1. Now we know why the Malones are excellent homesteaders.
2. Due to the persecution they endured from telling the truth during the pandemic, they should go direct to consumer but be exempted permanently from all burdensome costs. That's the least Trump can do...kinda like Bidens blanket auto pen pardon but this would be an EO or some other legal maneuver.
3. Prayers ongoing for Cara and Filly. We keep praying Cara is going to pull through and Filly needs his mom. 🙏
Oh absolutely! 7.00 is not enough. I need to send them a donation to cover credit card fees. Cuz 7.00 is really 6 something. I think they should go up to 10.00 a month.
If they have Cara settled there may be Cara, her filly and the next foal in line. Praying for the owners and full brood. Thank you for your remembering the concerns for us all.
Look at this BS. When law enforcement does this to animals it's disgusting. He should be dismissed from the force because if he sees HeeHaw as a threat, he's going to shoot a person who he mistakenly "perceives to be a threat" next.
I saw that. Both sad and disgusting. HeeHaw was an adorable asset! They may need to give each officer training on animal's and maybe even birds. There are families and sects that hate animal's. Hire one of them, need to train them to understand and respect our creatures!
That's exactly what I was thinking. But just looking at that pic of HeeHaw makes me think...if you think he's a threat, you have no business being a cop!
At Giant I get their brand of chicken. I generally get my sirloin tips and burgers from Omaha Steak on sale. Their product has been tasty and in good condition. IMO beyond that they aren't vouching for it. At this point it may well not be a Nebraska origin. I'm reflecting about that.
Great article. While it might not work for city dwellers or lightly populated areas, for much of suburbia what about the return of the local butcher shop? It passes the 7 tests (maybe #5 is a question, but the butcher's own reputation depends on the quality so he's incentivized to verify). At least the butcher earns his middleman profit. Carl Menger might approve.
Lucky! We had a great one in Denver, Western Daughters. Pricey but worth it. Now we're near a smaller town and have a co-op which is a Godsend. Another one of those lost trades which needs a comeback. Large packers lobbied the small guys out of business. Systematic elimination by making the cost to process a few dozen animals a week crushing. And as soon as the packers moved into fabrication, they were pocketing any savings that should have gone to consumers. Shame.
you'd think that a place like Montana would be rife with butcher shops. Sadly, the last one in my city closed its doors several years ago - replaced by an exercise equipment outfit (I think). Before that, the other one moved south, up the valley. I suspect it's hard for a local butcher to dollar compete - you have to really appreciate the quality and the choices to pay the extra. There's a Montana hog farm that sells hams, etc., here in town (online, too) and I checked into the prices and I had to double up on my blood pressure meds for the week. Maybe I ever had a holiday gathering I'd buy one, but for myself I just can't justify it - although I've been known to shell out for boutique dried beans, hard to find "wheat" berries and tinned fish, paying extra for meat that all tastes the same to me with variations on texture doesn't float my boat. yeah, maybe I should give it a whirl and eat smaller portions
I would guess that all those states with state inspections are also states with land grant colleges/veterinary schools. Those schools likely source of state inspectors and may be where the influence begins that impedes cooperation.
As far as I can tell the only thing accomplished by the president with his intervention in the cattle market is substantially lowering the price of my stocker calves and bred heifers. I estimate the loss is around $175,000. Believe me the margins are not sufficient to cover such a loss. While those in production Ag have been hurt substantially the savings for individual consumers will be very minimal. The four big hated packers will be smiling. We started selling beef directly to the public several years ago. We sell under the label North Canadian Red Angus, only in the state of Oklahoma. Since Covid half of our neighbors are doing the same thing. We manage to sell 12 or 15 animals per year. We make less money on those animals than the ones we sell through other avenues. And, we cannot match the price at Sam’s. Nor are we anywhere close to as convenient. We are located 40 miles from the Oklahoma City metro. The skill set required to sell direct is much different than the skill set required to manage the ranch and requires significantly more labor. The largest problem with rebuilding the cattle herd is rain. We are not getting any. Cows require grass. You must have rain to grow grass. Still, there are things the government could do to help. Stop persecuting ranchers in the western U. S. Open federal land back up for grazing. Allow ranchers to protect their cattle from wolves. That means being able to kill them. If wolves are absolutely necessary put them in Central Park. After everything that has happened here recently nothing has changed regarding the ability to move the industry as a whole toward a regenerative approach. If synthetic fertilizers and weed killers are really doing significant harm to the American people we have to focus on something larger in agriculture than the homestead movement or the entrance of small operators into the business. We need a blueprint for how to move from here to there. I would say recent activity has moved us backwards. Trust has been further eroded in the ability of the government to understand production Ag. Still, we soldier on. Our GPS collars arrived the other day. If we ever get out of triple digit heat we will start putting them on cows. They will be used for increased rotational grazing, monitoring cows that are not cycling and identifying cows that do not breed. Efficiency.
