Canadian beef industry refutes Internet hoax involving McDonald's(R) Canada

The Beef Information Centre commends the company for its longstanding

commitment

TORONTO , Nov. 2 /CNW/ - The Beef Information Centre (BIC), which works with industry leaders in the promotion of Canadian beef, is commending McDonald's Canada for its long-standing commitment to sourcing beef from Canadian producers. This is especially timely in light of an Internet email hoax spreading false information about McDonald's Canada's beef sourcing practices.

"McDonald's Canada proudly supports the Canadian beef industry," says Jeff Kroll , Senior Vice-President, National Supply Chain, at McDonald's Canada . "Beef is at the core of our menu and with the help of our dedicated Canadian partners in the industry, we are meeting the needs of our customers by delivering safety, quality, consistency, and innovation in our varied beef offerings."

Throughout Canada , McDonald's serves approximately two and a half million customers every day and its annual shopping cart includes more than 64 million pounds of locally-raised beef.

"McDonald's Canada has made a commitment to Canadian beef which today translates into the company using 100% Canadian beef for all its burger offerings," says John Gillespie , BIC Chairman and producer from Ayr, Ontario. "As the largest foodservice purchaser of beef in Canada , this is a significant alliance for Canada's beef industry."

From the outset, Brad Wildeman , President of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and a feedlot operator fron Lanigan, Saskatchewan, has been quick to point out that "Canadian cattle producers appreciate that McDonald's Canada has been a long-time supporter of the Canadian beef industry. We have always enjoyed a positive relationship with McDonald's Canada over the years and have every confidence that this will continue into the future."

The initial appearance of the chain email earlier in the year prompted McDonald's Canada to post a statement on its website, www.mcdonalds.ca, refuting the claim with the facts, most notably that McDonald's Canada proudly sources 100% of its beef from Canadian producers.

The official statement reads:

This email chain is a hoax. At McDonald's Canada , we currently source 100% of our beef from farms and ranches right across Canada and have no plans today to purchase any beef from South America . In the past, we have purchased small quantities of beef from New Zealand , Australia and the United States , but we have always sourced the vast majority of our beef from right here Canada .

The first email on this topic originally surfaced in the U.S. in 2002 - at that time referencing the Texas Cattle Feeders Association - and it has resurfaced again in 2005, 2007, and most recently in 2008. In 2009, a Canadian version of the Internet hoax emerged that's practically identical to the one that originated in the U.S.

McDonald's Canada remains one of the largest and most consistent purchasers of Canadian beef. We are very proud supporters of the Canadian beef industry and Canadian cattle producers.

Customers can read more about McDonald's Canada Beef Quality Facts on their website at http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/food/index.aspx and on the BIC website at http://www.canadianbeef.info/ca/en/fs/mcdonalds/

For further information: or to obtain high-res images and visuals, please contact: McDonald Canada Media Relations, 1-877-786-3342; Susan Evans, Trade Communications Manager - BIC, [phone]