Is my ranch sustainable? There’s now an app for that, thanks to Merck Animal Health and Dr. Jude Capper, an independent sustainability consultant.
The Meat Sustainability Calculator lets producers, suppliers, and others in the food chain evaluate their own impact on sustainability by comparing their results to the North American average. Producers and suppliers can compare on a per-head-of-cattle scenario, while food service members or retailers can assess based on amount of beef produced or purchased.
Users simply enter the number of cattle they want to evaluate, or the pounds of beef they will be supplying or purchasing. Next, they select various production technologies to determine how they impact sustainability. By comparing results to industry benchmarks, individuals can identify opportunities to improve the sustainability of their operations through things such as water usage and land management.
Data from peer-reviewed journals was utilized to establish a standard of the environmental impact of North American beef production practices. The app is available for download on tablets and iPads in both the Apple and Android app store.
