McDonald’s steps up its support of British and Irish farming with new long-term agriculture programme

•       Farm Forward from McDonald's includes pioneering training programme for young farmers•       Nine out of 10 farmers in Northern Ireland regard improving the farming and business skills of themselves and their staff as imperative to success in the future•       Farmers in Northern Ireland rate animal welfare within the top three priorities for investment in their farm

McDonald's is to launch a long-term programme to support British and Irish farming, it was announced today.  Developed in response to major challenges facing British and Irish agriculture, Farm Forward aims to help secure a sustainable future for British and Irish farming by supporting existing farmers and helping young farmers into the industry. Official statistics estimate that the agriculture sector in Northern Ireland alone currently employs over 47,000, but by 2020 forecasts project that an additional 52,000 more people will be needed across the UK to meet demand.

McDonald's strong and sustained sales growth in the UK means it now spends more than £320 million per year on its UK supply chain compared to £269 million in 2009.  It buys ingredients from over 17,500 British and Irish farmers to ensure the long-term and continued supply of quality ingredients for its menu, which is served to on average 2.5 million customers each day. With an initial first-year investment of £1 million, Farm Forward is built around five core commitments that span: quality of ingredients; animal welfare standards; creating work and training opportunities for young farmers; environmental and efficiency standards; and knowledge sharing.  The programme has been created in collaboration with leading farmers and agricultural experts including the National Farm Research Unit, beef and lamb industry organisation EBLEX and FAI Farms. 

It launches with three projects, each informed by a new study of 500 progressive farmers, commissioned by McDonald's, to find new insights into the key challenges they face and the solutions they believe would offer most value to their businesses and the agricultural sector.  The projects are:

1)      A pioneering training programme for young farmers, which will enable agricultural students from across the UK to complete a 12 month placement to gain experience through the whole spectrum of the agricultural supply chain, from farm to abattoir to restaurant. Starting in July 2012, the 12-month placement has been created in partnership with leading agricultural colleges and some of McDonald’s biggest suppliers, including food manufacturer McCain and food production companies OSI Food Solutions and Tulip. The training programme provides aspiring young farmers with the blend of farming and business skills needed to succeed in today’s farming sector.  According to McDonald's research, 90% of respondents in Northern Ireland stated that improving the farming and business skills of themselves and their staff is imperative to keeping their farm enterprise successful in the future. 2)      A free simple carbon calculator to help livestock farmers measure and understand how to change their working practices in order to drive greater efficiencies on their farms and improve environmental performance.The calculator has been created by independent energy-auditing company E-CO2 following a two-year research study by E-CO2 and the Carbon Trust, which measured the carbon emissions of 350 beef farms across the UK and Ireland.  In 2012, more than 200 farmers will trial the calculator before it is modified as needed, and made available to beef farmers across the UK and Ireland next year.3)      Funding new research and innovation to encourage improvements in animal welfare standards by providing evidence and practical guidance for farmers, such as the newly-published study by Dr Ashleigh Bright, which identifies the economic value for farmers of providing range enrichment for laying hens. 

When farmers in Northern Ireland were asked how highly they rate a range of factors in keeping their enterprises successful, respondents rated animal welfare within the top three priorities for investment in their farm, alongside growing their business and improving the farm’s sustainability footprint.Brian Mullens, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, McDonald’s UK said: “We know the farming industry faces some challenging issues, and as a big customer of British and Irish farming, we want to do more to support the industry. Farm Forward is our commitment to help ensure the sustainable future of British and Irish farming.

“Supporting the next generation of farmers is vital if we are to secure the future of farming in this country, and our new work programme for young farmers is designed to help them develop the blend of skills and experience that progressive, modern farmers want and need.

“We’re excited by the calibre and breadth of the partners we’re working with through Farm Forward, and we’d welcome others who want to join us to get in touch – because what we’ve achieved so far shows we can go further and faster by working together.”Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill welcomed the initiative by McDonald’s and said: 

“McDonald’s commitment to not only develop the skillsets of our aspiring young farmers, but to couple this with a sustainable, environment-friendly approach, is a refreshing concept which I fully support. McDonalds have been increasingly active in their procurement of quality, local produce from Ireland and their Farm Forward programme will take the supplier relationships to a new level for the benefit of all in that supply chain.”

