There are no one-size-fits-all solutions to beef sustainability, rather farmers and ranchers balance the resources they have available to meet the goals of their operation: responsibly raise cattle, take care of the land, provide for their families, and produce food for others. Rainfall amounts, temperatures, soil conditions, and vegetation are just a few of the regional geographic variables that affect how beef farmers and ranchers sustainably manage their operations.
The videos below provide concrete examples of what farmers and ranchers from disparate regions across the United States are currently doing day-to-day on their operations to be good stewards of the land, contributors to their communities, and responsible caretakers of their animals. They each measure continuous improvement according to their desired sustainability outcomes and resources available to their individual operations.
Stoney Creek Farm, Redwood Falls, Minnesota - Grant Breitkreutz explains how proper management of his cattle has increased the organic matter in the soil on his operation, thereby improving, on an ongoing basis, the health of his cattle, the abundance of wildlife species, and his corn crop production.
Kissimmee Park Properties, St. Cloud, Florida - Shane Platt explains how his operation, only 25 miles from Orlando’s international Airport, uses management techniques to protect the water flowing to the Everglades, produce the highest-quality grass for his cow-calf operation, and encourage co-existence with multiple wildlife species.