Reality on the ground is certainly worth seeing and hearing and reading about. I commend you for your fortitude and pray that your life's work is not in vain. In many ways you are much like the American soldier. Choosing to serve in a combat zone of big agribusiness without all the necessary weapons and with the government calling all the shots. I must salute you as I would any vet and Thank You.
I must ask - do you consider your cattle to be grass fed/grass finished? Or do you finish with grain?
Given the tendency to draught in the neck of the woods it is extremely difficult, with the exception of irrigation, to produce the kind of forage at the time it is needed to produce marbling in an animal. So, our butcher calves are on some form of forage at all times, no hormones or antibiotics but we feed them cracked corn for about 100 days.
There are a few things I find interesting and confusing. Why Virginia and other states don't take advantage of the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program and how is the Kosher determination so steady in it's mark? There seems to be an ethics and honesty problem widespread except for a few outliers. The Amish are one./ I belong to a store co-op and have an ownership share. Depending on how much we spend, we get a check once a year and ownership discounts, as well as a monthly discount as well as a Tues. seniors discount. I have talked to the General Manager numerous times about concerns and questions and he is responsive and proactive where possible. They offer many visits to the farms where they source many of their products and I still pay close attention to what is carried. For city dwellers this has got to be one of the better offerings for food of all kinds.
It seems always more complicated than it appears at first glance. Thank you for the in-depth study. Since moving to MO, I've been able to buy meat from local people. I can visit their establishments. I grew up in Switzerland, where we shopped at local butcher shops. Some still do exist, although most have been bought by bigger grocery stores. Trust in anything is becoming a real issue. The meaning of honesty and integrity has shifted, and often does not mean what it used to. Greed and/or necessity have become part of a transaction.
There was a system in use before all of Government regulation which provided life for all of us living today. How is it any of us live today when our ancestors had no vaccines, injections, homogenization, preservatives, etc.. I do not blame regulation alone, but I do blame the coopting of regulation. I prefer to trust a farmer I know over Government's approval of a farmer I know.
Back around 1992 I asked the President of Walgreens how will we compete against Amazon who was not charging any sales tax. (now collecting some tax) In addition, Brick and mortar pays real estate taxes and much more and have a higher overhead. Not a level playing field. Faster forward 30 years and Amazon has swallowed many brick and mortar businesses. Food and Rx are their current targets. Shopping centers across the nation are being emptied of retailers. When drones delivering goods become common place, you will know brick and mortar is a dinosaur. Saw many Prime trucks on the way back to Chicago and drove though Gary Indiana where retail has long disappeared. Those who can migrate away from major cities and live in rural areas may re-invent the wheel and have local produced wholesome food. Embrace Wellness was promoting that concept at Polyface.
Check out what two brothers here in the Texas Panhandle are doing; it does not directly address all the issues in this post, but provides a business model that deserves consideration.
Thank you for this well informed discussion. It leaves me to observations as you go along.
Death of grocery stores:
They do have tight margins, local abuse (I see the police were called to my local store/Giant to deal with a screaming shopper. There have been several gun robberies too). Thefts are rampant. On the other hand there is extensive foreign fresh product. Canned/frozen product from wide ranging sources. The better answer should be more dedicated coordinated sourcing from local producers. Having sufficient product in each store timely on a reliable basis could lend itself to a coordinated planning. My grocer uses personal customer contact with incentives via internet, mass media advertizing, and personal shopping for customer orders with pickup and delivery services.
My county for some unknown reason appears to own and operate numerous county recreational facilities. Of late they appear to be involving themselves with support of farmers within the county. Something about a new ag center. We do have farmers markets and the county fair. One upscale farmers market was offering direct meat sales.
