McDonald’s Canada grows its investment in young leaders of the beef industry

Calgary, AB – The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is pleased to announce McDonald’s Canada as a Platinum Partner of its Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program. McDonald’s Canada has been a generous Foundation Partner of the program since 2017. This elevated partnership marks an exciting milestone, as McDonald’s Canada becomes the very first Platinum Partner of the Canadian CYL Program.

McDonald’s Canada is a long-time supporter of Canadian cattle farmers and ranchers and the sustainable practices used to raise high-quality Canadian beef. This partnership not only invests in the development of our young people, but also supports the overall beef sector in Canada.

“The future success of Canada’s beef industry is built on the investment we make in our next generation of leaders,” said Nathan Phinney, CCA President. “We are grateful to McDonald’s Canada for growing their investment in our young leaders and helping us to take our program to new heights.”

McDonald’s Canada’s support of the Canadian CYL Program exceeds just their financial contributions. This support has ranged from participating as mentors to our young leaders, collaborating on workshops and tours, and helping select program participants by engaging in the judging process. We look forward to our continued collaboration to support the future of the Canadian beef industry.

“At the root of McDonald’s Canada’s purpose is our ambition to continue serving guests the burgers they know and love, while continuing to help advance agricultural practices and support the next generation of Canadian farmers,” said Ashwin Ramesh, Head of Sustainability & Impact Strategy at McDonald’s Canada. “Our investment in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program is one way we’re contributing to the future of farming by helping to empower tomorrow’s generation of beef farmers, ranchers, and other young industry professionals, alongside our long-term partners at the Canadian Cattle Association.”

About McDonald’s Canada

In 1967, Canada welcomed the first McDonald’s restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving more than one million guests every day. In both franchised and corporate-owned restaurants, nearly 100,000 people are employed from coast to coast to coast, and more than 90 per cent of McDonald’s 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees. Of the almost $1 billion spent on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald’s Canada, visit mcdonalds.ca.

About the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program

Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) welcomes young people ages 18-35 across Canada, involved in various aspects of the beef supply chain, to be paired with an industry leader in their specific area of interest for a nine-month mentorship. Through mentorship, networking, and travel, the Canadian CYL Program acts as an industry succession planning tool to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills and tools they need to continue to drive the growth and profitability of the Canadian beef industry. Since established by the Canadian Cattle Association in 2010, the program has seen over 180 CYL graduates. Program applications are open annually for ages 18-35 on our website from early January to the end of March. Learn more at www.canadiancattleyoungleaders.ca.

For further information, contact:
Michelle McMullen
Communications Manager
Canadian Cattle Association
403-451-0931| [email protected]

For a PDF of the news release, click here.