberta. She was the founding chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where she led the establishment and development of the CRSB, including its Certified Sustainable Beef Framework. Cherie is an outstanding advocate for the Canadian beef industry and in her own community.

Lucas McKelvie, McDonald’s Corporation, USA—McKelvie serves as the global farmer program manager for McDonald’s Corporation. Prior to his current position he spent 8 years with the advertising and public relations firm of Osborn Barr where he served as group director of the animal or livestock sector and then as a vice president. He has been an active member of the GRSB Communications Council.

Immediate Past President Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, OSI Group, USA—Johnson-Hoffman is currently serving as the immediate past president of GRSB and has previously represented Cargill’s seat on the GRSB Board of Directors. She is the senior vice president and chief sustainability officer for OSI Group; a food processing company that provides food products and solutions for the food industry. It supplies beef, pork, bacon and sausage, poultry, and seafood, as well as vegetable, dough, fruit, and cheese-based products. Nicole served as the president of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, 2015-2016.

For more information about GRSB visit https://grsbeef.org.