BUNKHOUSE

WASN’T EXPECTING THAT QUESTION

by CCA Director of Communications Katie Roberti

What’s something you wish people knew about ranching or agriculture?

A few months ago, I spent an evening hanging out with my neighbors. We’ve lived side by side for about a year and have gotten to know each other. They know enough about me to know I work on behalf of cattle ranchers, grew up on a ranch and agriculture is a big part of my life. I know them well enough to understand they aren’t experts in cattle ranching or farming but are well versed in cooking and food.

So, when they invited me to spend an evening in their backyard enjoying some drinks and a campfire, I never expected to be asked this question (because why would I?). But that’s what happened. Amid our conversation about life’s daily happenings and routines, my neighbor turned and asked me some iteration of, “What’s something you wish people knew about ranching or agriculture?”

Whoa. Not often do you get the opportunity to answer that question in a social setting. Here was my time to share something meaningful that could positively impact their perceptions of beef and ranchers in California.

I want to say I flawlessly executed the points ingrained in me as I answered this question. But at the moment, I was so taken aback by the question I almost froze. I know I said something about most ranches being family operations, not factory farms. I think I touched on the environmental benefits of ranching in California. The response I gave was probably fine, but even long after, I was thinking about what I said and how I could have said it better.

Thankfully, they are still my neighbors and friends, so I have plenty more time to share with them and answer questions about ranching they may have. But the incident was a good motivator for me to consider how I would answer that question if asked again, and it spurred me to get prepared to debunk a few common myths about ranching. Maybe this is something you’ve already done or prepared for, but if not and you are wondering how to get ready, continue reading.

Over the remainder of the year, the California Cattlemen’s Foundation will be hosting multiple media trainings for ranchers who want to practice crafting their message and approach to sharing information about ranching in California. If talking to local media or sharing more broadly about what you do and why you do it is something you are interested in, consider attending one of these trainings. E-mail me at katier@calcattlemen.org and I’ll be happy to add you to a list of interested attendees.

In the meantime, if you are looking for easy facts to memorize that you can use as talking points or incorporate into your conversations, tune into Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast. Recently I was fortunate to sit down and talk about the critical role of grazing in California with Lynn Huntsinger, Ph.D., a University of California (UC), Berkeley, Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Management and the Russell Rustici Chair in Rangeland Management. Did you know more than half of the threatened and endangered species that live on rangelands benefit from grazing? This is one of the research facts Huntsinger shares in the episode.

Last fall, Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D., a professor and air quality specialist in cooperative extension for the UC Davis Department of Animal Science, came on an episode and talked about the recent work he’s doing pertinent to cattle and the environment, including a word that’s often in the news these days—methane.

No matter the issue or subject, I’d encourage you to be bold and share when you can, whether with your neighbor or the person sitting next to you on a flight. If facts and research stats help you feel more crafted, memorize a few and share them at the right time. As a caretaker of the land and an expert on what happens on your ranch every day, you shouldn’t have to overthink it. Share from your experience if that’s easiest. As CCA’s contract lobbyist Jason Bryant noted on an April episode of Sorting Pen, recent research from the California Cattle Council shows that when it comes to talking about ranching, it’s ranchers who legislators trust most. Trust yourself and let the job you do each day speak for itself.

My neighbors are coming over to my house tonight for dinner. Yes, we’re eating beef (and my grandma’s Swiss polenta). I’m excited to hear more about their world and what’s important to them. And if they happen to ask me more about the incredible work California cattle ranchers do every day while growing one of the safest and most nutritious proteins in the world, I know I’m ready for it.