By Karin Yeske

A&W defends ‘better beef’ campaign to Sask. producers

Jun 11, 2014 | 2:20 PM

Saskatchewan cattle producers have a beef with A&W’s burger campaign.

You’ve likely seen the better beef commercials that promote the company selling beef with no added hormones, steroids or antibiotics.

Trish Sahlstrom, vice president of purchasing and distribution for A&W, said after a lot of research, the company is simply responding to what consumers are asking for.

“Consumers found it really important that we didn’t include hormones and steroids in our beef. We felt compelled, as a business who wants to keep selling great tasting hamburgers, to give consumers what it is that they’ve asked for,” Sahlstrom said on John Gormley Live Wednesday.

A&W has been challenged to find enough beef in Canada that meets those specifications, so they have turned to the U.S. and Australia.

SIGA

SIGA and Northern Lights Casino main sponsors of the 31st PAGC Fine Arts Festival

8h ago

Workplace incident

City of Prince Albert pleads guilty to workplace safety violation, handed fines

10h ago

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2024

“We knew it was going to cost us more money. We didn’t think that it wouldn’t be available. What we did was buy all that we could here in Canada,” she said, adding they buy “too much outside of Canada.”

Sahlstrom was asked to attend the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association convention in Moose Jaw this week to have an open discussion about A&W’s new campaign.

Harold Martens, former president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, said consumers are misinformed about animals that are not naturally raised. He said the average quarter pound of beef contains 1.7 nanograms of hormones, which is much less than a cup of potatoes or an egg.

Martens said no Canadian beef on store shelves has antibiotics due to strict food regulations.

“That’s without a doubt a very serious offence if you bring animals there that have antibiotics in it,” he said. If a producer uses antibiotics, there is a withdrawal period that is highly scrutinized, Martens said.

Martens added hormones are used occasionally but steroids generally are not. However, hormones are never used in cows or bulls that are used for reproducing. He said about more than 80 per cent of beef that goes to market is hormone and steroid free.

“They had at the beginning (of the campaign) the word ‘ethical.’ I don’t know what this has to do with a moral of a cow,” he said. “As consumers, you need to start to evaluate.”

Reg Schellenberg is part of a fourth generation ranch family who attended the session with Sahlstrom. Schellenberg, from the Beachy area, is thankful A&W is promoting beef but producers are concerned about the idea of “better beef.”

“We feel that Canadian beef is excellent. We produce some of the best and safest food in the world,” he said, adding producers would love to work with A&W to promote Canadian beef.

He said one of the reasons producers use antibiotics is to fight off disease and infection but A&W’s campaign sends the message that producers are not following best practices.

“When an animal needs care, by our code of practice we follow those rules. We encourage all producers to use antibiotics in consultation with their veterinarian,” he said.

Schellenberg clarified that producers like him are willing to share the market with organic producers. He said the industry cannot afford to throw each other under the bus.

“We want to reassure our customers that we are doing everything possible to produce a safe, enjoyable experience with Canadian beef,” he said.

Sahlstrom believes A&W will eventually buy more Canadian beef because the industry is changing.

-with files from News Talk Radio’s Brady Knight 

news@panow.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow