Trust in Beef

How Arizona Is Preparing the Public To Scout for New World Screwworm Threat

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:12:44 GMT

With its high temperatures and few winter freezes, Arizona is ripe territory for infestation from New World screwworm (NWS).

Ryan Wolker, state veterinarian with the Arizona Department of Agriculture, says he thinks the threat to his state from NWS is significant.

“It is definitely a concern,” he says. “The New World screwworm detections in Mexico have surpassed 3,000 premises and have come within approximately 370 miles south of the southernmost point of Texas, but obviously that can change quite rapidly, especially with the animal movement within the country of Mexico itself.”

Wolker has concerns about the impact NWS could have on Arizona’s already-stressed cattle ranchers.

“There was a limited outbreak of NWS in Texas in the 1970s, and USDA conducted a study of that economic impact in 2016,” he says. “Even without adjustment for increased inventories of animals since that time, because obviously, herd sizes are larger, feedlots are bigger, etc, the economic impact of that same outbreak in Texas now, only counting for inflation, would be looking at a cost to producers and lost revenue in the neighborhood around $1.4 billion.”

At a recent Trust In Beef Sustainable Ranchers Tour event in Willcox, Ariz., Wolker and the Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team (ALIRT) began an initiative to get ahead of the potential economic damage.

The Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team (ALIRT) gathered at YY Ranch during a recent Trust In Beef Sustainable Ranchers Tour event to hone tactical skills needed for a possible New World screwworm response in the state.

(Photo courtesy of Dr. Betsy Greene, University of Arizona extension specialist )

After gathering the team to practice on-the-ground incident response at YY Ranch, Wolker and Betsy Greene, extension specialist with the University of Arizona, unveiled the first of the state’s saddlebag scouting kits that are available to ranchers.

The kit includes:

Specimen collection vials with tweezers.
Specimen baggies with cotton balls for safe transport.
Collection and mail instructions.

“The whole point is, we can get and find things faster,” Greene says. “If someone sees it, gets a sample, then we can deal with it.”

Greene and Wolker urge ranchers to begin scouting now in their herds, looking at open wounds for any signs of infestation. Hunters should scout not only their harvests but any carcass they encounter during hunts.

In addition to specimen collection, Wolker stresses the importance of gathering additional data as well.

“Take some pictures for documentation purposes,” he says. “If you’re proficient with Google Maps, drop a pin to grab those GPS coordinates for us.”

The Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team (ALIRT) is a cross-functional team that aims to improve the diagnosis and response to unexplained livestock deaths in the state by providing resources and expertise from the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association, Arizona Department of Agriculture, USDA and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

(Photo courtesy of Dr. Betsy Greene, University of Arizona extension specialist)

NWS scouting kits are available to ranchers through ALIRT . The team has issued a resource with additional scouting and specimen collection tips .

Additional resources can be found through your local Extension office, large animal or equine veterinarian or through the Arizona Department of Agriculture Animal Services Division.

AgriTalk Host Chip Flory recently visited with Wolker about NWS. You can hear the complete discussion here:

Visit trustinbeef.com for information about upcoming stops on the 2025 Sustainable Ranchers Tour and make your plans to attend.

Your next read: Stay up-to-date on NWS with Drovers coverage.

Sustainability is not Going Away. What are You Going to do With It?

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 23:51:22 GMT

Rhonda Brooks is editor of Bovine Veterinarian.

Amarillo By Morning, a big hit by mega star George Strait back in the day, has been playing in my head all week. You probably know the song. If you don’t, it’s worth a listen on YouTube.

I was in Amarillo for a couple of days this past week to attend a sustainability media program hosted by Merck Animal Health. The company has its sights firmly locked in on sustainability and how to help its customers, both veterinarians and producers, adopt sustainable practices.

I would be remiss if I did not add that most other animal health companies — many of which advertise with Bovine Veterinarian, including Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, Phibro, U.S. Vet, Virbac and Zoetis, along with others — are also focused on sustainability and what it means to their customers.

“Not A Fad”

I believe Ben Weinheimer, president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, shared an important fact at the meeting when he said, “We’ve been at this topic long enough to know now it’s not a fad.”

(Farm Journal)

That resonated with me. Why? Because so often I’ve held out on adopting various practices in my business because I thought they would go away.

