Pondera County ranchers, Jennie Becker, Casey Drishinski, and Lisa Schmidt put their heads together earlier this spring to solve a combination of needs.
Beef prices were skyrocketing across the nation as COVID-19 hit the big packing sheds, slowing their production and people began to stock up on ground beef in anticipation of sheltering in place. Ground beef was on high demand.
In addition, ranchers were getting $.50 per pound for cattle at the auction ring. Each year some cows must be culled (sold off) at a loss, because they have lost their calf or failed to breed successfully. As Becker, Drishinski, and Schmidt were looking for a way to make a profit off the culled cows, Dry Fork Ground Beef was formed.
Dry Fork Ground Beef (DFGB) was formed to provide a solution to several problems. As they looked at a way to minimize losses, DFGB determined they would sell cow shares of the younger culls. The cows are then butchered for ground beef. They combined their strengths to pursue this goal.
Becker said, “I am good at making contacts, phone calls, and marketing.” She is new to ranching–she’s been in the business for six years–and is learning a lot. “Learning is what makes it fun.” The Beckers are also going into the beef business. They have 80 grass fed/grass finished steers that will be ready this fall for butchering with USDA butchers. It has been a busy year.
Schmidt with her late husband, Steve, has been ranching and selling beef for years. Her expertise is in production and logistics, such as where to find a butcher, pricing, best age of cows for grass fed beef, etc. She runs Graham Ranch and sells her Montana native prairie raised beef and lamb through her business, Land of Grass Ranch.
Drishinski is also new to ranching. She helps her husband, Zane, run their ranch and brings her own set of marketing skills and contacts to the table.
Dry Fork Ground Beef stressed this is not prime beef (two year old steers), but it is still healthy and delicious and 90% lean grass fed beef.
A 1/10 share sells for $180 and renders approximately 40 lbs. of ground beef. That equates to about $4.50 per pound. Comparable products have been retailing for over $5 per pound and prime ground beef retails for $7 to $10 per pound.
The response has been good. Becker’s contacts have helped them sell in the Salt Lake City market, as well as, Bozeman, Helena, Great Falls, and Shelby. “Forty pounds is a lot for some people, so we have helped them get with friends and split the cost of the shares.”
Where does the cooperative see itself in five years?
“We hope it’s still going. Every year there are cull cows and they are still good tender meat for burger. We hope we can keep the prices low enough for people to afford and make a bit of a profit for Dry Fork Ground Beef,” said Becker.
There are still about 30 shares available this season. To learn more, visit @dryforkgroundbeef on Facebook and Instagram or email dryforkbeef@gmail.com.
The Link LonkJuly 15, 2020 at 07:00PM
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Dry Fork Ground Beef is a creative cooperative - Cut Bank Pioneer Press
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