Comments on: Heralded Pact for Tribal Grass-fed Beef Ends

By: Tom Dunn

Tom Dunn — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:31:43 +0000

The Arapaho ranch faces the same problem that almost all people face who attempt to produce grass fed beef in northern latitudes—the winter. Wonderful grass fed beef is produced in the Pampas area of Argentina but their winter is mild and their cattle don’t necessarily lose weight during the winter. Furthermore, grass fed animals take at least 6 additional months to reach market weight vs. feed lot finished cattle. A feed lot steer goes to slaughter at 12 to 15 months of age whereas a grass-fed animal goes between 18 and 24 months of age. Consequently, the owner must provide care and feed (even though it is grass) for a longer period of time. In today’s economy with operating capital hard to come by (banks are reluctant to loan), many ranchers simply can’t hang on for an additional 6 or more months before receiving a pay check for their cattle.

By: JDB

JDB — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:09:46 +0000

I bought a round roast from the ranch (at Whole Foods) that was $10 a pound (on sale). An amazing mark-up ( and way too much for that particular cut). I hope they can find a way to eliminate the middle man and sell direct. It’s too bad that conventional growers control the market and make it near impossible for companies to break away from the norm. Just look at the stink the Fla. Tomato growers made over Organic tomatoes four years ago. They actually banned the exportation from Fla to other states of Organic “Ugly Tomatoes” because they did not look like the tasteless little round tomatoes that they make so much money on. When conventional growers get to control the markets using state laws that is not a free market economy. Neither is the Ranch’s exclusion from selling directly to us. I hope they get their slaughter house up and running soon.

By: Heidi Kennedy

Heidi Kennedy — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:23:44 +0000

Interesting article. It is a shame that the deal fell through as it seemed like a win-win deal for both Whole Foods and The Arapaho Ranch. I was left wondering if the meat processor, Panorama was cutting the price per pound on all the grass fed beef it bought or just that from the Arapaho Ranch and if it was on all the grass fed purchases how that effects other grass fed operations that sell their meat to Panorama? Is this industry practice or something new and unexpected to the grass fed beef industry. It seems that grass fed beef by it’s very nature is more of a seasonal product naturally expecting the cows to loose a bit of weight in the winter since they are not force fed corn at a feedlot.

Seems to me that the Arapaho ranch should look into direct sales via the internet and bypass the middleman. The nations largest organic/grass fed ranch should not be forced to see their meat in the conventional market!