Every year we give undergraduate students in Ireland and the UK the chance to spend 12 months getting to know every part of our supply chain. They follow our products from farms to our restaurants and get the opportunity to work with a number of different suppliers, farmers and stakeholders around the country. The programme also includes mentoring by a progressive farmer who supplies us with beef, chicken, potatoes, pork, dairy or eggs.

Throughout the placement, Progressive Young Farmers undertake specific projects to gain a better understanding of technical efficiency and sustainability within the supply chain. This includes working on farms, in food manufacturing and spending time with us at head office and in our restaurants.

We believe that the strength and diversity of people in our supply chain enables us to build a better and stronger team. So that’s why we’re working to embed diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the Progressive Young Farmer programme. This starts with formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training for all students alongside a number of other training and networking opportunities.

To find out more or to apply, click here. 

"During my placement, I’ve been learning all about the hard work, know-how and eye for detail that is needed to produce the quality beef that goes into McDonald’s beef burgers. It’s certainly a change of pace from my studies in Economics and Politics but I’ve loved every minute!"

David, 2020 Progressive Young Farmer Graduate

In 2015, we supported the establishment of a beef innovation farm. The Newford farm, established by Dawn Meats and Teagasc, with additional technical assistance from the Irish Farmers Journal, has the aim of demonstrating best practice in sustainable suckler beef production. The farm is showing how it is possible to generate a viable family farm income and improve profitability when operated to the highest level of technical efficiency and best practice. It acts as a shop window for new technologies, with data available to interested parties.
 

We’ve invested over €1m into studying carbon reduction on beef farms in the Ireland and the UK. 100 Irish farms took part and the farms involved saw their carbon emissions reduced by over 23% during the six-year study.

We are a founding partner of FAI Farms, undertaking research to advance sustainable farming. Every year we invest in a programme designed to improve the welfare of animals and the impact of farming on the environment.  

Our research led to the launch of our range enrichment programme, requiring all egg producers supplying McDonald’s to plant a minimum of 20% tree cover on their ranges. The canopy cover provided by the trees encourages the hens to make more use of the range.

Our most recent project was launched in February 2021 with the aim of better understanding the benefits of farming regeneratively using adaptive multi-paddock grazing for beef cattle. The impact of this research has been recognised by Compassion in World Farming, who have awarded us with their 2021 Sustainable Food and Farming Award.