At the Trust In BeefTM Sustainable Ranches Tour at Burtrum Ranches, LLC in Stillwater, Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, had the chance to catch up with nationally recognized no-till farmer, regenerative rancher, and soil-health expert Jimmy Emmons to talk about the Trust In Beef program led by Farm Journal.
Trust in Beef is led by Farm Journal‘s social purpose initiative, Trust In Food, and its industry-leading beef brand, Drovers. Recently, Farm Journal welcomed Emmons as senior vice president of climate-smart programs. Emmons is leading Trust In Food’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Connected Ag Project, America’s Conservation Ag Movement, and Trust In Beef, coalition-driven conservation programs developed to accelerate the adoption of conservation agriculture at scale.
Trust In Beef works across two program streams to secure a sustainable future for beef including empowerment of producers on their journey and connecting consumers to beef’s sustainable story.
“What we are trying to do is connect all of the dots together and help ranchers understand they are a big part of the picture, but not the whole part of the picture,” Emmons said. “There are consumers, processors, and retailers all on this train. Then, all of these partners we have trying to get ranches and the whole gamut of the complete circle to understand what sustainability is.”
When it comes to being more sustainable, Emmons said ranchers can start by homing in on animal care, and land and ranch management (keeping the cattle moving). Emmons said prioritizing these practices is the first step in working towards better soil health.
After the Trust In Beef event which was held in Stillwater where ranchers had the chance to learn more about regenerative ranching practices, Emmons said attendees will receive a virtual follow-up. Utilizing a collaborative app, Emmons said attendees will be able to share their regenerative experiences and hear about practices others are implementing on their own operations.
“We want this network to be another tool like BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) to help you in the future of marketing beef,” Emmons said.
To listen to an earlier edition of Beef Buzz featuring nationally recognized no-till farmer, regenerative rancher, and soil-health expert Jimmy Emmons talking more about Farm Journal’s Trust In Beef initiative, CLICK HERE.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
