Many of the cattle raised in the U.S. are fed a diet consisting mostly of corn and grains. This fattens the cattle up, and it has allowed the beef industry in this country to grow at a really rapid pace without costing cattle ranchers a ton of money. Nevertheless, over the last few years, the demand for grass fed beef has increased substantially, and it appears as though it’s not just a fad. The trend continues today with many people actively searching for grass fed beef as opposed to beef stemming from cattle raised on feedlots in places like Kansas and Nebraska.
The Demand for Grass Fed Beef
The first sign of this trend emerged back in 2012 when the Los Angeles Times published an article about grass fed beef. At the time, only about 3 percent of all the beef consumed in the U.S. was grass fed beef. But a study predicted that the demand for grass fed beef would grow by 20 percent per year, and it appears as though those predictions were correct, seeing as many consumers now want grass fed beef for them and their families.
At one point back in the late 1990s, there were only about 100 grass fed beef producers in the entire country. But that number now totals more than 2,000. In addition, while the market for grass fed beef only brought in about $3 million back then, it now totals more than $2.5 billion. Clearly, there is a very healthy appetite for grass fed beef, and it’s not hard to see why. Grass fed beef is better for the environment and better for the people who eat it.
If you’re a cattle rancher who prefers producing grass fed beef, Flying H Genetics offers a wide range of grass fed breeding cattle. Contact us today to find out why our grass fed cattle would be perfect for your ranch.
