When is comes to food, there are all kinds of people, voicing all kinds of opinions. It can be hard to know what is best. The answer to that question can be as varied as the people who ask it. Different people have different expectations and different concerns relating not only to what’s in their food, but how it’s produced. Many have environmental concerns, animal welfare concerns, in addition to health and safety concerns. These issues vary greatly from person to person. A production practice that is a deal breaker for one person may not even be on the next person’s radar. That doesn’t mean me the issue is irrelevant, it simply means that we are all different.

With beef, for example, there are a wide variety of options that have evolved to provide consumers with choices that address their various concerns and meet their varying tastes.  I must point out here that it is important to understand, United States beef is the most sustainably produced beef on the planet. Wherever you buy beef, if it was produced in the U.S. the odds are overwhelming that the beef was raised humanely, sustainably, and the meat is safe and healthy.

Still, many consumers don’t have the confidence that conventional supply chains are adequately addressing their concerns. If you are a person that wants to know more about your beef, the best option for purchasing beef, and one that has been gaining in popularity in recent years, is buying beef directly from the rancher who raised it. This option, although lacking in convenience of a grocery store, is an excellent way a concerned consumer can know exactly what they are getting. Knowing the rancher who raised the beef you eat can provide the reassurance that your concerns are being addressed. and that your food is what you want it to be. 

Having a relationship with a rancher is a wonderful opportunity for the growing number if consumers that, for various reasons, want more certainty. whether they believe certain production practices produce healthier beef, are better for the environment, or are more humane for the animals, the best way to know if the beef was raised in a way that address your concerns is to know the rancher who raised the beef. He or She can address your concerns, answer your questions, and help you understand the process of raising beef cattle.

A lot of people also like the economic benefits that keeping money local provides to the community, the increased resiliency and security of a shorter and less complicated supply chain, and the confidence of doing business with someone you know and trust.

The conventional supply chain has developed to supply the large quantities of food necessary for the populations centers that are so removed from where their food is grown. This is important, but what many people don’t realize is that even in big cities, you don’t have to rely solely on that. More and more ranchers and farmers, like me are developing direct to consumer outlets. These outlets vary from mail order beef, to selling finished steers. It is likely that you can find a rancher that can meet your needs.  Right here next to the city of Los Angeles, one of the most densely populated areas in the United States, there are many such producers, and more are recognizing this opportunity all the time. This is a growing market, and one that more and more consumers and ranchers are recognizing and take advantage of.