Canadian beef producers are devoted to sustainability, from reducing emissions to protecting biodiversity. Here’s how science-backed practices are helping shrink the industry’s environmental impact—without sacrificing quality.
Canadians are thinking about the environment more than ever before. A 2024 study by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada found that eight in 10 people across the country value sustainability in their lifestyle, and up to 65 percent feel a moral obligation to choose environmentally responsible products. And since food is one of our most frequent consumer choices, it’s a big part of that equation.
Beef has often been a target of sustainability conversations—but today, Canada’s beef producers are helping to change the narrative. Through a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, the industry has made measurable strides to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance carbon storage and protect biodiversity. These aren’t just buzzwords, either. They’re science-backed improvements that give consumers real confidence when choosing Canadian beef.
Our nation’s cattle farmers are proving that beef and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. Read on to learn more.
Reducing Beef’s Carbon Footprint
The environmental impact of, well, pretty much anything often begins with greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Certain products, services and industries are assigned a GHG number by Environment and Climate Change Canada, through synthesis of reported data. That number is recalculated and monitored year over year.
Where beef is concerned, the most recent data from the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB)’s National Beef Sustainability Assessment (CRSB NBSA, 2024a)1 shows that the GHG emissions intensity of Canadian beef dropped by 15 percent between 2014 and 2021. In practical terms, this means that the carbon footprint to bring each kg of Canadian beef from farm to table has gone down by 15 per cent during this time period. The decline is credited, in part, to greater efficiency in production—cattle now reach market weight faster and with fewer resources, which reduces the environmental impact across the supply chain.
This reduction is a major milestone. It represents significant progress towards the industry’s ambitious goal of reducing the emissions intensity by 33 percent by 2030. With every step closer to achieving that goal, the industry is continually improving—requiring less feed and water resources and utilizing best practices.
Increased Capacity for Carbon Storage
In addition to reducing emissions, another powerful part of the solution lies under our feet—literally. Across the country, grazing pastures are doing so much more than just feeding animals; they’re also capturing and storing carbon in their soil. In fact, land used for beef production currently stores an estimated 1.9 billion tonnes of soil organic carbon—that’s nearly 40 percent of the total amount of carbon stored across the country’s entire agricultural landscape. (Believe it or not, this is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of more than two billion passenger vehicles in a single year, which equates to about 58 vehicles per Canadian. How’s that for perspective?)
This capacity for carbon storage is thanks to the life cycle of native and tame grasslands and pastureland used for raising beef cattle. Native plants and perennials grow, die and decompose year after year, contributing to organic matter that’s rich in carbon. Grazing cattle is an important part of this life cycle, helping to maintain and even increase the soil’s ability to store carbon.
Preserving Wildlife Habitats
Beef production also plays a vital role in conserving biodiversity—which really makes total sense when you think about it. Habitat loss is a major concern with infrastructure development, and cattle ranching tends to preserve, rather than disrupt, natural grasslands.
According to the CRSB’s Sustainability Assessment, land used for raising beef cattle in Canada actually accounts for 74 percent of the habitat wildlife need for raising their young, as well as 55 percent of the habitat wildlife need for feeding, across all of Canada’s crop and pastureland.
Native grasslands and pasturelands also support a wider array of plant and animal species because they maintain more vegetation than crop fields. This means pastures are home to more than 500 wildlife species, including at-risk species, grassland birds, countless pollinators and more. So, raising cattle on grasslands doesn’t just feed people; it also feeds and supports the habitat for wildlife that make Canadian landscapes so incredible.
The Bottom Line for Canadian Consumers
Canadian beef is so much more than a source of protein. Cattle farming is the livelihood of and a point of pride for so many families. It’s a part of our cultural heritage and identity (it has been a part of the Canadian fabric since the 17th century!). And it is a critical part of the country’s sustainable future too. From farm-level innovation to national strategy, Canada’s beef sector is doing the work to ensure that what’s on your plate is aligned with the values of Canadians from coast to coast.
To learn more about how the beef industry is reducing its environmental impact, visit https://crsb.ca/benchmarks.
