McDonald’s USA has announced its largest investment in regenerative agriculture, launching the Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative.
The initiative is the result of the fast-food chain’s collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and key suppliers.
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The move underscores McDonald’s USA’s commitment to sustainable beef sourcing and natural resource stewardship.
This programme will see more than $200m invested over seven years.
Covering four million acres across up to 38 states, the initiative is set to support regenerative grazing practices, habitat restoration, water and wildlife conservation on cattle ranches.
Ranchers participating in the programme will gain access to tools and resources aimed at enhancing wildlife habitats, conserving water, and improving soil health.
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By GlobalDataMcDonald’s USA anticipates that these efforts will not only bolster the resilience of its US supply chain but also provide economic benefits to ranchers, including incentive payments.
Contributions to the initiative come from various McDonald’s USA suppliers. These include Cargill, Golden State Foods, Lopez Foods, OSI, and The Coca-Cola Company, which will provide funds to the NFWF and McDonald’s US.
NFWF will then offer grants independently to firms assisting ranchers in adopting practices that promote wildlife conservation and regenerative agriculture.
McDonald’s North America senior vice-president and chief supply chain officer Cesar Piña said: “As a brand that serves more than 90% of Americans every year, we recognise the responsibility we have to help safeguard our food systems for long-term vitality.
“Through our support of this initiative, McDonald’s USA is demonstrating the power of partnership between the public and private sectors and that feeding the population and stewarding our natural resources can coexist.”
The initiative builds on existing best practices at the ranch level, offering new avenues and resources to expedite the adoption of regenerative grazing.
Partner companies chosen by NFWF are set to guide ranchers in improving land management, protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, conserving water, and upgrading infrastructure like water systems and fencing.
NFWF executive director and CEO Jeff Trandahl said: “Conservation practices voluntarily adopted by ranchers can improve the productivity of grasslands, increase ranching profitability and strengthen the vitality of rural communities across the US.”
The foundation will oversee the management and investment of conservation funds to support ranchers in their voluntary conservation efforts.
Working with conservation partners, NFWF aims to identify valuable projects that will benefit wildlife populations and the productivity of critical US ranch lands.
The inaugural round of competitive grants is set to be announced in January 2026.
McDonald’s USA has also engaged Kateri and Carbon Yield to independently monitor and quantify improvements in soil health as part of this initiative.
