Consumers depend on us to protect the environment as a way of producing high-quality beef.
— Ron Rowan, Beef Northwest
We embrace The ability For growth through innovation
and sustainability
Sustainability
The cattle industry has continuously pushed for innovation and sustainability with many organizations and operations defining sustainability by their own terms. Here at Beef Northwest we take the approach to sustainability like we do with everything else; a continuous push to do the right thing for our cattle, our people, and our valuable resources.
community
Our employees are also our greatest natural resource, and we support our local communities as a large local employer. The pursuit of improvement is one of our core values, this pursuit is a lifelong process of acquiring knowledge, skills and experience for the purpose of enhancing individual performance. Education is part of that process and is one of the best investments we make in our employees’ development. One of the ways we promote this belief and investment in our employees is through our scholarship program. Along with offering our employees opportunities to advance in their careers through scholarships for continuing education, we also believe in family and the next generation. We offer financial assistance to dependents of our employees seeking post-secondary education. We hope to encourage the study of agriculture and bring local business to our communities by supporting the next generation.
Economic
A way to ensure that the beef industry is here to stay is by providing a wholesome beef product that families can enjoy as a quality protein source. As markets ebb and flow, we are always looking for opportunities to add value to our products.
Being a progressive leader in the cattle industry drives Beef Northwest to look at our business operations, the ag industry and consumer demands holistically. By working with other progressive partners, like Country Natural Beef, we help provide sustainability to ranchers and consumers.
Beef Northwest is proud to work with Country Natural Beef, which was founded for the purpose of providing customers with a healthy and wholesome product for their families at a price that supports sustainable ranching. Each of the ranching members of Country Natural Beef recognizes that the health and productivity of the land is important to their success. Country Natural Beef is a unique and true cooperative that links like – minded ranchers directly to customers.
Beef Northwest supports Country Natural Beef’s progressive approach through Northwest Pasture Beef, which is the largest G.A.P 4 feeding operation in the nation. NW Pasture Beef allows cattle to always have access to pasture, while still providing a high energy finishing ration that is important to beef quality. Programs like NW Pasture Beef allow ranchers to satisfy consumer demand for pasture raised beef.
Environmental
We are committed to focusing on models of sustainability. An example of this is the incorporation of potato byproducts in our feed rations. Potatoes are an important crop in the Pacific Northwest and many of the farmers we neighbor are the best potato growers in the world. When their potatoes are processed into consumer products at local french fry plants, we add value by utilizing the millions of tons of byproducts produced into a nutritious cattle ration. By doing this we are supporting our local farmers and communities as well as ‘upcycling’ a product that would otherwise go unused. This sustainable loop of utilizing a locally produced byproduct puts money back into the local economy. The potato byproducts also enable us to use less grain than a traditional feedlot and puts the money back into the soil of our local producers.
Another example is the recycling of the manure produced by the cattle in our yards. All manure is composted on site, then hauled to local organic farmers and orchardists. Their use of our composted manure allows them to forego the use of commercial fertilizers in addition to producing the most nutritious vegetables and fruits available in the country.
Since its beginning in 1991, Beef Northwest’s goal has been to protect the environment, and the open spaces, the streams and rivers that make Oregon and Washington unmatched for quality of life. Over the years Beef Northwest has worked closely with Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and other conservation organizations to establish and enhance wildlife sanctuaries for upland game birds and waterfowl on lands that are owned by or managed by the company.