I have/do purchase farm products from out of state sources. I receive catalogs from meat companies. Frozen meats and cooked offerings. They start from web sites. They send mailers, email and text ads. They offer memberships for recurring orders. One also has a number of local shops. Quality and service is generally good. There are also vendors of such products as nuts and fruit in season. All crossing state lines. For VA a shippable in addition to nuts and fruit might be honey.
Becoming a successful seller of agricultural products is clearly a complex issue. Capable advisory sources would be invaluable.
Thank you for your identifying so much and setting out the many issues to consider and more that need to be addressed!
Excerpt: …….regulations were killing producers ….announcement was good, but that it needed to become law rather than an executive order….. …..administration opened a three-hundred-thousand-metric-ton tariff-rate quota for imported lean beef trimmings,……… objected because additional discounted imported beef puts pressure on the prices received by American producers…… ranchers heard two messages within days of each other
Thought: Government is not neutral, it works both sides of fence
regulations = control
Excerpts :And for the small producer … credence attributes, because ultimately the customer has to believe you. … buying the farmer’s word along with the steak.
Thought : That is easier to check when buying local, Living within an hours drive in different direction of ranchers and farmers who sell locally, as well as processing facility and butcher shops and meat lockers makes choosing to buy outside the grocery story simpler. I don’t live in the country, I live 15 miles from the largest populated city in my state. Making lifestyle changes generally wakes you up to options you never gave a previous thought.
Excerpt: The program is fourteen years old, the federal government pays sixty percent of eligible inspection costs, and eleven states have already joined. Meanwhile, Virginia hands out thirty-six-thousand-dollar equipment grants to farmers it prevents from selling state-inspected meat across the Potomac.
Thought: Is that control? I will have to think through whether to initiate the suggested action plan in my state, which is included in your list.
Great article and information Malone's. You are taxing my brain.
I may not be able to tell the difference between direct farm meat which is regeneratively raised vs cut corners. But, whatever is in the store is vastly different!!!
On discerning direct farm meat..
You may only discern by reading the person. There's no label which accounts for character. There's no standard or trademark that ensures your product other than the people themselves. If a person has been disingenuous, their energy ⛮ / thought frequency will let you know.
Also, my sense of taste and smell was magnified after eating carnivore. Perhaps a study could verify whether or not these distinctions *can* be made by a taster.
I had dinner in 2012 at The Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. I don't remember much about the food except it was all different meats.
I had been serving in the Mathare valley. A cultural lifestyle difference between the two. Outside the restaurant was a sign "Obama Reloaded Night" Many in the group wondered what was meant by 'reloaded'
This article is giving me much to chew on! I intend to finish it but questions are gnawing!
If the good Drs. Malone can/would drill down on some of these, it would go a long way toward furthering my (and possibly others) ongoing education on a topic so many of us want to see progress to better health.
1. What is the difference between Kosher Certification vs Certified Humane &/or G.A.P.
2. Why are all States not working toward the Cooperative Interstate Shipment? Some, as stated, are more than halfway there, but shouldn't all states (CO is one that has no State Inspection facilities) be pushed that direction?
3. If all the US states cannot or will not work toward the Cooperative Interstate Shipment, where does this bill stand -
"The Butcher Block Act has been integrated into broader legislative and executive efforts, serving as a framework for current proposals to expand small and mid-sized meat processing capacity."
It appears from my reading, it has basically just been absorbed into the larger Farm Bill and is stalled.
4. Would/does the current version of the Butcher Block Act (now incorporated into the Farm Bill) give farmers/ranchers more leeway on state to state commerce? Would my Wyoming rancher now/soon be able to transport and set up drop point here in CO?
This inquiring mind is chomping at the bit!!! : > 0 !!!
1. Now we know why the Malones are excellent homesteaders.
2. Due to the persecution they endured from telling the truth during the pandemic, they should go direct to consumer but be exempted permanently from all burdensome costs. That's the least Trump can do...kinda like Bidens blanket auto pen pardon but this would be an EO or some other legal maneuver.
3. Prayers ongoing for Cara and Filly. We keep praying Cara is going to pull through and Filly needs his mom. 🙏
The topics they take the grand efforts to share here,
are worth every penny the price of annual admission.