That’s not the case with sustainability. I’m on board with the concept, because I believe it’s a good thing for animals and our customers, U.S. consumers, and for those of us working in the livestock industry, as well.

Instead, the challenge for me is what do I do with the concept of sustainability? How do I implement it? It’s the old but real issue of “the devil’s in the details.”

Please know I am not throwing shade or pointing any fingers at anyone regarding this topic, especially veterinarians.

I can truly say every bovine veterinarian I have worked with has demonstrated, in word and deed, that they are working diligently to use practices that take animal health and well-being into consideration, first and foremost.

Self-Assessment Can Help

I’m simply wrestling with the sustainability concept. Working out the details is a messy undertaking at times (i.e. For instance, I took three flights to and from Amarillo this week.).

Perhaps you have similar struggles?

If so, take a few minutes to check out the resources offered by the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef on its website. In particular, please check out the self-assessment tool available here: https://nobleapps.noble.org/usrsbassessment

There are five options for consideration, including one for cow-calf producers and feedyard operators.

The idea is for producers to assess and measure their business/operation against the U.S. Beef Industry Sustainability Framework to find opportunities for improvement – many of which you and your clients are likely already doing. Consider trying out one of the options with a handful of clients to see what you think.

In my opinion, we all need to be laser focused on the topic of sustainability if we want to achieve continued success and longevity in the livestock industry — whether that’s beef, dairy, pork or poultry.

Like the song says, “Amarillo by mornin’, Amarillo’s where I’ll be.” Sustainability is a daily pursuit. It takes effort to travel there, but it’s a destination worth trying to reach.

North Platte Approves Support for Sustainable Beef Plant

Panhandle Ranch, Environmental Technology Co. Plan New ‘Sustainable’ Feedlot

Hereford and CSU Begin Sustainable Genetics Research

A Sustainable Approach to Sustainability

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Launches New Industry Sustainability Goals

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef joins Trust In Beef

VIDEO: Meet Trust In Beef Industry Partner U.S. Roundtable For Sustainable Beef

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:50:31 GMT

This article was written by Nate Birt, Vice President of Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative. Learn more at www.trustinfood.com

Across the U.S., beef producers are taking the next step on their sustainability journey. To highlight the voice of those making a difference, Trust In Beef™ proudly introduces a video series spotlighting the collaborative value chain program’s partners.

In this video, Trust In Beef™ features rancher and U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) 2021/22 Chair Steve Wooten of Kim, Colo.

“USRSB set goals for the entire beef supply chain because we’re all in it together – from pasture to plate – and made stronger by common efforts,” says Samantha Werth, Ph.D., executive director of USRSB. “These goals were set for the industry by the industry, including start-to-finish involvement of cattle producers.”

Learn more at USRSB.org/Goals.

VIDEO: Meet Trust In Beef Partner U.S. Roundtable For Sustainable Beef

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 00:59:15 GMT

This article was written by Nate Birt, Vice President of Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative. Learn more at www.trustinfood.com

Across the U.S., beef producers are taking the next step on their sustainability journey. To highlight the voice of those making a difference, Trust In Beef™ proudly introduces a video series spotlighting the collaborative value chain program’s partners. In this video, watch as Dr. Justin Welsh, executive director of U.S. livestock technical services from Merck Animal Health, shares how the company is helping producers along the way.

“Trust In Beef™ is a platform that allows us to partner with our cattle producers in their sustainability journey and help bring their stories to life,” says Tom Schad, director of communications North America, Merck Animal Health. “We’re excited to be a foundational partner of Trust In Beef™. The program allows us to advocate for our customers on their sustainability journey and highlight their love of animals and the land.”

Watch the video to learn more about Trust In Beef™ and about how Merck Animal Health helps to support beef producers succeed with their sustainability investments.

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Launches New Industry Sustainability Goals

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 15:20:15 GMT

The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) today announced new sustainability goals for the entire U.S. beef supply chain.

The goals, available at USRSB.org , include metrics and targets for all sectors of the industry to encourage and support continuous improvement from farm to fork. These goals and targets aim to identify and supplement sustainability practices and support the collection of benchmarking data for current industry sustainability efforts. They also set new objectives to help producers and industry bring the most sustainable beef products to market.

