Posted: November 3rd, 2009 - 8:06am
Source: Canadian Press

LANIGAN, Sask. — McDonald's Canada and the president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association are trying to counter what they say is false information being spread by an Internet hoax.
The hoax email purports to be from an Alberta cattle-feeding group and calls for a boycott of the fast-food chain because it says McDonald's has plans to buy most of its beef from South America.
Not true, association president Brad Wildeman said Monday.
He's been receiving the email in one form or another since 2003 and in the past, has tried personally emailing the sender to refute it.
Because the email has been so widely circulated, the association thought it was time to set the record straight, he said.
"We needed to take a more proactive stance and not only say it's not true and it's a hoax, but here's the real facts behind what's going on," Wildeman said.
McDonald's Canada buys as much home-grown beef as it can, and the company said in a news release that translates into using about 29 million kilograms each year to feed over two million Canadian customers.
The restaurant giant said it has bought small quantities of beef from New Zealand, Australia and the United States in the past but adds that the vast majority of its beef comes from Canadian producers.
"McDonald's Canada proudly supports the beef industry," said company senior vice-president Jeff Kroll in a news release.