The memes on Friday/Sunday are the dessert topping.
Oh absolutely! 7.00 is not enough. I need to send them a donation to cover credit card fees. Cuz 7.00 is really 6 something. I think they should go up to 10.00 a month.
If they have Cara settled there may be Cara, her filly and the next foal in line. Praying for the owners and full brood. Thank you for your remembering the concerns for us all.
Look at this BS. When law enforcement does this to animals it's disgusting. He should be dismissed from the force because if he sees HeeHaw as a threat, he's going to shoot a person who he mistakenly "perceives to be a threat" next.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/georgia-cop-placed-leave-after-familys-baby-donkey/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5917
I saw that. Both sad and disgusting. HeeHaw was an adorable asset! They may need to give each officer training on animal's and maybe even birds. There are families and sects that hate animal's. Hire one of them, need to train them to understand and respect our creatures!
That's exactly what I was thinking. But just looking at that pic of HeeHaw makes me think...if you think he's a threat, you have no business being a cop!
❤️❤️❤️
At Giant I get their brand of chicken. I generally get my sirloin tips and burgers from Omaha Steak on sale. Their product has been tasty and in good condition. IMO beyond that they aren't vouching for it. At this point it may well not be a Nebraska origin. I'm reflecting about that.
🤤🤤🤤 steak and sirloin. Jean I'm a gal just like you. Never trust a man who doesn't eat meat (ie James Talarico).
Great article. While it might not work for city dwellers or lightly populated areas, for much of suburbia what about the return of the local butcher shop? It passes the 7 tests (maybe #5 is a question, but the butcher's own reputation depends on the quality so he's incentivized to verify). At least the butcher earns his middleman profit. Carl Menger might approve.
Local butcher shops haven't disappeared. I live in the suburbs, and I know of at least three.
Lucky! We had a great one in Denver, Western Daughters. Pricey but worth it. Now we're near a smaller town and have a co-op which is a Godsend. Another one of those lost trades which needs a comeback. Large packers lobbied the small guys out of business. Systematic elimination by making the cost to process a few dozen animals a week crushing. And as soon as the packers moved into fabrication, they were pocketing any savings that should have gone to consumers. Shame.
you'd think that a place like Montana would be rife with butcher shops. Sadly, the last one in my city closed its doors several years ago - replaced by an exercise equipment outfit (I think). Before that, the other one moved south, up the valley. I suspect it's hard for a local butcher to dollar compete - you have to really appreciate the quality and the choices to pay the extra. There's a Montana hog farm that sells hams, etc., here in town (online, too) and I checked into the prices and I had to double up on my blood pressure meds for the week. Maybe I ever had a holiday gathering I'd buy one, but for myself I just can't justify it - although I've been known to shell out for boutique dried beans, hard to find "wheat" berries and tinned fish, paying extra for meat that all tastes the same to me with variations on texture doesn't float my boat. yeah, maybe I should give it a whirl and eat smaller portions
I would guess that all those states with state inspections are also states with land grant colleges/veterinary schools. Those schools likely source of state inspectors and may be where the influence begins that impedes cooperation.
As far as I can tell the only thing accomplished by the president with his intervention in the cattle market is substantially lowering the price of my stocker calves and bred heifers. I estimate the loss is around $175,000. Believe me the margins are not sufficient to cover such a loss. While those in production Ag have been hurt substantially the savings for individual consumers will be very minimal. The four big hated packers will be smiling. We started selling beef directly to the public several years ago. We sell under the label North Canadian Red Angus, only in the state of Oklahoma. Since Covid half of our neighbors are doing the same thing. We manage to sell 12 or 15 animals per year. We make less money on those animals than the ones we sell through other avenues. And, we cannot match the price at Sam’s. Nor are we anywhere close to as convenient. We are located 40 miles from the Oklahoma City metro. The skill set required to sell direct is much different than the skill set required to manage the ranch and requires significantly more labor. The largest problem with rebuilding the cattle herd is rain. We are not getting any. Cows require grass. You must have rain to grow grass. Still, there are things the government could do to help. Stop persecuting ranchers in the western U. S. Open federal land back up for grazing. Allow ranchers to protect their cattle from wolves. That means being able to kill them. If wolves are absolutely necessary put them in Central Park. After everything that has happened here recently nothing has changed regarding the ability to move the industry as a whole toward a regenerative approach. If synthetic fertilizers and weed killers are really doing significant harm to the American people we have to focus on something larger in agriculture than the homestead movement or the entrance of small operators into the business. We need a blueprint for how to move from here to there. I would say recent activity has moved us backwards. Trust has been further eroded in the ability of the government to understand production Ag. Still, we soldier on. Our GPS collars arrived the other day. If we ever get out of triple digit heat we will start putting them on cows. They will be used for increased rotational grazing, monitoring cows that are not cycling and identifying cows that do not breed. Efficiency.
