Colorado Reader March 2019: The Story of Colorado Beef

olorado
Reader
The Story of Colorado Beef
Farmers and ranchers, also called cattlemen and cattlewomen, are caretakers of cattle and the land. The meat
we eat from cattle is called beef. Beef gets its start on a ranch. Some ranches are small and some are large, but
at the end of the day a ranch is a business, and usually a family business. More than 91 percent of the beef cattle
farms and ranches in the United States are family owned, according to the 2012 USDA Census for Agriculture.
Cattle ranching in Colorado has a history of more than 150 years. Ranchers have a long tradition of providing
us with a wholesome and delicious food supply, while caring for Colorado’s land, water and wildlife resources.
DID YOU KNOW?
On average, Colorado
has around 2.65
million head of cattle
each year, valued at
over $2.8 billion.
Cash receipts for
Colorado livestock and
products total more
than $3.7 billion.
Colorado ranks 10th
in the United States in
total cattle.
Colorado is home
to 11,600 farms and
ranches with beef
cattle and calves.
Source: ColoradoCattle.org
Connecting Colorado educators and students to their food, fiber, fuel, and natural resources.