Beef program hopes to ensure sustainability

Another food company has thrown a hat into the ring to help increase sustainability in the protein production realm. Tyson Foods recently introduced its Climate-Smart Beef Program, which includes an accounting framework to model greenhouse gas emissions for cattle from pasture to production.

It also announced the launch of Brazen Beef—which leverages information and data obtained through the CSBP. This beef became the first product to receive U.S. Department of Agriculture approval for a “climate-friendly” claim by demonstrating a 10% GHG emissions reduction from pasture to production versus the standard emissions for conventionally raised beef.

Chad Martin, vice president of cattle procurement at Tyson Foods, said as a global leader in protein sources for consumers Tyson plays a critical role in offering affordable, accessible and nutritious protein.

“We are working to help create a food system that is more equitable for current and future generations,” he said.

During the past two years, Tyson has undertaken collaborative processes to explore how to address sources of GHG emissions in the beef value chain. That’s where Brazen Beef comes into play with the first branded product to leverage the information and data from the CSBP. Tyson hopes to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

“As one of the nation’s largest food companies, our scale positions us to expand the scope of and promote the expansion of climate-friendly beef,” Martin said. “We hope that the power of our example will influence broader industry adoption.”

Martin hopes programs like CSBP and Brazen Beef can accomplish a couple of things.

“The research is telling us that consumers enjoy the taste of beef but feel it is contributing to GHG emissions,” he said. “We believe that the future of beef can be both climate-friendly and consumer-friendly, and that Brazen Beef is the perfect solution for those eco-conscious consumers who are also looking to keep beef on their plate.”

Beef producers are already great stewards of the land and resources, and Tyson already has many grants and programs available for conventionally raised cattle. Brazen Beef gives them one more.

“This program is just one additional way for us and producers to evolve together to meet new consumer demands as those shoppers seek to lower their environmental footprint without trading beef off their plate,” he said.

This initiative will help the beef industry tell its story in a way that is backed up by the data.

“We know many beef producers use sustainable practices already,” Martin said. “We want to highlight the success and resiliency of those who are implementing climate-smart agricultural practices and bring the broader beef sector along in our collective sustainability journey—both large and small—working together to reduce emissions and prove it with data.”

So, what’s in it for the beef producer? Martin said most of the ranchers they’ve been in contact with are already doing some of the things required by the program.

“We find that most of the ranchers we speak with have already taken steps that align with some of the components of the Brazen platform, because they are engaging in best practices for their own operations,” he said.

In order to be part of the CSBP, producers are required to be BeefCare certified, and feedlots must be Progressive Beef certified. Those requirements include:

• Enroll in a verified program that will document the programs and processes producers have in place.

• Agree not to sell the carbon rights to your grazing land to another program, organization or entity.

• Share relevant operational data (e.g., volume of practices implemented across a number of acres and head of cattle, management plan, pasture rotation, overseeding, feed inputs, etc.) to Tyson Foods annually and as part of the onboarding process.

• Participate in on-farm audits conducted by Where Food Comes From, an initiative of IMI Global, as part of the BeefCare program.

As for the benefits, producers will be paid a per head premium for qualified cattle at the time of sale. They will also receive individual feed animal health and carcass data, allowing for better business decisions without the need to retain ownership of the animal. Additionally, this program rewards producers for implementing climate-smart land stewardship practices at their farm or ranch, such as rotational grazing, silvopasture and tree management, and waterway and riparian management.

“We hope these efforts will also help rebuild and enrich the soil, absorb more carbon and retain more water, promote healthy grasslands and improve biodiversity,” Martin said.

Sustainability has become such a buzzword in agricultural circles and Martin believes programs like this one are intended to ensure the long-term viability of the beef industry.

“While many consumers will continue to enjoy conventional, quality beef, a growing number are seeking out foods with a lower GHG emissions footprint,” he said. “We are continuously working to reduce emissions related to beef production across the value chain, which includes finding key producers who share the same values.”

According to Martin, cattlemen are the most resilient group out there, already being able to survive and embrace change many times over.

“With an eye toward the future, we have an opportunity to ensure the longevity of the industry for generations to come,” he said.

He believes the CSBP is something that already builds upon the beef producer’s ingenuity and ties in the latest data and technology to help advance the industry and improve sustainability.

“This first-of-its-kind program is intended for the long-term viability of the beef industry, and Tyson Foods is invested to support the entire process,” Martin said. “At the end of the day, consumers want to enjoy beef and feel good about it, and Brazen Beef allows them to do that with the help of our valued partners, beginning with the producer.”

For more information about the program and Brazen Beef, visit www.tysonfoods.com/climate-smart-beef-program.

Kylene Scott can be reached at 620-227-1804 or [email protected].