Reality on the ground is certainly worth seeing and hearing and reading about. I commend you for your fortitude and pray that your life's work is not in vain. In many ways you are much like the American soldier. Choosing to serve in a combat zone of big agribusiness without all the necessary weapons and with the government calling all the shots. I must salute you as I would any vet and Thank You.
I must ask - do you consider your cattle to be grass fed/grass finished? Or do you finish with grain?
Given the tendency to draught in the neck of the woods it is extremely difficult, with the exception of irrigation, to produce the kind of forage at the time it is needed to produce marbling in an animal. So, our butcher calves are on some form of forage at all times, no hormones or antibiotics but we feed them cracked corn for about 100 days.
There are a few things I find interesting and confusing. Why Virginia and other states don't take advantage of the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program and how is the Kosher determination so steady in it's mark? There seems to be an ethics and honesty problem widespread except for a few outliers. The Amish are one./ I belong to a store co-op and have an ownership share. Depending on how much we spend, we get a check once a year and ownership discounts, as well as a monthly discount as well as a Tues. seniors discount. I have talked to the General Manager numerous times about concerns and questions and he is responsive and proactive where possible. They offer many visits to the farms where they source many of their products and I still pay close attention to what is carried. For city dwellers this has got to be one of the better offerings for food of all kinds.
It seems always more complicated than it appears at first glance. Thank you for the in-depth study. Since moving to MO, I've been able to buy meat from local people. I can visit their establishments. I grew up in Switzerland, where we shopped at local butcher shops. Some still do exist, although most have been bought by bigger grocery stores. Trust in anything is becoming a real issue. The meaning of honesty and integrity has shifted, and often does not mean what it used to. Greed and/or necessity have become part of a transaction.
There was a system in use before all of Government regulation which provided life for all of us living today. How is it any of us live today when our ancestors had no vaccines, injections, homogenization, preservatives, etc.. I do not blame regulation alone, but I do blame the coopting of regulation. I prefer to trust a farmer I know over Government's approval of a farmer I know.
Back around 1992 I asked the President of Walgreens how will we compete against Amazon who was not charging any sales tax. (now collecting some tax) In addition, Brick and mortar pays real estate taxes and much more and have a higher overhead. Not a level playing field. Faster forward 30 years and Amazon has swallowed many brick and mortar businesses. Food and Rx are their current targets. Shopping centers across the nation are being emptied of retailers. When drones delivering goods become common place, you will know brick and mortar is a dinosaur. Saw many Prime trucks on the way back to Chicago and drove though Gary Indiana where retail has long disappeared. Those who can migrate away from major cities and live in rural areas may re-invent the wheel and have local produced wholesome food. Embrace Wellness was promoting that concept at Polyface.
Bravo, what a complete and thorough article! Explains a lot. Your diligence and accuracy are always appreciated. Important subject too, right?
That is why you find someone who raises cows and buy 1/2 or 1/4 beef from them.
On the topic of Direct-to-consumer food
Check out what two brothers here in the Texas Panhandle are doing; it does not directly address all the issues in this post, but provides a business model that deserves consideration.
https://ranchersstorefront.com/
Thank you for this well informed discussion. It leaves me to observations as you go along.
Death of grocery stores:
They do have tight margins, local abuse (I see the police were called to my local store/Giant to deal with a screaming shopper. There have been several gun robberies too). Thefts are rampant. On the other hand there is extensive foreign fresh product. Canned/frozen product from wide ranging sources. The better answer should be more dedicated coordinated sourcing from local producers. Having sufficient product in each store timely on a reliable basis could lend itself to a coordinated planning. My grocer uses personal customer contact with incentives via internet, mass media advertizing, and personal shopping for customer orders with pickup and delivery services.
