For Manny and Corina Encinias’ family of nine, sustainability runs deep. They are stewards of a legacy, working the land dating back to 1777, when the first generation began herding sheep in the nearby Moriarty community. Today they focus on cows well suited to the harsh New Mexico desert, fostering community strength and creating opportunities for others to follow in their footsteps.
It’s a normal day near Hudson, Colorado for the Walter family, yet the view is uniquely awe-inspiring for visitors who have never stepped foot on a ranch. As cows come in closer visitors take in the far-reaching pastures and breath-taking mountain views. For the Walter Family, there’s no better backdrop to introduce people to the place where beef begins.
It’s a labor of love, obvious in the way she lights up explaining their family’s 33-year effort to proactively adapt Angus cows to their land. A lifetime of telling stories from the pasture or kitchen has resonated with nonfarm consumers as much as fellow ranchers. “Everything we do is about cattle, but it’s also about family and connecting our kids to the land and to the cattle,” Debbie Lyons-Blythe says.
Hudson, Colo., provides awe-inspiring views of the pristine Rocky Mountains as a backdrop to their picture-perfect cattle. It’s the ideal spot to introduce visitors to the place where beef begins. Their spirit of hospitality and work to share how they raise high-quality beef earned the Walter family the 2022 CAB Ambassador Award.
Sustainability is a new target for producers. While there are no plans to meet these goals yet, there is interest in how cattle can be part of the solution. It comes down to the adage, “trust but verify,” and verification will need to come from those raising beef.
Sustainability is an all-encompassing term for social, environmental and economic business needs. The popular, updated term describes many of the same best practices cattlemen have put to work for generations.
More than forty years after selling the first pound of branded beef on October 18, 1978, Certified Angus Beef continues to deliver for consumers and producers. The brand closed fiscal year 2021 with a few new records and another billion on the books.
In the rapid changing space of sustainability, finding clarity on what to do is challenging. At the 2021 Feeding Quality Forum, Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson offered insights on what can be expected of producers moving forward.
From the moment his boots hit the dirt on the way to the barn, to switching off the lights and locking the door of the Hickory House Restaurant, Jonathan Perry is committed to the beef business. The 2021 CAB Chairman brings a unique perspective to the table. By day, he’s a cattleman. By night, he’s a meat cutter.
Telling their story to the cattle curious was awkward at first for John and Gaye Pfeiffer. Now, they look forward to hosting hundreds of people every year, sharing everything about the beef cattle life cycle and why they choose Angus cattle on their central Oklahoma farm. Their dedication to teaching and connecting with those further down the supply chain earned them the 2021 CAB Ambassador Award.
