Washington State Beef Commission Toggle search RECIPES COOKING NUTRITION RAISING BEEF CATTLEMEN'S CORNER ABOUT US RAISING BEEF RETHINK THE RANCH Home on the range...and in the pasture, and at the feedyard. Raising beef is a complex process, but throughout the entire journey, one thing remains constant – the shared commitment to raising cattle in a safe, humane and environmentally sustainable way. There are more than 9,000 cattle farms and ranches in The Evergreen State, with an average herd size of 40 cattle. Learn more about the people and the process involved in raising beef from the pasture to the plate. HOW CATTLE CAN HELP Raising cattle can improve the environment they live in, right down to building the plants and soil under their hooves, where carbon emitted from all sectors of industry can be stored, preventing climate changing gases from warming the atmosphere. First generation Ellensburg area rancher Kyler Beard dives into the practices that make this possible. Take this two minute opportunity to learn more about the work that ultimately culminates into the burgers and steaks on our plates and why he believes, "cows are gonna save the planet." Learn More IT'S A COOL JOB The stewardship that starts on the ranch, continues where cattle spend that last few months finishing at a feed yard. The care performed by well-equipped crews and the efficiencies captured results in beef that is lighter on resources overall. That means less emissions, water, and land used per pound of beef produced. Probably the most powerful part of it? The untold tons of byproducts from locally grown and processed foods, drinks and energy for people bypass becoming landfill waste because these safe-for-cattle-consumption feedstuffs are upcycled into protein-rich beef. "You're welcome," - cattle, probably. 5 FACTS ABOUT BEEF AND THE ENVIRONMENT Are cattle the climate change culprits they're often made out to be? Get the answer, and four more facts about raising cattle and what that means for our environment. Explore the lesser known ways beef makes our food supply more sustainable through learning about the practices of real Washington ranchers and cattle feeders. Learn More SUSTAINABLE BEEF Are cattle a leading cause of climate change? Spoiler Alert: They aren't. But the people raising cattle do care a lot about our environmental impact. Allow us to expand on the science behind that while sharing more about how cattle ranchers are always looking to become more efficient and lower impact. LEARN MORE > PASTURE TO PLATE Have you ever visited a cattle ranch? A feed yard? Did you know that ALL beef cattle spend about half their life with their mothers, eating grass? Get a better understanding of how beef is raised through the stories of a few of the roughly 9,000 family farmers and ranchers who raise beef here in Washington. LEARN MORE > BUY LOCAL There are so many choices of beef and we want to help you find the best option for you and connect you with local purveyors. Use our Local Beef Directory to find independent farmers, ranchers and butcher shops that sell beef directly to the public in your county. LEARN MORE > BEEF COUNTS The Beef Counts program is a partnership with Washington's Beef Community, Northwest Harvest, Second Harvest and Food Lifeline that provides high-quality, nutritious beef to local food banks to help hungry, local families. LEARN MORE > MEET YOUR RANCHERS WHY WE LOVE WHAT WE DO Welcome to Beef NW just outside of Quincy, Washington. Here you'll find a team of people passionate about what they do, which is to care for cattle, manage natural resources, make the most of upcycling science and ultimately produce high quality beef for their customers. MEET THE TEAM > SEE JANE RANCH Klickitat County rancher Jane Lee is a force of nature. Whether it's helping a mother cow have a calf or saving a hiker off the side of a mountain, she's up to the task. Her super power is helping others, and this influential woman is passing it down to the next generations at Lee Ranch. MEET JANE > IN THEIR GENES Beef cattle aren't cloned, but Clay Schuster and his six year old mini-me Royce might make you believe biotech is behind the next generation of ranchers on this family enterprise that dates back to the 1880s. See how investment in cattle breeding is making beef more sustainable. MEET CLAY > THE ULTIMATE LOCAVORE The cattle at El Oro Cattle Feeders in Moses Lake are healthy locavores. They enjoy the leftovers from many of Washington's agricultural crops including potatoes, grains, and grasses. The yard's horseback cattle health experts take care of the rest, checking on every animal, every day. MEET THE EL ORO TEAM > A FARM INSIDE A FARM Visionary, or just practical? You decide. At Coulee Flats Dairy, Case has built a dairy farm inside of a crop farm. And they both benefit. The cattle are the key to using the farm's land and water in a way that's sustainable by design. MEET CASE > RAISING HEALTHY CATTLE, AND KIDS At Adrian Cattle Co., they know what it takes to keep 1,000 cattle healthy. Then again, these parents know how to keep 11 kids healthy too. Meet this unique family who works together to care for the cattle on their ranch and feed yard near Soap Lake, Washington. MEET MARK > STILL HUNGRY? KEEP EXPLORING! STUDYING BEEF SUSTAINABILITY To the beef community, sustainability involves more than environmental considerations. A sustainable food supply balances efficient production with environmental, social and economic impacts with Beef Quality Assurance protocols. LEARN MORE > ANIMAL CARE AND MODERN RANCHING Cattle ranchers have many tools to keep the animals in their care healthy and safe, including nutrition programs, veterinary care and good management practices that are science-based, regulated and, above all, good for the animal and the consumer. LEARN MORE > BEEF IN A HEALTHY SUSTAINABLE DIET Learn how beef promotes health and helps prevent nutrient deficiencies, and the ways in which cattle play a unique role in our food system by upcycling inedible plants to high-quality protein. LEARN MORE > PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES RETAIL INSIGHTS FOODSERVICE INSPIRATION HEALTH PROFESSIONALS MARKETING RESOURCES BEEF PROMOTION ASSETS INFOGRAPHIC LIBRARY BEEF CUTS CHARTS ABOUT CONTACT US UPCOMING EVENTS INDUSTRY STATS SITE POLICIES SITEMAP PRIVACY POLICY ©2021 WASHINGTON STATE BEEF COMMISSION Internal links within this website are funded and maintained by the Beef Checkoff Program. 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