My county for some unknown reason appears to own and operate numerous county recreational facilities. Of late they appear to be involving themselves with support of farmers within the county. Something about a new ag center. We do have farmers markets and the county fair. One upscale farmers market was offering direct meat sales.
I have/do purchase farm products from out of state sources. I receive catalogs from meat companies. Frozen meats and cooked offerings. They start from web sites. They send mailers, email and text ads. They offer memberships for recurring orders. One also has a number of local shops. Quality and service is generally good. There are also vendors of such products as nuts and fruit in season. All crossing state lines. For VA a shippable in addition to nuts and fruit might be honey.
Becoming a successful seller of agricultural products is clearly a complex issue. Capable advisory sources would be invaluable.
Thank you for your identifying so much and setting out the many issues to consider and more that need to be addressed!
No mention of Azure Standard? The bulk of our grocery expense.
I've been looking at them.
Excerpt: …….regulations were killing producers ….announcement was good, but that it needed to become law rather than an executive order….. …..administration opened a three-hundred-thousand-metric-ton tariff-rate quota for imported lean beef trimmings,……… objected because additional discounted imported beef puts pressure on the prices received by American producers…… ranchers heard two messages within days of each other
Thought: Government is not neutral, it works both sides of fence
regulations = control
Excerpts :And for the small producer … credence attributes, because ultimately the customer has to believe you. … buying the farmer’s word along with the steak.
Thought : That is easier to check when buying local, Living within an hours drive in different direction of ranchers and farmers who sell locally, as well as processing facility and butcher shops and meat lockers makes choosing to buy outside the grocery story simpler. I don’t live in the country, I live 15 miles from the largest populated city in my state. Making lifestyle changes generally wakes you up to options you never gave a previous thought.
Excerpt: The program is fourteen years old, the federal government pays sixty percent of eligible inspection costs, and eleven states have already joined. Meanwhile, Virginia hands out thirty-six-thousand-dollar equipment grants to farmers it prevents from selling state-inspected meat across the Potomac.
Thought: Is that control? I will have to think through whether to initiate the suggested action plan in my state, which is included in your list.
Great article and information Malone's. You are taxing my brain.
I may not be able to tell the difference between direct farm meat which is regeneratively raised vs cut corners. But, whatever is in the store is vastly different!!!
On discerning direct farm meat..
You may only discern by reading the person. There's no label which accounts for character. There's no standard or trademark that ensures your product other than the people themselves. If a person has been disingenuous, their energy ⛮ / thought frequency will let you know.
Also, my sense of taste and smell was magnified after eating carnivore. Perhaps a study could verify whether or not these distinctions *can* be made by a taster.
I had dinner in 2012 at The Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. I don't remember much about the food except it was all different meats.
I had been serving in the Mathare valley. A cultural lifestyle difference between the two. Outside the restaurant was a sign "Obama Reloaded Night" Many in the group wondered what was meant by 'reloaded'
Interesting! You didn't find out? Haha
This article is giving me much to chew on! I intend to finish it but questions are gnawing!
If the good Drs. Malone can/would drill down on some of these, it would go a long way toward furthering my (and possibly others) ongoing education on a topic so many of us want to see progress to better health.
1. What is the difference between Kosher Certification vs Certified Humane &/or G.A.P.
2. Why are all States not working toward the Cooperative Interstate Shipment? Some, as stated, are more than halfway there, but shouldn't all states (CO is one that has no State Inspection facilities) be pushed that direction?
3. If all the US states cannot or will not work toward the Cooperative Interstate Shipment, where does this bill stand -
"The Butcher Block Act has been integrated into broader legislative and executive efforts, serving as a framework for current proposals to expand small and mid-sized meat processing capacity."
It appears from my reading, it has basically just been absorbed into the larger Farm Bill and is stalled.
4. Would/does the current version of the Butcher Block Act (now incorporated into the Farm Bill) give farmers/ranchers more leeway on state to state commerce? Would my Wyoming rancher now/soon be able to transport and set up drop point here in CO?
This inquiring mind is chomping at the bit!!! : > 0 !!!