“Producers, auction markets, feedyards, packers and processors, and retail and foodservice organizations have worked within their own sectors for decades to make U.S. beef a more sustainable product,” said Colorado cow-calf producer Steve Wooten, who is the 2021/2022 USRSB chair and USRSB goals committee co-chair. “As an industry, it’s time to not only recognize that hard work, but also establish new ways stakeholders across the supply chain can work together to contribute to the overall sustainability of U.S. beef.”

The goals are set around USRSB’s six high-priority indicators of sustainability: water resources, land resources, air and greenhouse gas emission, efficiency and yield, animal health and wellbeing, and employee safety and wellbeing. These key indicators build upon the primary pillars of sustainability — environmental, social and economic — helping to ensure true sustainability at each stage of the beef supply chain.

“The goals and their corresponding sector targets provide a sound foundation on which each segment of the beef supply chain can continue to build their unique sustainability efforts,” said Sara Place, Ph.D., USRSB goals committee co-chair and chief sustainability officer for Elanco.

“To help ensure stakeholders have everything they need to succeed, USRSB will continue to add to our suite of science-based tools and resources which will enable all segments of the industry to continue advancing their sustainability efforts with confidence.”

To help the industry work towards achieving these goals, USRSB will continue to create and build upon their existing free tools and resources. Current resources include sustainability modules and resource toolkits for producers, auction markets, feedyards, packers and processors, and retail and foodservice organizations as well as a sustainability self-assessment tool. These resources can be found at USRSB.org/Resources.

Driven to Sustainability

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:12:12 GMT

Daniel Humm’s restaurant, like so many others during the pandemic, had to lay off all its employees and was facing the prospect of bankruptcy. As businesses began to reopen earlier this year, Humm decided to gamble with a trendy, yet risky concept. In May he announced Eleven Madison Park, his three-Michelin-star restaurant in New York, would go completely plant-based.

By going meatless, Humm knew his customer base would shrink to a smaller niche of diners. Dinner remained $335 per person without the meat and before the wine.

Humm and many of his patrons believe the U.S. food system requires less meat consumption to be sustainable long-term. That belief is shared by an increasing number of consumers.

Evidence of growing consumer consciousness of sustainability is found in the Hartman Group’s report, “Sustainability 2021: Environment and Society in Focus,” which revealed 72% of consumers are willing to pay more to support companies that share their values.

Such support is not just for everyday products such as food. Credit Suisse, the Swiss global investment bank with $1.5 trillion under investment management, finds 75% of millennials believe their investments can influence climate change, and 84% believe their investments can help lift people out of poverty.
“That’s why we saw companies invest more than $30 billion in sustainability initiatives last year,” says Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, director of AgNext at Colorado State University.

That observation was confirmed by Credit Suisse CEO Thomas Gottstein who told CNBC the coronavirus pandemic had “substantially accelerated the trend toward ESG and sustainability” and sought to highlight the investment opportunity within the overall space. ESG stands for environmental, social and governance, and investors are increasingly applying those non-financial factors as part of their analysis.

“The demand that we see, both from our private clients but also institutional clients, for ESG compatible products is ever increasing,” Gottstein explains. “It’s clearly seen as, also, an opportunity to improve returns.”

(Farm Journal)

The “S” Word

U.S. cattle producers have embraced changing consumer demands before. Over the past 30 years they’ve dramatically improved their products, using genetics to trim waste fat and management to improve cattle health and well-being. This year nearly 82% of carcasses will grade Choice or Prime, up from 54% just 15 years ago, a 35% increase. Carcasses grading Prime, just 2.6% of production in 2006, reached 10.2% in 2020.

With genetic and management improvement, the U.S. produces the same amount of beef today as it did in 1975 with one-third fewer cows. Producers can rightly ask: Isn’t that sustainable ranching?

The answer, says Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist in cooperative Extension in the department of animal science at the University of California, Davis, is to accept consumer desires.

“Twenty years ago I overheard two cattlemen talking after I had just given a presentation,” Mitloehner says. “One said, ‘I like (Mitloehner), but I wish he wouldn’t use the S-word all the time.’”

Those two cattle producers were industry leaders in Texas, Mitloehner says, and over the years they have organized sustainability conferences in Texas. Why the change? They told Mitloehner that even if they didn’t agree with everything about sustainability, “it’s not as important as it is for us to listen to out customers demands.”

Mitloehner says the five pillars of sustainability are: environment, animal welfare, food safety, people/labor and financial viability.

