From Cow to Consumer, a new focus on Grassland Soil Stewardship
This is the third in a series of articles focusing on PFC Director Gary Price and his family’s 77 Ranch in Texas. Gary Price, owner of 77 Ranch in north central Texas, has placed more and more emphasis over the years on what the consumer wants so that he can get the best price for his cattle. His first stop on this journey, which began about 10 years ago, was to convert his herd to crossbred Angus cows that can produce Certified Angus calves, which “has been great.” His cattle are also certified all-natural, meaning no antibiotics and hormones, and he has systems in place for tracking individual animals in the event some require doctoring. To meet the demand for beef from Europe, Gary must be able to verify the age of his cattle as well. Since the mad cow disease scare, most countries in Europe will not accept cattle over 30 months old (as the disease is very rare in cattle this young). Likewise, restaurant chains want to be able to name and trace the beef they serve to its place of origin. “We have nothing to hide,” says Gary. “We hire IMI Global out of Denver as a third-party auditor and another company out of Washington, DC verifies us on animal welfare. All of these things add value because they are what the consumer wants, and they separate us from those who sell beef as a commodity.” Ecosystem [...]