Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – For years, beef production has faced criticism over its environmental footprint. However, recent survey data from the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) indicates public opinion appears to be shifting.

Each year, the Public & Stakeholder Engagement program at the CCA asks Canadians about their perception of the beef industry. This year saw a rise across all 10 key performance indicators.

Nearly 2,000 consumers from across Canada were asked questions about beef farmers. Do they see them as good stewards of the land? Are they making an effort to limit the environmental impact of their work? How do they feel about beef as a food choice?

Jenna Sarich, stakeholder engagement technical consultant with the CCA, says perceptions of beef farmers specifically went up 7 per cent over the last year.

“So now we have 70 per cent of Canadians feeling quite positive about beef farmers, and really the people left are largely neutral.”

The survey, conducted between July 2024 and July 2025, showed environmental perceptions on the rise, with a 6 per cent increase in Canadians viewing beef as an environmentally friendly food choice. Combined with the previous year’s 8 per cent jump, that is a 14 per cent improvement since 2023.

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Quebec saw the largest jump at 19 per cent among men and women. One demographic stands out: younger Canadians aged 18 to 29 showed an 18 per cent increase in environmental perception over just two years.

Sarich can’t pinpoint exactly what’s driving the change, as the survey didn’t cover why there is a growing change in perception, but points to several likely factors.

The National Beef Sustainability Assessment has given the industry scientific credibility on environmental claims. “Now we have some really good science behind what beef producers have known forever,” Sarich said.

She also credits a recent surge in Canadian pride. “Since the beginning of 2025, we’ve really seen a lot of pro-Canada and a lot of pride within Canada,” she said. “I think that has also kind of gone into the beef industry, and people are really proud of what we do here.”

The survey was conducted by Abacus Data and designed to represent the national population. The CCA will conduct a more in-depth survey in 2026, looking at where Canadians get their information about beef and where they want to learn more.

A more indepth survey will be carried out by the program next year.