“Those five areas are covered in what we call stewardship,” he says. “What rancher wouldn’t say that they are the best steward they can be of the land, the animals and the products they produce?”

Sustainability is just the word used by our customers, and ranchers should embrace that.

“Being a good steward means to work sustainably,” Mitloehner says. “And that’s what ranchers should be proud of. You should not be afraid of (sustainability), you should own this term.”

Early Adopters

Three years ago, Tyson Fresh Meats announced a partnership with Progressive Beef, a cattle management and sustainability program for feedlot operators based in Manhattan, Kan. Progressive Beef maintains accountability and transparency through a verification system that involves USDA-approved auditors. The feedyards certified in the program focus their efforts in three areas: cattle care, food safety and environmental sustainability, and are verified twice per year.

Today, more than one million head of cattle are cared for annually through the program at certified feedyards, helping Tyson meet consumer demand for beef that “creates a higher confidence level for consumers.”

Sustainability initiatives are also important for programs such as Certified Angus Beef (CAB). Now in its 44th year, CAB recorded sales of 1.25 billion pounds in 2019 thanks to an unyielding focus on product quality and programs designed to assist its retail and food service customers — the front line for sales and consumer satisfaction.

(Farm Journal)

Last year CAB launched an award specifically for producers who have embraced the concept. The Bradley 3 Ranch (B3R) near Memphis, Tex., earned the 2021 award that recognized 60 years of investment and management that has produced amazing results in a harsh environment.

Minnie Lou Bradley, her daughter, Mary Lou, and her husband, James Henderson, developed a plan for B3R to help conserve the 18" of annual rainfall and promote the grass while managing a quality-forward seedstock business. Those efforts have helped the B3R cowherd double in size.

Now, sustainability at B3R is as much about the efficiency and quality of the cattle as it is about land and water. They’ve built indexes around the performances of their cattle, and they focus on cows that can raise a calf, breed back, do it on minimal resources and maintain their flesh.

Corporate Investment

Nearly every major U.S. food processing company is already heavily invested in sustainability. JBS, for instance, announced in March a commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040. The commitment spans the company’s global operations, including its diverse value chain of agricultural producer partners, suppliers and customers in their efforts to reduce emissions across the value chain.

In June, Tyson Foods announced its ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its global operations and supply chain by 2050.

Cargill has committed to reduce GHG emissions by 10% by 2025 and reduce GHG emissions in its supply chain by 30% per ton of product sold by 2030. Further, Cargill has committed to improving the livelihood of 10 million farmers by 2030 through training in sustainable agricultural practices.

In April, Cargill and Sysco, the world’s largest broadline food distributor, announced a major partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) that will help ranchers across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas tackle the impacts of climate change as well as improve grasslands and wildlife habitat by creating one of the largest sustainable beef cattle grazing efforts in the nation.

With hundreds of millions of dollars invested, those companies are showing consumers their commitments to sustainability and efforts to mitigate climate change, but the stakes are far higher than the beef supply chain.

The $30 billion invested in sustainability by companies is an investment driven by consumers and investors who are focused on the climate.

“Bloomberg reports there is $35 trillion invested in publicly traded companies under that environmental, social and governance (ESG) umbrella,” Stackhouse-Lawson explains. “And that’s up 15% from the start of 2018, and it represents 36% of all professionally managed funds.”

Those are the financial stakes and the pressure that are coming at publicly traded companies to focus on sustainability.

“This new ESG pressure will continue to shift capital toward sustainable products,” Stackhouse-Lawson says. “Now we have stronger, more connected supply chains that are not just driven by profits, they’re also rewarded for their social, environmental and governance metrics.”

While cattle producers might already have a great sustainability story, it is also paramount that they recognize the need for effective communication.

“It is important to acknowledge when talking about sustainability that emotion and science are on equal footing,” Stackhouse-Lawson explains. “If you put them in a head-to-head race, emotion wins in the sustainability space nearly every time.”

Program Addresses Beef Sustainability Efforts, Including Veterinarians’ Advisory Role

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:12:50 GMT

Trust In Beef is a new effort to empower beef producers on their sustainability journey and provide consumers with real-life proof of the continuously improving environmental performance of American beef. The program is led by Farm Journal’s social purpose initiative, Trust In Food, and its industry-leading beef brand, Drovers.

