From the Cattle Ranch
Posted: December 16th, 2011 in Innovation
By Marci Jacobs
Having grown up on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma – a business and location not necessarily buzzing with innovation - I was excited to recently discover a major initiative occurring within the beef industry aimed at universally decreasing its carbon footprint.
The effort involves an unlikely partnership between the National Cattleman’s Beef Association and European chemical company BASF. BASF was once considered one of the least green companies in Europe, however, the company undertook an eco-cleanup 16 years ago, developing sophisticated systems to measure and track internal operations efficiencies. Together with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, BASF will adapt these systems to measure efficiencies along the beef production chain.
Interestingly, research will blend qualitative and quantitative science. While BASF systems are in place to measure quantifiable energy outputs, plans have also been made to conduct first-hand interviews with key members of the beef production chain, from ranch hands to cow-calf operators to stockyard managers.
These interviews are designed to surface stakeholder perceptions and needs around a variety of topics, from animal husbandry practices to business needs to perceptions about the environment and sustainability. In so doing, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association is ensuring that sustainable solutions will be tailored around beef producers’ enduring behaviors, preferences, and business considerations – a critical step finely aligned with innovation best practices -and, ultimately, that green solutions will not just exist in labs, but will actually be adopted by real users for long-term sustainability.