Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
MISSION: To advance, measure and communicate continuous improvement in sustainability of the Canadian beef value chain.
VISION: That the Canadian beef value chain is a global leader in environmental, social and economic sustainability and part of a trusted and thriving food system.
Key Highlights
- Completed of the second National Beef Sustainability Assessment and Strategy
- Completed the first review of the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework
- Received Ducks Unlimited Canada’s inaugural Conservation Award of Distinction
- Received a Canadian Agri-Food Marketers’ Alliance (CAMA) award
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is led by its multi-stakeholder membership, guided by an elected council and four committees, with over 50% member organization participation. Six new members joined the CRSB in 2022-23.
Voting Members
Non-Voting Members
Progress Overview
The National Beef Sustainability Assessment measures different environmental, social and economic indicators across the Canadian beef value chain. The second assessment was completed this year, alongside a sustainability strategy, that included a member comment period and will support the Canadian beef industry’s 2030 goals. The assessment and strategy will be released in 2024.
The CRSB Certified program underwent its first review. Chain of custody and claims were the focus for this past year. The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency delivers live cattle chain of custody for the program, outside of Quebec. Producers can search the CRSB Certified status of a tag (yes or no) on the Canadian Livestock Tracking System.
Demand for CRSB Certified beef remains strong; as of June 30, 2023, there are 12 companies sourcing through the program, and three major Canadian retailers made commitments for future sourcing.
- An estimated 20% of Canadian beef cattle herd spent time under the management of CRSB Certified Operations
- Approximately 5.7 million acres of land – 4.9 million of which are estimated to be native grazing acres – under the management of CRSB Certified Operations
The “Look for the Mark” digital marketing campaign raised awareness of the CRSB Certified logo, and won a Best of CAMA award. The results from the campaign will inform the development of the organization’s long-term communications and marketing strategy next year.
CRSB continues to be at the forefront of beef sustainability conversations in Canada. With environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and reporting becoming increasingly important for our members, this year was spent learning and gathering feedback, and the coming year will focus on further defining CRSB’s role in the ESG space.