Meet the McKenneys

    With the month of May kicking off with a busy start, it is great to take some time out to sit down and talk to you all about a great little ranch family that I know.  I am blessed to have the opportunity to meet with calf raisers, finishers and feed yard owners and visit with them about their lifestyle and businesses and I started right in my hometown with some folks that I have known for years.    

Christi and Mark McKenney 

     Mark and Christy McKenney, of McKenney Stock Farms in Rock Port, MO, are a fourth generation cattle farm.  Mark's Dad, Tony, and his Mom, Phyllis, have raised commercial cattle and registered Angus cattle for many years.  Mark always knew that he was going to continue this family heritage and feels right at home in a hay truck with cows following close behind him.  His wife, Christy, enjoys working along side her husband, and their 17 year old son, Jacob as they complete their daily chores and get the farm work done as a family.  

Jacob's Angus cross cow and her calf born this spring

      The McKenney's raise commercial cattle and sell them at a sale barn after they are weaned when they reach seven to eight months old.  Jacob has a few  special cattle in the herd that he breeds especially for club calves and then shows the calves in local 4-H shows and county fairs.  
   
   
  The McKenneys spend a lot of time caring for their cattle and hanging out together on their farm.  They enjoy the lifestyle and the peaceful nature of cattle ranching.  "Being close to nature and my family is the reason that I am in this business", says Mark.  

    Sitting with the McKenneys on a patio beside their house, we look out at the pasture with cattle grazing serenely and chat about the cows, grazing programs, beef in the grocery store, and current events.  Their dog, Turbo, comes up to get a scratch and dances around our feet.  Turbo is a Border Collie, and since Christy has taken an interest in Border Collie trials, the family has gone to Iowa to a class to train Turbo as a herding dog recently.  When he is trained they will be able to use him on the farm to round up cattle.      

Cows and calves relaxing in a pasture at McKenney Stock Farms

     The McKenneys are one of the many cattle ranch families in Missouri.  With ranches in every one of the state's 114 counties, Missouri has the second largest number of beef cattle in the nation.  97% of their cattle ranches are family owned and operated like McKenney Stock Farms.  They are everyday people doing an important job keeping our nation fed and our cattle safe and healthy.          
    
    Thank you, Mark, Christy and Jacob for taking the time to tell me your beef story.  If you pick up this month's issue of Missouri Ruralist you will find a picture of Christy and myself and a story about advocating for beef.  What an honor it is to be featured in this great magazine.  

A New View

     I got the chance to interview my first ranch family a few days ago (watch for the post and pictures in a few days).  They were a little nervous about what they should say and where this story would be published.  That is very understandable given the sheer volume of information that is floating around these days in social media. 

     Just the other day I learned that 8 years worth of fine viewing is downloaded to YouTube each day.  Can you imagine taking 8 years of your life and spending it in front of a computer screen watching YouTube videos all day long?  Still, even with the mass of information that is downloaded daily to the Internet, the window of opportunity is wide open for farmers and ranchers to tell their story. 

     Like me, you might be one of those folks that loves to hear a good story about the heart, determination, and gusto that it takes to be a cattle rancher.  Not every job requires you to be able to pack a 90 pound calf, doctor a sick cow in the middle of the pasture with only a rope and a horse, wake up every two hours through the night during calving season, and feed your hungry animals before you feed your family, because they are your livelihood.  Or, you may be somewhat skeptical about what happens on a cattle ranch.  If so, then I hope to help you get a new view of life on a farm as I bring you stories of love, hope, determination, and family life.    

Momma cow cleaning her new baby calf.

     Being a rancher isn't an easy job and the reward does not come in the form of a paycheck at the end of every week. 

Future cattle rancher

       No, the reward is in the sound of a new calf as he greets his momma for the first time, the sight of your herd grazing peacefully on lush pasture, the smell of freshly baled alfalfa hay as you load it on the trailer, the feel of your child's hand in yours as they learn responsibility through helping with daily chores, and the taste of the beef dinner that you are proud to say came from your pasture. 

