Local meat processing is the missing link.

The bottleneck in American beef

Most of the beef raised in the United States is processed by a small number of very large packing plants. That concentration leaves small and mid-size ranchers with few places to take their cattle, and it means much of the value of what they raise is captured far from home. Many independent processors are booked months in advance, and when one closes it is rarely replaced.

That’s why we put a processor at the center of our agriculture strategy. A well-run local plant gives the ranches around it a reliable buyer, and gives the community a source of local beef it can trust.

What we look for in a processing plant

• USDA inspection, which allows the plant to sell across state lines and to retailers and restaurants.
• An established, profitable business with a skilled crew and a record of food safety.
• Retail and direct-to-consumer channels, such as a butcher shop or branded beef, that capture more of each animal’s value.
• Room to grow through more capacity, more shifts, or more supply from our own and allied cattle ranches.

Why owned supply changes the economics

On its own, a small processor lives at the mercy of the cattle market, buying animals at whatever the price happens to be. When it is connected to owned and allied ranches, it gains a steady, predictable supply of the cattle it needs, raised to the standard its customers expect. The ranches, in turn, gain a buyer they can count on. Each side makes the other more durable.

Keeping the craft alive

Butchery is a skilled trade, and fewer young people are learning it. Preserving a processing plant means preserving the people who run it. We invest in training and apprenticeships so that the craft — and the jobs — stay in the community. Read how we train the next generation.