Grilling season arrived early last weekend in Ontario. The gorgeous weather had many
shoppers headed for the meat counter to check out beef for the BBQ, a summer tradition. And
although it’s still early, it looks like beef producers will have a lot to smile about with the best
grilling months still to come.

For example, right before the weekend arrived, Beef Farmers of Ontario announced it was
partnering with Lone Star Texas Grill to bring locally produced Ontario corn-fed beef to the
chain’s 23 locations across the province.

Ontario beef on a Texas-style menu sounds like an oxymoron. But Lone Star is actually based in
Oakville and was started here by two US football players, Val Belcher and Larry Brune, who
signed with the Ottawa Roughriders. They found the nation’s capital missing Tex-Mex cuisine,
so they started Lone Star with the idea of filling that void.

That was 1986. Now, Lone Star is part of the province’s restaurant culture. And getting Ontario
corn-fed beef on the menu is an absolute win for the province’s beef producers who, like beef
producers everyone, live in Texas’s shadow.

Lyndon O’Hearn, Director Purchasing-Culinary and Beverage Development for Lone Star, says
the marriage is a no-brainer.

“As an Ontario company, we wanted to connect with Ontario beef farmers to bring high quality,
locally produced Ontario beef to our menu,” he says. “The consistent great taste of Ontario
corn-fed beef aligns well with our commitment to quality.”

It’s that consistency that really makes Ontario corn-fed beef stand out. Producers here aren’t
overwhelmed with huge herd sizes and can spend quality time developing their livestock, guided
by a rigid quality program. It pays off when you see a chain with a built-in brand like Lone Star
Texas Grill give it the ultimate thumbs up.

And then came even more good news for the beef sector.

Back in 20220, Metro Ontario committed to buy three million pounds of beef from Canadian
Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) certified farms and ranches by 2026. The roundtable
definition of beef sustainability prioritizes environment and livestock through continuous
improvement.

Last week, Metro Ontario announced it had met that original commitment well ahead of
schedule. It followed by showing its belief in the product by announcing the Certified Beef Mass
Balance mark will be displayed on all beef products across Metro Ontario’s Platinum Grill Angus
Canadian AAA Beef Program, in its 131 Metro stores in Ontario.

“CRSB certified farms can produce beef in a way that’s accountable to the environment,
animals, the farmers and ranchers that grow food,” says Michael Rose, Vice President Fresh
Merchandising, Metro Ontario.

Grocers still have a bumpy road ahead. Federally, this week the NDP is proposing a wealth tax
on grocers. And a boycott of the huge Loblaws chain is well underway.

Offering the best products is one way grocers can convince the public their prices are
warranted, a claim they continually make. Producer-driven programs like Ontario Corn-Fed Beef
and sustainable certified beef put some weight into their arguments, at least for beef.

Even so, they’ll have their work cut out for them here, too – earlier this year, analysts were
predicting record-high beef prices. Quality aside, grocers will have to answer to consumers for
that.