By Gerelyn Terzo, Global AgInvesting Media
McDonald’s is putting real capital behind regenerative ranching amid a mission to ensure responsible beef sourcing and the stewardship of natural resources. Through a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the fast-food giant announced its biggest commitment to U.S. regenerative agriculture to date, joining an initiative to funnel a combined $200 million to support and bolster regenerative grazing practices, habitat restoration, water and wildlife conservation on American cattle ranches.
With additional support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as key McDonald’s U.S. suppliers, the partners are launching the Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative, targeting regenerative grazing across up to 4 million acres across dozens of U.S. states. NFWF will single handily award competitive grants, in addition to funds provided by McDonald’s suppliers like Cargill, Golden State Foods, Lopez Foods, OSI and Coca-Cola for the initiative.
Participating ranchers will gain access to cutting-edge tools and resources aimed at elevating wildlife habitats, conserving vital water resources and revitalizing soil health. McDonald’s believes that this forward-thinking initiative will strengthen its U.S. supply chain resilience, while delivering financial rewards to ranchers, not least incentive payments that recognize their commitment to sustainable practices.
McDonald’s Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America, Cesar Piña, stated, “As a brand that serves more than 90 percent of Americans every year, we recognize 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.”
It’s no surprise that ranchers take genuine pride in their role as caretakers of the land, fostering stronger communities and paving the way for a healthier, more hopeful future. Drawing from the proven practices already in place on ranches, this initiative extends fresh resources and expertise to advance regenerative grazing, especially for the ranchers who are so essential to McDonald’s U.S. supply chain.
NFWF’s partner organizations will team up closely with these producers, offering guidance to refine grazing approaches, revive and protect lush grasslands and natural habitats, nurture water resources, and make improvements to ranch infrastructure, such as better fencing and water systems.
NFWF Executive Director and CEO Jeff Trandahl commented, “The benefits of grassland conservation are far-reaching. When cattle are managed to optimize multiple ecological and economic values, the land holds more water, grows better grass and supports more wildlife. Conservation practices voluntarily adopted by ranchers can improve the productivity of grasslands, increase ranching profitability and strengthen the vitality of rural communities across the U.S.”
As part of the initiative, the NFWF will steward the conservation funds, allowing ranchers to deepen their commitments to land care. Working alongside partners throughout America’s expansive grasslands, NFWF is pinpointing ambitious, large-scale projects that promise the most meaningful uplift for both thriving wildlife communities as well as the enduring vitality of essential ranchlands. The inaugural wave of competitive grants is set to wrap up with award announcements slated for early 2026. Representing McDonald’s, Kateri and Carbon Yield will provide impartial oversight and measurements of soil health gains to ensure each step toward greater sustainability is tracked and recognized.
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