Agriculture is more than just farmers

During National Agriculture Week, I had the chance to connect with many of our friends, small business owners, and folks who work with state and federal agencies as well as non-profits - all of whom are all involved in agriculture in one way or another. 

It was a good reminder that it takes a whole network of people, businesses, and infrastructure to get food from the field to your fork. As we recognize the importance of agriculture in our community this week, I also want to recognize all of the folks in addition to farmers and ranchers who are an important part of a strong local food system. 

Here's a snapshot of the agriculture-related people and businesses in our region who all contribute in some way to making it possible for us to sell the best grass-fed, grass-finished beef in our region. Thanks to all of you for working with us to make agriculture viable in Southwest Washington.

1. Our fellow ranchers - everyone from those who manage herds in the hundreds to those who raise a handful of cattle in their back yard. We purchase cattle locally from other families who share our values and philosophies on raising grass-finished beef, so when we're able to sell more beef we're also able to invest in the local beef industry by buying more cattle from local families. In addition, the Chehalis Livestock Market provides a marketplace for buying and selling cattle locally, which is critical for supporting a local livestock industry. 
2. Truck drivers who haul cattle and our finished products to and from the ranch. We work with a few different folks like A&L Mobile Slaughter who operate small, family-run trucking businesses that provide a vital service getting our cattle and products where they need to go. 
3. Mechanics who keep our tractors, trucks, and equipment running, and make sure our cold storage freezers are operating efficiently. 
4. Veterinarians who work with us on our herd health protocols, answer late-night texts messages about sick calves (thank you Jason Humphrey and Cascade Veterinary Clinic!), and keep us up-to-date on cattle health strategies.
5. Suppliers like The Farm Store and Kiperts Korner Feed who provide the ranch supplies, fencing materials, and livestock necessities that keep our ranch running. Corrpac provides all of our packaging so we're able to get our beef boxed and ready for delivery to stores, food hubs, restaurants, schools, food banks, and consumers.
6. Processors who create our finished products, including all of the steaks, roasts, ground beef, and hard-to-find beef items for our customers. Home Meat Service and Wynooche Valley Meats are two custom meat shops we partner with for customers who order whole, half, and quarter meat shares. They work directly with our customers to ensure that everyone gets their beef cut and wrapped exactly the way they want. Pure Country Harvest in eastern Washington does all of our USDA processing, and works with us utilize nearly every part of the beef from head to tail and provide our customers with speciality cuts. 
7. Federal, state, and local agencies and organizations like the Thurston Conservation District, WSU Extension, Thurston County, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecostudies Institute, and Center for National Lands Management who work with us on conservation projects at the ranch that help us create better forage for our cattle to graze and better habitat for the wide variety of native plants and animals who live here.
8. Industry associations like the Washington Cattlemen's Association, the Washington Cattlewomen's Association, Washington Farm Bureau, and our county chapters that provide resources, support, and advocacy for the agriculture industry. 
9. Food hubs like South Sound Fresh and the Southwest Washington Food Hub, both of which are farmer-run cooperatives that bring fresh local food from numerous local producers directly to your door. They enable producers like to us reach additional customers without us having to manage the complexities of direct delivery.
10. Farmers' markets, including the Proctor Farmers' Market and the Puyallup Farmers' Market where we sell our beef. Behind the scenes at farmers' markets, there's a whole group of people including staff, board members, and volunteers who manage the market and vendors and make it possible for us to bring our products directly to shoppers. 
11. Hunger relief agencies like Coastal Harvest and the Thurston County Food Bank who not only provide vital services to those in need in our community, but contribute to a strong local food system by buying directly from farms and ranches. 
12. School district staff who help coordinate local purchasing and invest in the planning and effort to cook meals from scratch from fresh ingredients. These efforts are supported by federal grants and the Washington State Department of Agriculture Farm to School program, which focus on providing the freshest, local food to kids at school.
13. Retail stores and restaurants who buy local, including the Olympia Food Co-op, Spud's Product Market, Yelm Food Co-op, and The Market Place. Chefs at restaurants like Ilk Lodge, Chicory, Sandstone Cafe, Simply Organic Cafe & Catering, and Bar Rosa are leading the way in our region by featuring locally-grown and raised food. It's not always the easiest or the cheapest to buy from smaller local producers, and these retails stores and restaurants are making the extra effort.
14. Locally-owned businesses like the 507 Taproom and Hungry Hollow Farms who provide pickup locations for our products, enabling us to reach customers in their local communities and reducing the need for folks to drive longer distances to get their orders. 
15. Colleges and youth organizations who teach kids about agriculture. We've hired folks who have graduated from Evergreen State College and WSU, and who have participated in youth agricultural programs like 4-H and FFA. Programs like these introduce kids to agriculture, which can later lead to interest in working for agricultural businesses like ours. We're grateful for the caring, passionate, and hard-working employees who are part of our team. 
16. Supporters of agriculture like the Community Farm Land Trust, Slow Food (and our local Slow Food Greater Olympia chapter), American Farmland Trust, and Eat Local First who champion the folks who grow, raise, sell, and cook food from our local farms and ranches. 
17. Business development programs specific to agriculture, like the Western Meat School, help agricultural businesses grow and address the unique challenges and opportunities in the industry, while organizations like the Thurston Economic Development Council provide general business support and training. 

And while they are not directly related to agriculture, our elected officials and those in city and county government play an important role in agriculture as they set the policies that directly affect our operations, for better or for worse. When we can work in partnership together on shared goals centered around healthy food and a healthy environment, our community as a whole benefits.