The program, launched in 2017, came up for its five-year review in 2022. A new and improved Certified Sustainable Beef Framework has been released following its first five-year review announced the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).

This update sets us up for continued progress to support beef farmers and supply chain participants to build trust in the sustainability of Canadian beef,” said Kristine Tapley, chair of CRSB’s Framework Committee, in a new release.

The framework was launched in 2017 as a bid to recognize and monetize sustainable beef production practices. It came up for a scheduled five-year review in 2022.

The CRSB said a committee, composed of representatives from across the beef supply chain, reviewed all parts of the framework. It also got input from stakeholders, experts and the public.

This included a thorough review of the CRSB’s standards for production and processing; strengthened and protocols for certification to improve clarity and consistency; updates to chain of custody requirements; and how CRSB claims are enabled.

The claims associated with certified operations and sourced CRSB certified beef were also updated.

As of October, the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) is providing tracking of live cattle (outside of Quebec) for the program.