Data Reveals Passion: Optimism and Resilience Amidst Drought
Editor's Note: This article is the first in a series that comprise Drovers 2023 State of the Beef Industry. The full report will appear as a 16-page special section in the September 2023 issue. Additional articles from the series will be published in this space in the following days.
America’s beef producers are optimistic about the future, and the state of today’s beef industry is strong. Those are two highlights from Drovers State of the Industry producer survey conducted this spring and reported in detail in this special section.
Such producer sentiment was a little surprising due to the devastating and historic drought that gripped nearly all of cattle country last year. Yet, two-thirds of respondents call themselves optimistic about the future of the business, and 54% say they will add a family member to their operation within the next five years.
Those data points should be viewed as both the foundation of a strong industry and an indication of the resilience of Drovers readers. As part of our 150th anniversary celebration, Drovers sought to gauge producer attitudes, commitment and management practices. Responses tend to support or confirm findings from other industry projects.
For instance, the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit released earlier this year found three key points regarding producer/consumer symbiosis.
- Food safety is an expectation, not a purchase criterion with consumers.
- The largest improvement since the 2016 audit was in overall efficiency across the beef supply chain.
- Companies are striving to increase their sustainability and are working with the entire beef supply chain to achieve improvement.
Overwhelmingly, 88% of Drovers survey respondents say they support the industry’s sustainability efforts, and most respondents agree or strongly agree current industry challenges will continue to grow in the future. They include: reducing environmental impact, 78%; animal welfare scrutiny, 77%; demand for higher quality carcasses, 73%.
While it is encouraging to see widespread acknowledgment of key issues that might have significant impact on the industry in the long term, possibly the most important revelation from the Drovers survey was producer commitment. It speaks volumes about ranchers and cowboys who, having experienced the second historic drought in a decade, remain committed to their business and their lifestyle.
Despite the myriad stresses caused by the extended drought, just one-tenth of our respondents considered exiting the business, while 66% of respondents said hanging up their spurs was never a consideration.
At Drovers, we share your passion for agriculture and the beef industry. Our 150th Anniversary State of the Industry report is designed to provide a benchmark of information to help you make successful decisions.
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