If you read my blog very much you know that I am a part of Team Beef Montana. They sponsor some of my race fees for the year and are also sponsoring my Hood to Coast Relay Team. In return I get to be an ambassador to promote the beef industry positively. This is easy since I grew up on a family cattle ranch in Montana and still live near it. I have a deep love for rural America and the hard working farmers and ranchers that work year round and during busy times of the year may hardly get any sleep at all to make sure the crops get in, the hay out up or the new calves are born safely. They are extremely dependent on the fickleness of mother nature, droughts, floods, grasshoppers, fires, etc, but year after year they toil on so we can all continue to eat and enjoy and bounty of the harvest.
They often get a bad rap about being bad environmentalists and factory farming etc. Sure there are bad eggs in everything in life, but nobody cares more about the land than the people have to work on it. Why wouldn't you if your living depended on it
Here are some fun facts about cattlemen:
Approximately 85 percent of U.S. grazing lands are unsuitable for producing crops. Grazing animals on this land more than doubles the area that can be used to produce food. Cattle serve a valuable role in the ecosystem by converting the forages humans cannot consume into a nutrient-dense food.
A combination of livestock and wildlife management on grazing lands has resulted in better species
survival than when these activities are practiced separately.
In the Eastern and Central United States, wildlife is almost entirely dependent on ranch, farm
and other private lands; so, ranchers play an important role in the survival of native species.
A California-based study (Conservation Biology, Summer 2005) shows cattle grazing plays an
important role in maintaining the wetland habitat necessary for some endangered species.
Questions?
At Ironman 70.3 Boise this weekend, I saw a lot of Team Beef kits. I think it is awesome.
ReplyDeleteFarmers/ranchers are very hard working people. I didn't grow up on a cattle ranch, but on a farm and we had ~50 head of cows. I never understood why I had to feed and milk the cows at 6am. Cows can't tell time - I would have preferred to do my chores around noonish. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are a great ambassador! Thank you for teaching me a few things about cattlemen. I do think of you when I'm picking up steaks from the store :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to lie, every time I read "team beef," i laugh. I do think it's awesome what the team and you are doing, I just have the sense of humor of a child.
ReplyDeleteChristy, Your a great ambassador for the beef industry. You are full of good info on the farming industry. Thank You. I'm not good with words. I love your beef shirt to.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! Way to represent proudly!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the cattle country of South Dakota, and although I was a "city girl" I know first hand the challenges ranchers face. I've always appreciated people who make their living from the land.
ReplyDeletelove hearing more about this! such a great opportunity for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm back in Montana this week and I love it here. My mom lives here and visiting is such a great thing. You're right about the tireless hours these farmers put in! It's a beautiful state! You're lucky to live here.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't think of a better gal to represent the Beef industry. I am VERY glad to see that you put in the land use for grazing beef Vs. growing crops.
ReplyDeleteVery cool that you get race fees covered by Team Beef!
Hoping to be a part of Team Beef Nebraska someday! Thank you for being an ambassador for our industry. Gotta go now....checking mills :)
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you are an ambassador for Team Beef, although it does make me giggle still. However, I think it's good to tell people the Good things about beef and cattle ranching, since often it gets a bad rap.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Christy! I really need to see if we have Team Beef in AL. I'm sure they feel lucky to have you representing the beef industry!
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