Modern-day Consumer Concerns About Beef

Listen to the full conversation here!

As ranchers, it is easy to understand our industry and the jargon that comes with it, which can make it frustrating to see the false claims and misinformation that spreads online. Yet, we can’t let this frustration blind us from why the average consumer believes these claims. 

“I didn’t know all the stages of the beef life cycle and I fell in love with that story, because it’s a good story,” says Katey Johnson, a first-generation rancher who operates Zero Cattle Ranch with her husband in Oklahoma. 

Katey and Lance, her husband, sell beef both to the larger supply chain and directly to consumers. She is also active online as an advocate for beef and overall health and wellness. Katey’s combination of experiences as someone who grew up outside of the industry and who advocates online gives her first-hand knowledge to the true questions and concerns posed by today’s beef consumers. 

“I think people do want to see where their food comes from and who is raising it,” says Johnson. “This opens up a really neat door for us as an industry because it’s a good story.”

She shares that people want beef and need it in their diets. 

“I truly believe beef is the most nutrient dense protein available to humans,” says Johnson. “It is so delicious and so needed in our diets around the world… besides that, nobody celebrates with a chicken breast.”

On the direct-to-consumer side, the Johnsons ship beef, offer local pickup and go to farmers markets. 

“We sell at a farmers market in Durant, OK,” says Johnson. “The farmers market is so fun because we get more face-to-face interactions.” 

With these face-to-face interactions come a variety of honest questions from those outside of the agriculture industry. 

“There is still a lot of confusion about the beef industry and how it works,” says Johnson. “We need to give them credit, because there are a lot of segments and terminology about the industry that only we understand.”

As ranchers, we need to remember how unique we are as an industry.

She says, “What makes the beef industry so unique compared to other ag is how many different stages, locations and owners cattle can pass through before reaching the consumer’s plate.”

Johnson also notes that factory farming still needs to be addressed.

“I think factory farm is still a big buzzword right now, so then I ask them what they think a factory farm is,” says Johnson. “This takes them aback a little and they aren’t quite sure what a factory farm would be.”

An interaction with a rancher, can help turn this perspective around in many cases.

“When I tell people the average family farm is around 40-head and how much planning and science goes into raising cattle regardless of operation size, they think it’s so cool,” says Johnson.

Grass-finished vs. corn-finished is also still an area that consumers are curious about.

“I will sometimes get the question about if grass-fed is healthier,” says Johnson. “That’s where I take it back to the difference between fed and finished…We also get into the minimal nutrient differences, flavor and texture.”

She also finds it helps to explain the bigger picture of the food supply system and how cattle play a bigger role than they get credit for. 

“I think another interesting point to discuss is people think cattle are only fed corn and we don’t share how cattle are a part of the overall food supply chain and consuming by-products of other food systems,” says Johnson. “Cattle are taking products that would otherwise be waste and turning them into a nutrient-dense protein source for humans.”

Part of communicating with consumers and sharing the truth is working together as an industry. 

“I am team beef. Yes, I’m selling my own product, but overall, I want you to eat beef no matter where you buy it from,” says Johnson. “I think as producers we really need to work on not bashing each other because we are all on the same team when you look at the bigger picture.”

The list of questions consumers have and areas they are curious about could go on forever, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to sharing the truth. 

She says, “You do have a story to tell, so go be you and share the true story.”

Additionally, give consumers some grace if they approach you with what feels like a false claim or accusation. 

“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you,” says Johnson. “It’s easy to get frustrated with consumers who come to us with misinformation or false claims, but they want to know the truth and we need them to buy our product.”

You can listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.