Tyson Foods, one of the largest food companies in the country, introduced earlier in March the first-of-its-kind Climate-Smart Beef Program to promote sustainable agricultural practices and create value for beef producers along the way.
Through this program, Tyson Foods can now track beef emissions at the individual animal level and work with feedlot partners to share the data with producers. Data is collected and verified through third-party auditors, such as Where Food Comes From Inc.
“We know that many farmers and ranchers are already doing meaningful work in this space,” Tyson Foods says on its website. “Our approach enables us to have a better relationship with them, one that strives for continuous improvement in our value chain.”
In addition, Tyson Foods also announced its Brazen Beef brand, which is the first beef product to receive USDA approval for a “climate-friendly” claim. Using the information and data obtained through the Climate-Smart Beef Program, cattle under the Brazen Beef brand are produced using 10% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally raised beef.
Tyson Foods says, “Brazen Beef fulfills consumer demand for a high-quality product with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and we look forward to launching it in select markets through retailers and other customers later this year.”
For the past two years, Tyson has been working on this framework with the help of many stakeholders and leaders in the climate space, including the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and The Nature Conservancy. Tyson also worked closely with Adams Land and Cattle in Nebraska, a supply partner on the cutting edge of beef production and data management.
Abram Babcock, president of Adams Land and Cattle, said in a statement, “Being able to model emissions and get that label on a box of beef is pretty game-changing from the industry perspective.”
Tyson Foods believes the future of beef can be both "climate-friendly and consumer-friendly." Visit their website to learn more.