“This program will work in harmony with our other industry stakeholder efforts,” says Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust in Food. “The goal is to simplify the process for producers to meet the challenges of a changing world. It will also influence consumer sentiments by highlighting the important role that beef has historically played, and will continue to play, in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits.”

Earlier this year, Trust In Beef undertook a first-of-its-kind research effort to understand the perspectives, beliefs and actions of American beef producers regarding sustainability. More than 900 producers from 43 states participated.

Key findings indicate many producers know the beef industry is changing and needs more change but are unsure about how to do this. Research results also show that veterinarians are important to producers’ sustainability efforts.

Key findings include:
Producers recognize change is needed…

79% say producers should change production practices to meet consumer demands.
56% recognize that the average U.S. beef operation is not entirely environmentally sound.

Veterinarians influence the practices producers adopt …

73% of producers say their most trusted source of information is their veterinarian or nutritionist.
14% of producers say an advisor has approached them in the past year about sustainable production practices.

Some producers are already taking steps forward…

58% already have a formal grazing plan in place.
51% already have a plan in place to improve animal productivity.

Plenty have not made necessary changes…

o 64% of producers don’t think that setting year-end goals is related to sustainable production.
o 49% do not have a formal plan in place to improve animal productivity.

“Trust in Beef will provide the megaphone and activation mechanism for many of the current sustainability strategies being offered to the nation’s beef producers,” says Cliff Becker, Farm Journal senior vice president. “Producers want to do the right thing, and our research shows they are committed to improvement.

“Veterinarians play a highly valued role in advising producers on the sustainable practices they adopt – from antibiotic stewardship to vaccination programs, parasite control methods and more,” he adds. “Such work at the grassroots level enhances the overall longevity and profitability of today’s beef operations.”

For more information, go to www.trustinbeef.com.

Farm Journal Launches Trust In Beef to Accelerate Beef Industry’s Sustainability Work

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:37:46 GMT

Trust In BeefTM is a new effort to empower beef producers on their sustainability journey and provide consumers with real-life proof of the continuously improving environmental performance of American beef. The program is led by Farm Journal ‘s social purpose initiative, Trust In Food , and its industry-leading beef brand, Drovers .

“This program will work in harmony with our other industry stakeholder efforts,” says Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust in Food. “The goal is to simplify the process for cattle producers to meet the challenges of a changing world. It will also influence consumer sentiments by highlighting the important role that beef has historically played, and will continue to play, in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits.”

Trust In Beef is working across two program streams to secure a sustainable future for beef:

Empowering producers on their journey
- Trust In Beef will connect producers with education, tools and resources to start or accelerate their continuous improvement journey.
- At the same time, the program will capture stories and data, documenting the depth of beef producers’ sustainability-related work – both past and present – at a scale never done before.
Connecting consumers to beef’s sustainability story
- Trust In Beef will provide partners with a steady stream of consumer outreach and engagement materials in the form of these producer case studies. This will enable consumer-facing brands to expand and improve their efforts to ensure consumers understand beef’s story by shining a light on environmentally-conscious beef producers.
- The program will also undertake its own consumer outreach through media initiatives on streaming platforms.

Earlier this year, Trust In Beef undertook a first-of-its-kind research effort to understand the perspectives, beliefs and actions of American beef producers regarding sustainability. More than 900 producers from more than 40 states shared viewpoints.

Key findings indicate many producers know the beef industry is changing and needs more change but are unsure about how to do this.

Key findings include:

Producers recognize change is needed…
- 79% say producers should change production practices to meet consumer demands.
- 56% recognize that the average US beef operation is not entirely environmentally sound
Some are already taking steps forward…
- 58% already have a formal grazing plan in place.
- 51% already have a plan in place to improve animal productivity.
Many are unsure about their role…
- 39% are unsure if beef producers will have to implement sustainability-related practices in the next decade to stay in business.
Plenty have not made necessary changes…
- 64% don’t think that setting year end goals is related to sustainable production.
- 42% do not have a formal grazing plan in place.
- 49% do not have a formal plan in place to improve animal productivity.

“Trust in Beef will provide the megaphone and activation mechanism for many of the current sustainability strategies being offered to the nation’s beef producers,” said Cliff Becker, Farm Journal senior vice president and publishing director of Drovers. “Producers want to do the right thing, and our research shows they are committed to improvement. Providing examples of success stories that improving can also align with profitability will help adoption of sustainability practices and enhance the overall longevity and profitability of today’s beef operations.”

