Sisters, Ore. –– Country Natural Beef, the nation’s largest rancher-owned beef cooperative, gathered members from across the West in Nampa, Idaho for its annual meeting, celebrating 40 years of working together to build a stronger future for family ranches.
Honoring Member Leadership
The annual meeting also recognized members whose commitment and innovation reflect the cooperative’s founding principles:
- Innovation Award: Stuart Jensen, Crown J Cattle Co. – Recognized for advancing regenerative ranch management through rotational grazing, crop integration, and ongoing experimentation to improve soil and forage health.
- Rooted Ranch Award: Warnock Ranch – A founding member ranch that has placed its entire eligible calf crop with the cooperative for 40 years, representing four generations of ranching and co-op leadership.
- True North Award: T. Wright Dickinson, Vermillion Ranch LP – Honored for more than a decade of steady, member-first leadership, including service on the cooperative’s inaugural Board of Directors.
- NextGen Award: Anna Lickley, Pratt Livestock – Recognized for her leadership within her ranch, community, and industry, while balancing a career with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and raising a young family.
- Lifetime of Leadership Award: Lowell and Mary Forman, Forman Ranch – Founding members of the cooperative, with Mary serving more than 30 years as Chief Financial Officer.
- Legacy Award: Alec Oliver – Outgoing Membership Director, recognized for 12 years of strengthening relationships with member families before returning full-time to ranching.
Four Decades of Rancher-Led Purpose
Founded in 1986 by a small group of ranching families who believed they could bring responsibly raised, high-quality beef directly to market, Country Natural Beef has grown into a cooperative of nearly 100 ranch families across the Western United States.
For forty years, the co-op has remained grounded in a simple idea: ranchers are strongest when they work together. By aligning around shared production standards, transparent practices, and long-term customer relationships, Country Natural Beef has demonstrated that values-driven ranching can endure across generations.
Strengthening Animal Welfare Verification
Members formally adopted RaiseWell Certified, a third-party animal welfare certification administered by Where Food Comes From, Inc. The program provides clearly defined, independently verified animal care standards and traceability to the ranch of origin.
While RaiseWell focuses specifically on animal welfare, the Where Food Comes From audit process also verifies additional production attributes, like Verified Natural and Pasture-Raised claims, streamlining oversight under a single, comprehensive third-party review.
The transition reflects the cooperative’s long-standing commitment to rigorous animal care standards while reducing audit complexity for member ranches and strengthening transparency for customers.
Additional information about Country Natural Beef is available at CountryNaturalBeef.com.
