How California's Ritter Ranch runs and the hurdles it sees for beef

In fact, some producers, such as Californian rancher Mike Williams, see inherent dangers in the trend.

Mr Williams, who with his wife Lynda runs Diamond W Cattle Company at Ritter Ranch on 4800 hectares in the Serra Pelona Mountains northeast of Los Angeles, says the global beef industry as a whole needs to think very carefully about the message it is sending the consumer as the sustainability juggernaut continues to build.

That is particularly so when it comes to carbon emissions, he says.

The biggest threat to beef producers, Mr Williams believes, are the big banks and mega retailers with ESG (environmental, social, governance) programs looking to exert control at the production level that stifles innovation and pushes producers towards managing according to checklists rather than opportunities.

At the same time, their programs are telling the consumer a story that is not serving the industry well, he says.

"We have a biogenic carbon cycle that's been going on since the dinosaurs and instead of going out and saying that, these corporations are communicating 'we are going to have our producer suppliers cut their emissions'," Mr Williams said.

"If I were a consumer, I get that cattle have been around forever so I'm not as worried as I might be until these companies start talking about this need for the beef industry to cut back emissions.

"Look at the message you are sending to the consumer, who might have been a little worried in the start but now they are a lot worried."

Mr Williams, who appeared in a session on communication at the recent Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef conference in Colorado in the United States, referred to a statement issued by a major fast food retailer in America that said the company believes the farmers and ranchers of the US are doing a great job on animal welfare and environmental sustainability and it stands behind them 100 per cent.

"That says to a rancher that that retailer has our back and it says to the consumer have confidence in this industry," he said.

"On the other side is the retailer who says 'we're only going to source our beef from ranchers who have met certain criteria in a program we've designed because we know what's best'.

"That says to the consumer that ranchers aren't doing a good job unless this company is checking over them.

"Now, some consumers are in that category that has specific concerns about the way beef is produced and wants to know every bit of information. The process verified programs can meet needs in these niche market segments.

"But that's not a common thing in my experience with consumers.

"Most of them don't need that level of oversight, that level of reassurance that also increases the cost they pay for their beef.

"They want a good quality steak at a fair price."

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The Williams lease Ritter Ranch, which is owned by an investment company.

Parts of the ranch will eventually be turned into a 'master planned community' but much of the country is too rugged to be developed and the Williams are working hard to see that it remains a cattle ranch.

They operate a commercial self-replacing cow herd. It's Angus based but with quite a few other breeds including Charolais and Simmental, and even some Long Horns.

Calving is timed to work with grass production.

"Our rain comes in the winter and early spring, so we time our breeding to start calving January 1. We leave the bulls with the cows for 90 days, and cull any open cows," Mr Williams said.

"We use Angus bulls because they tend to bring more money at the sale.

"We wean our calves in mid to late summer depending on pasture conditions. We typically put at least a 45 day wean on them. Depending on feed, we sell our calves after weaning or keep some or all through the next grazing season and sell them the next spring."

Currently in the third year of a severe drought, Ritter Ranch is now at just a third of its normal stocking rate.

Diamond W has recently started a direct-to-consumer program, selling whole and half beasts to the public.

This was driven by supply chain challenges, the desire of beef consumers to know more about where their food comes from and the proximity of Diamond W to one of the largest population regions in the US.

"When I first got involved in industry outside my ranch, a common thing said was ranchers need to tell their story," Mr Williams said.

"I see opportunity in that but this is the part of the job that's maybe my least favourite - I like ranching.

"We are told the trust consumers have for ranchers is real high.

"Then I started getting involved in the sustainability discussion and what I find ironic is - I don't know where multinational corporations fall in the trust factor of consumers but it's probably not as high as farmers and ranchers and yet we get a lot of input from them on what we should be doing on our ranch.

"This wrestles me a bit - and that's pretty common thinking among ranchers."

One thing Mr Williams said he wanted to make 'real clear' was that ranchers do not need legislation to make positive changes.

"We've been making positive changes since the 1800s, without anybody's encouragement but just because it made sense," he said.

"The idea that ranchers won't change unless they are forced is erroneous and the most completely false statement I could imagine. There is nobody more interested in improving their ranch than the rancher."