Vito Coppeletti, Sales Account Manager, Linden Food Group said: “We place great value on the quality, welfare and traceability of our beef, and the certainty of having a long term relationship with McDonald’s has allowed us to invest in securing this supply for future. We’re excited that through Farm Forward the company has strengthened its commitment to helping us maintain the highest standards of beef production and to help other businesses continue to grow and innovate to do the same. By supporting young farmers as they start their careers McDonald’s is helping to ensure that the next generation continue to build upon these practices to strengthen our sector even further.”

Local Farmer John Matthews, Cottowm House Farm, said:“Cottowm House Farm has been in my family for generations – my son David who has recently returned from agricultural college will be the fourth generation farmer here. We’re proud to have been certified Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured in recognition of the high standards and best practice on our farm, and have been supplying top quality beef to McDonald’s for 23 years. I think it’s fantastic that McDonald’s is giving young farmers the chance to see where this produce goes beyond the farm gates – I wish I had had the opportunity to understand exactly what customers want when I was starting my career.”

CaptionPictured at the McDonald’s Open Farm event held at Cottown House Beef Farm in Bangor is beef farmer David Matthews, Richard Forte, McDonald’s Chief Operations Officer  and Mary Peters

ENDS

*Young farmer case studies, photography and broadcast-quality video footage available on request.*Media enquiries•       Please contact Louise Carson or Caroline Murphy at Aiken PR on 028 9066 3000 or louise@aikenpr.co.uk•       McDonald's press office: 020 8700 7320 

Notes to editors1.  LANTRA Agriculture Factsheet 2010-2011 (the UK's Sector Skills Council for land based and environmental industries)

About Farm ForwardAs a major customer of produce from British and Irish farmers, McDonald’s buys quality ingredients from over 17,500 British and Irish farmers.  Through Farm Forward, it will build on its existing support for British and Irish farming by launching a series of individual projects built around five core commitments:• We’re passionate about serving great tasting food made with quality ingredients, so we’ll support and champion British and Irish farmers’ quality produce• We’re committed to continually improving animal welfare within our supply chain and we buy from British and Irish farmers who continuously strive to raise welfare standards on their farms• We want to keep buying British and Irish ingredients, and to do that we need more young farmers.  Young people need more support in today’s competitive jobs market, and so we’ll create opportunities that help them get into farming• Like the farmers who supply our ingredients, we care about looking after the countryside so we’ll help British and Irish farmers make environmentally-friendly improvements on their farms• We’ll use the reach of our business to help share knowledge between farmers.  Through this knowledge sharing, we’ll help farmers – who often have limited contact with the people who buy their produce at the till – keep their businesses in step with what consumers want

About the progressive farmer research studyResearch conducted by the National Farm Research Unit (NFRU) by telephone interviews among a representative sample of 502 farmers in March 2011.  In order to explore the findings from the telephone survey at a deeper level, a further nine in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with an indicative cross-section of the sample during April of 2011.  Specifically, questions centred on three areas: funding & innovation; skills & training and animal welfare & sustainability.

For the last 16 years, the NFRU has been talking to over 20,000 farmers every year in England, Scotland and Wales.  As a result it has the most comprehensive database in British Agriculture, comprising 51,244 farms covering more than 70% of total agricultural output.

Of these farms, the NFRU has designated just fewer than 5,000 to be ‘progressive’, using a set of criteria designed to show for the first time which farmers should be considered the most advanced.  These criteria comprise observable characteristics that in the experience of the NFRU, are the best indicators of whether a farmer is thinking and acting in a progressive way.  These include: business approach; productivity; investment in technology; market focus; openness to advice; involvement in industry bodies and local community groups. 

About McDonald'sExamples of McDonald’s legacy of support and long term partnership approach for British agriculture include:• Beef: McDonald’s is carrying out a pilot trial to measure CO2 emissions associated with the rearing of cattle in over 200 farms across Britain and Ireland. This trial is being done in conjunction with the Carbon Trust.• Dairy: The decision to provide organic milk in all our teas and coffees  saw McDonald’s take five per cent of the UK supply of organic milk• Poultry: By only selling free range eggs McDonald’s has created a demand for a considerable volume of free range eggs. In conjunction with its suppliers Noble Foods and The Lakes Free Range Egg Company, as well as the Food Animal Initiative, it is now developing further improvements in the welfare of the free range laying hens• Pork: 100 per cent sourced from the UK.

