McDonald's tour of Davidsville beef farm highlights food supply chain

“It’s closing the information gap from farm to fork,” said Nichole Hockenberry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Beef Council.

It’s essential for food service owners and operators to understand the supply chain, Hockenberry said.

People understand little about farming, said Mark Critz, executive director of the Rural Development Council.

“It’s amazing how many people are not in touch with where their food comes from,” he said.

There are about 25,000 farms that are cattle-related out of 53,000 in the state, Critz said.

“We educate people on how the process works,” he said.

The Hunsberger family farms about 1,800 acres. The farm has about 50 mother cows and 200 head of cattle. The black angus cattle are pasture-raised without hormones.

Cargill buys the beef cattle, which is processed and then shipped to customers including McDonald’s, said Stacylyn Himelright, head buyer for Cargill Taylor Beef.

In 2023, the McDonald’s system purchased more than 19 million pounds of beef, more than 2.4 million dozen eggs and more than 20 million pounds of pork from Pennsylvania.

Joe Nyanko, owner/operator of 15 McDonald’s restaurants in the region, joined the event.

“It’s a uniquely American company with American values,” he said.

Nyanko was introduced to McDonald’s by his father-in-law, who opened his first McDonald’s in Ebensburg.

“They say he had ketchup in his veins,” Nyanko said.

Several beef experts said they are taking a wait-and-see approach when asked about stated plans to unveil new tariffs April 2.

“There’s been a lot of speculation,” said Scott Rhodes, of the Somerset County Beef Producers. His thoughts were focused elsewhere.

“Securing the beef supply, keeping farms in business and keeping prices reasonable,” he said.