Raised on Tradition: Native American Beef Lea Quale

Raised on Tradition: Native American Beef

Cattle graze on natural resources at the Mescalero Cattle Growers Tribal Ranch in Mescalero, NM. Photo courtesy of LaBatt Food Service

By Lea Quale, Marketing & Community Development Director, La Montañita Co-op Food Market

In April 2018, La Montañita Coop Food Market launched a new beef brand, one that is not only local, but supports Native American communities around the Southwest. The Native American Beef brand under LaBatt Food Service partners with ranchers who maintain traditional practices and uphold the highest standards.

LaBatt Food Service started this program about six years ago, partnering with the Native American communities where traditional Native American ranching practices have continued. These traditional methods have created generations of superior cattle ranchers who are producing top quality beef and the ranchers are now paired with a company that provides support in selling the cattle. “Our brand was first established in 2012 and aims to connect ranchers to commercial distribution. Since the first cattle sale, we have been able to purchase over 5,500 head of cattle and give over $5.5 million back to producers,” said LaBatt Food Service.

The partnership with La Montañita Co-op between LaBatt Food Service and Native American Beef is personal. La Montañita team members were invited to Padres Mesa Ranch, one of the main ranches that facilitates the Native American Beef program. It began on a Friday morning in February. Seventeen La Montañita team members piled into two vans driven by LaBatt team members, several hours before sunrise, and headed out to Padres Mesa Ranch, just past Gallup and over the state boarder into Arizona.

When La Montañita and LaBatt team members arrived, everyone was greeted and introduced to several families who are a part of the Native American Beef program. After the introductions everyone split into groups and toured the property. The intimate tours were an opportunity to learn about the ranching process, how it supports the Native

American communities around the Southwest, and love for what the ranchers and cowboys do. Ranching is a way of life. The day ended family style with a BBQ, featuring Native American Beef and a presentation from LaBatt where Kimberly Yazzie, who is a part of LaBatt Food Service and a 14-R Navajo Rancher, spoke.

Yazzie works with several Native American Ranchers providing continuing education on best production practices to produce high-quality, healthy cattle. Yazzie works closely with the ranchers to ensure they exercise modern ranching practices of vaccinating when necessary and the protocol with that animal after, feed, and handling of cattle and horses. Furthermore, Yazzie helps to ensure these practices are profitable for the ranchers, while helping to conserve the natural resources of the community. Yazzie says, “We are fortunate to have a food distributor-link to make a life-long opportunity for Native American Beef. The efforts, rewards, and good come together for our Native American Beef producers. Many great community cattlemen and women leaders have passed and gone on. Today, they would be most proud.”

The local products that are brought into La Montañita Co-op locations are verified by several team members within the organization,

Nora Pahi, along with her husband Al, raise top-quality cattle on pastures located on the 14-R Ranch in Nahata Dziil, AZ. Photo courtesy of LaBatt Food Service

and the educational component is integral to the process. Native American Beef is not only a local product, but one that is source-verified through Where Food Comes From, meaning you can trace where the product is from - beginning to end. The Co-op is committed to bringing quality food to the market, and the Native American Beef is no exception. Consumers can feel good about buying a local product that supports New Mexico’s Native American communities. All La Montañita Co-op locations have Native American Beef available, and from the Mescalero Apache Cattle Growers in New Mexico. Give Native American Beef a try next time you are grocery shopping or happen to be at the Fire Rock Navajo Casino, where the Executive Chef Freddie Bitsoie sources his beef options. “It’s a regional flavor that makes it so unique and special,” he says.

To learn more about Native American Beef, visit: www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com/partners/ brands/native-american-beef.

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would like to humbly thank our community for its generosity. Thank you to Coach Diaz and Grandpa Coach Diaz for making our trip possible. Thank you to our parents for hauling us 2600 miles to play the game we love! We couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you for having lunch at our chile dog and brat sales and letting us wait your tables. Your dirty cars were our pleasure to wash. If you honked at us while we advertised on the side of the road, thank you! Your texts, calls, and posts on social media meant a lot! Thank you to the business owners that supported us, we will be visiting each of you with a personal thank you! In the coming years, our team will split apart to represent the various schools in our community, but we will never forget the summer we represented Gallup, NM, as one team at the Pee Wee Reese World Series in Shelton, WA. We took some losses, had some victories, and made tons of memories! We hope you’re proud of us! We did our best to represent you on and off the diamond. Gallup Dodgers are deeply touched by your support!

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