Food sourcing and supply chains• McDonald’s sources 55% of all its food from Britain and Ireland.• 100% of McDonald’s beef is sourced from more than 16,000 British and Irish farmers.• 100% of McDonald’s pork is sourced from Britain.• Since 2007, McDonald’s has been using British Organic Milk in all of its teas, coffees, Happy Meal milk bottles and porridge. 100% of the milk used in milkshakes, sundaes, McFlurrys and bottles is sourced from the British Isles.• McDonald’s only uses free range eggs in all its products. The eggs are accredited by assurance schemes such as the RSPCA’s Freedom Food standards; and in 2007 McDonald’s won a Compassion In World Farming ‘Good Egg Award’. • McDonald’s UK uses eggs produced to the ‘Lion Quality Mark’, the gold standard in egg production, or equivalent, symbolising a high standard of egg production.• McDonald’s won the RSPCA Good Business Award in 2008 and again in 2009 for long term commitment in improving animal welfare. Overall McDonald’s have won 4 RSPCA awards in six years.• McDonald’s French Fries, Hash Brown and Potato Rosti are made from potatoes grown within the EU – the vast majority are grown in the UK. • McDonald’s Flagship Farms programme is designed to promote and share the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices via real case studies from real farms in our supply chain.  Developed in conjunction with the Food Animal Initiative (FAI)  - an organisation set up in 2001 in recognition of the fact that commercially robust alternative systems can and do exist - the scheme will showcase the innovative farming practices used, initially at seven progressive farms across Europe via a brand new website. The primary aim is to encourage more dialogue between the farmers who supply McDonald’s and to encourage broader adoption across the farming community• McDonald’s Agricultural Assurance Programme (MAAP) was established in 2001 and drives continuous improvements throughout the McDonald’s supply chain. Each of McDonald’s’ Flagship Farms demonstrates a high level of compliance with MAAP, with impressive innovations in ethical, environmental or economic farming practices which in many cases exceed the criteria of MAAP.• McDonald’s serves Rainforest Alliance © certified coffee.

Environmental management• McDonald’s has been working with third parties like The Carbon Trust to identify carbon reduction opportunities within McDonald’s since 2006.• All McDonald’s restaurants have sophisticated building management systems to operate lighting, heating and air conditioning plant – all systems have been upgraded to maximise their efficiency.• Kitchen grills are all fitted with sonic alerts to remind staff to return them to their standby energy saving position after use.• Low energy lamps are used in all McDonald’s restaurants and all new lighting systems have high frequency fittings.• Light level sensors are installed to automatically control external lighting.• McDonald’s has reduced energy consumption by 6% in the last year by fitting energy saving technology.• McDonald’s recycles all oil from restaurants in a closed loop production whereby oil is converted into biodiesel and used to fuel our delivery trucks. • McDonald’s packaging is designed for minimal wastage and the company reuses delivery packaging wherever possible.• In certain areas of the UK McDonald’s waste that is not recycled can be sent to an energy recovery facility.  McDonald’s is currently running successful initiatives in both Sheffield in London which have reduced our carbon emissions in waste management by around 50 per cent.

Skills and education• McDonald’s UK invests £36 million in training each year• McDonald's offers its 87,500 employees the opportunity to gain a wide range of nationally-recognised qualifications while they work, including a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Hospitality and Catering, a Level 3 Diploma in Shift Management and a Foundation Degree in Managing Business Operations• McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers, and was awarded a Grade 2 (good) Ofsted rating, with several areas Graded 1 (outstanding) for its Apprenticeship Programme, just 18 months after it was launched.• McDonald's has awarded 35,000 nationally-recognised qualifications to its employees since it launched its learning and qualifications programme in September 2006• McDonald’s was ranked in the ‘Sunday Times Best Companies to work for in the UK’ list for the first time in 2011. It was rated the 22nd best ‘big company’ to work for• McDonald’s was recognised by The Great Place to Work Institute as one of the top 50 Best Workplaces in the UK in both 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and was one of only five organisations with more than 10,000 employees to be included