CALGARY - Call it a beef burger backlash.

A&W Canada has announced that all of the burgers it serves at its 790 outlets across the country will now be made with beef raised without any growth hormones or steroids.

The restaurant chain says it is proud to be the first national chain to serve what it calls "better beef."

A&W says Canadian consumers have a growing interest in where their beef comes from and how it is raised.

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association says its members have used what it calls safe "growth promotants" for more than 40 years that are approved by Health Canada.

The association, which represents 68,500 cattle producers, says consumers who buy Canadian beef are buying the finest beef available.