A square baler baling alfalfa.

     From the past to the present, our cattle ranchers have worked hard for us.  They make up less than .5% of the population and they are proud people with great values and moral standards just like you. 

   

Finding "The Voice" of Agriculture

     Many of you may have heard of NBC's singing competition show, "The Voice".  On this show, contestants begin with a blind audition where the coaches cannot see the competitor until they have chosen them for their team.  These coaches are making their decision based solely on the person's tone without having any idea what they look like.  What would happen if the competition worked the opposite way and the coaches had to choose their team strictly on looks without ever hearing them sing, or even speak? 

                                                                 
     Recently, The New York Times announced a nationwide contest regarding the ethical issues surrounding meat consumption.  The contest consists of writing an an essay of 600 words or less that clearly states why it is ethical to eat meat that will be judged by a panel of five men who themselves question or condemn the eating of meat.
    What a great opportunity for the farmer/rancher, feed yard owner, and harvesting plant worker to find their voice!  They have been quiet for too long when the truth needs to be heard.  Folks want to know what happens to their food from the pasture to the plate.  The guy that sits in his office and punches in the latest information on meat and grain markets is not the man that I want to hear from.  I want to hear from the source.
     For years the non-meat eating world has been declaring their views about what they feel is the morally unacceptable act of meat consumption.  They have been heard loudly and clearly by many who have picked up the ball and ran with it without knowing the facts from both sides of this coin.
     Now, don't get me wrong, I am not devaluing those folks who choose not to eat meat.  I think it is wonderful that we have a choice in our great nation what we put in our bodies.  What I am saying is that as part of the circle of life, those that are a part of animal agriculture need to find their voice.  And even more importantly, they also need to listen to and understand what people want from the people who are raising their food.  Farmers and ranchers need to be able to answer people's questions with truth and accuracy.  Knowledge gives consumers peace of mind regarding the safety and ethics of eating meat. 

Farmers, find your voice!    

Pink Slime??

You would have to be an ostrich with your head buried in the sand in order to be unaware of the controversy going on right now regarding Lean Finely Textured/Trim Beef (A.K.A. LFTB or "Pink Slime").  There is a lot of media information out there attacking Beef Production Inc.(BPI) and the LFTB product.  This information has been spreading through the news and social media like a wildfire and has put a scare into consumers.  

As an advocate for beef cattle and a mother myself, I am just as concerned as you are about whether or not this LFTB product is safe for my own family as well as yours.  So, I decided to do a little investigating of my own.  This is what I found: Ammonia hydroxide is already found naturally in all proteins that we eat, plant or animal.  In fact, there is more found in the bun that you put your hamburger on than there is in the burger itself, 50 mg versus the 20 mg found in the burger.  

The bottom line is that LFTB is still 100% beef and the beef industry is just as concerned for the safety of the food that we eat as we are.  If you would like more information you can get the facts at www.beefisbeef.com   

If you would like to join the fight for the truth, you can!  

·         Join the facebook group "People for the truth" at www.facebook.com/#!/groups/242152605881315           or

·         Follow "People for the truth" on Twitter @ #beefisbeef

Now I am going to go eat my burger!!

Agvocating for our cattle farmers



Members of NBSB at Five Rivers Feed yard

 I have recently been blessed with a great opportunity.  I was one of 22 woman chosen to speak for American National Cattlewomen in their National Beef Speakers Bureau program.  I feel honored to be able to work with such a great group of women! 

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All of my life I have been passionate about agriculture.  The farm life has always been my dream as well as the dream of many of us in this great nation.  I want to be able to share the excitement with you as the story of each family farm that I visit unfolds.  Those that are living the dream are always ready to tell their story and share their history.  We are so lucky to live in a country where we can share our hopes and dreams and help others to build upon the foundation that we have helped to establish. 

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Come join me on my journey to the heart of our cattle farms and discover the faith and aspirations that helped to shape animal agriculture in our nation.