McDonald’s Collaborates with Syngenta and Lopez Foods to Enhance Feed Efficiency and Lower GHG Emissions
In a groundbreaking move towards sustainability, McDonald’s, in partnership with meat supplier Lopez Foods and agrichemical giant Syngenta, announced a project focused on improving feed efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per pound of meat produced. This initiative marks McDonald’s as the first major food brand to join Syngenta’s Feed Forward Program, which aims to address climate change by introducing innovative feed solutions across value chains.
The key focus of the partnership involves scaling the use of Syngenta’s Enogen corn as animal feed in the United States. Research has shown that feeding Enogen corn as silage or grain can improve feed efficiency by approximately 5%, resulting in reduced GHG emissions from beef production. This exclusive corn variety contains an alpha amylase enzyme that accelerates starch-to-sugar conversion, enhancing cattle digestion and energy intake.
McDonald’s is actively contributing to the initiative by financing carbon intensity offsets, collaborating on program development, and promoting the adoption of Enogen corn among farmers. Lopez Foods is overseeing day-to-day operations, while Syngenta is engaging with farmers to drive adoption and implementation of the feed efficiency program.
According to a Life-Cycle Assessment conducted by the Resiliency Center at the University of Arkansas, the environmental benefits of using Enogen corn are significant. Syngenta’s findings suggest that, per 1,000 head of beef cattle, this collaboration could potentially achieve annual savings of 196 tons of CO2e reduction, 69 acres less land required for feed, 6 million gallons of water saved, and 231,000 kilowatt-hours of energy conserved.
Looking ahead, McDonald’s plans to scale the program further with the goal of cutting over 164,000 metric tons of CO2e annually by 2025. To incentivize widespread adoption of Enogen feed among producers, payments are calculated based on a cents-per-head, per-day formula, linked directly to feed usage. Third-party audits conducted by Where Food Comes From will verify program results, ensuring transparency and accountability.
In addition to its collaboration with Syngenta and Lopez Foods, McDonald’s has made significant progress towards its climate goals. The fast-food chain has a global science-based target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, covering all three emission scopes in line with a 1.5˚C warming scenario. It has also signed deals to purchase renewable energy and associated certificates, aligning its commitment to eliminating deforestation in priority commodities with climate action.
The project is currently in the process of scaling across a broader network of producers, following an initial pilot phase with select farmers to refine logistics, data collection, and auditing processes. Syngenta aims to target a wide range of farms, with simple requirements for producers to feed Enogen at specified levels, maintain standard records, and adhere to basic livestock management practices. Enogen corn is readily available across the continental US, with production methods comparable to standard yellow dent #2 hybrids.
In conclusion, McDonald’s, in collaboration with Syngenta and Lopez Foods, is leading the way in sustainable agriculture by enhancing feed efficiency, reducing GHG emissions, and promoting environmental stewardship across the food production industry. This innovative partnership sets a new standard for sustainable practices in the agriculture sector and reinforces McDonald’s commitment to addressing climate change through impactful initiatives.