For more information about Trust In Beef, go to www.trustinbeef.com .

U.S. Cattle Producers Announce Initiatives to Answer Consumer Demands

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 20:24:50 GMT

From gate to plate, consumers are increasingly seeking beef with a story — and paying for it. National Beef Quality Audits have identified “where and how cattle were raised” as a key attribute for a decade, and major food companies have launched broad programs to satisfy that desire.

Now, cattle producers in the U.S. are responding with more initiatives to answer consumer demands for more transparency around animal welfare, traceability and sustainability.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced their plan to address beef sustainability and solidify their commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability for the U.S. Cattle Industry. The announcement came during the NCBA general session, “Sustainability — Opportunity, or a Bunch of Bull?”

Marty Smith, 2021 NCBA Past President, a rancher and an attorney from Wacahoota, Fla., announced goals focused on four critical areas:

• Demonstrate climate neutrality of U.S. cattle production by 2040. Create and enhance opportunities that result in a quantifiable increase in producer profitability and economic sustainability by 2025.

• Enhance trust in cattle producers as responsible stewards of their animals and resources by expanding educational opportunities in animal care and handling programs to further improve animal well-being.

• Continuously improve our industry’s workforce safety and well-being.

The framework for the program was developed by the Sustainability Goals Task Force, a committee made up of cattle producers nominated from 17 states. Smith says the committee was formed of aggressive and opinionated cattle producers who pushed hard to create a position that demonstrated leadership for the industry.

Ashley McDonald, senior director of sustainability for National Cattleman’s Beef Association, spoke about the initiative with “AgDay’s” Clinton Griffiths. “One thing that’s really important is it’s not just about a climate goal, an environmental goal, it’s not even the economic goal. It’s about all of them, because sustainability truly is a balancing act between everything that we do,” McDonald says. “And we hope to convey that the decisions that producers make on their farms and ranches, every day, are extremely complex.”

Social Sustainability: What Consumers (Don’t) Know

Sustainability is a complex topic, and one reason for that is because people have different values. During a presentation at the 2021 Alltech ONE Ideas Conference, Sara Place, chief sustainability officer at Elanco, addressed sustainability and beef production.

“One person may prioritize animal welfare above an environmental footprint; another may prioritize the affordability of food above all other issues,” Place says. “It’s not that one person is right or wrong, it’s just the reality that this is the challenge we’re dealing with in a pluralistic society when it comes to sustainability.”

(Farm Journal)

Shawn Darcy, senior director of market research at National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, shared some data insights to uncover gaps in consumers’ knowledge about how their food is produced.

While issues of animal welfare are growing in importance to consumers, their top considerations about proteins are still issues like taste, safety and value. The good news: 62% say they find cattle producers very credible. There’s room for cattle producers to take control of the story.

(Farm Journal)

Environmental Sustainability: Many Paths to Climate Neutrality in 2040

Programs such as Progressive Beef are also positioning themselves to demonstrate leadership in sustainability.

“Our commitment to social responsibility inspired us to create and apply meaningful metrics to internationally recognized sustainability indicators such as animal welfare, antibiotic use, efficient use of natural resources and employee safety. Internal and certification audits also create multiple layers of accountability to transform knowledge into continuous improvement,” says Heather Donley, vice president of operations at Progressive Beef.

The three pillars of NCBA’s announcement start with the foundation that cattle production must be financially sustainable for producers, and when producers can achieve economic sustainability, it feeds their environmental and social sustainability goals, says Jason Sawyer, associate professor and research scientist with King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management with Texas A&M — Kingsville. Sawyer spoke about the relationship between the three pillars.

Sawyer outlined multiple plans, emphasizing there are at least three paths with one aggressive and a couple moderate efforts that will lead to climate neutrality.

Economic Sustainability: Demand

David Norton, president of Sysco’s Specialty Meat Service, and Kristine Richmond, head of sustainability and ESG, with Darden, a company that owns restaurants such as Capital Grille and Longhorn Steakhouse, expressed appreciation for livestock producers and the essential role they play feeding the world.

(Farm Journal)

“The demand for beef continues to walk through our front doors,” Richmond says, explaining restaurant sales this year were 14% above pre-pandemic levels.

Norton says while he appreciates how producers have come to the table to demonstrate stewardship
and sustainability, it is now time for corporations to step up.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re part of the solution,” Norton says. “We are with you.”

NCBA Sets Climate Neutrality Goal for Cattle Industry

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 19:07:01 GMT

During its annual conference, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced a plan to address beef sustainability and solidify their commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability for the U.S. Cattle Industry.

The announcement came during the NCBA general session, “Sustainability—Opportunity, or a Bunch of Bull?”

Marty Smith, 2021 NCBA Past President, a rancher and an attorney from Wacahoota, Fla., announced goals focused on four critical areas:

- Demonstrate climate neutrality of U.S. cattle production by 2040.

- Create and enhance opportunities that result in a quantifiable increase in producer profitability and economic sustainability by 2025.

- Enhance trust in cattle producers as responsible stewards of their animals and resources by expanding educational opportunities in animal care and handling programs to further improve animal well-being.

- Continuously improve our industry’s workforce safety and well-being.

The framework for the program was developed by the Sustainability Goals Task Force, a committee made up of cattle producers nominated from 17 states. Smith says the committee was formed of aggressive and opinionated cattle producers who pushed hard to create a position that demonstrated leadership for the industry.

“We got big, bold and audacious,” Smith says. “We decided if we’re gonna do this, let’s do it and let’s hit it hard.”

Ashley McDonald, senior director of sustainability for NCBA, spoke about the initiative with AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths.

“One thing that’s really important is it’s not just about a climate goal, an environmental goal; it’s not even an economic goal. It’s about all of them, because sustainability truly is a balancing act between everything that we do,” McDonald says. “And we hope to convey that the decisions that producers make on their farms and ranches, every day, are extremely complex.”

Social Sustainability: What Consumers (Don’t) Know

Consumers are pushing hard for sustainability in their food, but NCBA research and focus groups have demonstrated most consumers struggle to define what sustainability means. And oftentimes when they can define sustainability, the definition focuses on topics like renewable energy, paper straws or reusable water bottles instead of food production. Education is needed to close the gap, and that’s where Smith says the cattle industry can take a stand.

“It’s time for NCBA to play some offense and quit being kicked around by biased, unscientific data in the media,” he says.

Shawn Darcy, Senior Director of Market Research at National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, shared some data insights to uncover gaps in consumers’ knowledge about how their food is produced.

First off, it’s important to recognize while issues of animal welfare are growing in importance to consumers, their top considerations when they make decisions about proteins are still issues like taste, safety, value and nutrition.

And many consumers are not familiar with cattle production. The good news: 62% say they find cattle producers very credible.

These gaps in consumers’ knowledge and their high level of trust with livestock producers means they’re poised to be educated on sustainability. The chart below demonstrates there’s room for cattle producers to take control of the storyline to demonstrate their stewardship and sustainability efforts.

Environmental Sustainability: Many Paths to Climate Neutrality in 2040

The three pillars of NCBA’s announcement—environmental, economic and social sustainability—start with the foundation that cattle production must be financially sustainable for producers. And when producers can achieve economic sustainability, it feeds their environmental and social sustainability goals, says Dr. Jason Sawyer, Associate Professor and Research Scientist with King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management with Texas A&M University—Kingsville. Sawyer spoke about the intricate relationship between the three pillars.

“As we enhance the economic viability, you’re also driving improvement in the other two areas,” he says.

Sawyer outlined multiple plans with moderate and aggressive goals, emphasizing there are at least three paths with one aggressive and a couple moderate efforts that will lead to climate neutrality. These paths could include efforts to sequester carbon and find paths to offset global warming.

Economic Sustainability: Demand for Beef Continues to Climb

To close the session, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall lead a panel discussion with David Norton, President of Sysco’s Specialty Meat Service, and Kristine Richmond, Head of Sustainability & ESG, with Darden, a company that owns restaurants such as Capital Grille and Longhorn Steakhouse.

producers and the essential role they play feeding the world.

“The demand for beef continues to walk through our front doors every day,” Richmond says, explaining they restaurant sales this year were 14% above pre-pandemic levels.

Norton says while he appreciates how producers have come to the table to demonstrate stewardship and sustainability, it’s now time for corporations to also step up.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re part of the solution,” Norton says. “We are with you, and we’re two large corporations—we’re all in this together.”