Located
in the high country of Eastern Oregon, Dakota Beef’s McEwen and JMK
ranches provide unrivaled cattle and feed resources that supply Dakota
Beef’s vertically integrated Organic beef program. Two of the oldest ranches in Oregon, these properties offer over 150,000
acres of the most pristine Organic native grasses and natural Organic
watersheds Mother Nature has to offer. On these ranches we grow some of
the best alfalfa hay produced in the country, most of which is provided
to Dakota Beef’s resident cow-herd as a high quality feed resource in
the winter, as well as to the calves at weaning.
We are proud
to have Angus bloodlines in our cattle that go back to the 1800s.
Dakota Beef’s Organic Angus calves at the McEwen numbers approximately
2,000 head, and provide the back-bone of our brand.Our ranch-hands
manage this historic high-quality cowherd with the utmost care,
humaneness and respect. We have selected over 100 Angus bulls to provide
the highest quality genetics possible, focusing on maximizing our
customers’ eating-experience. Over many generations, these cattle have
naturally adapted to the Oregon environment and have proven themselves
for hundreds of years. The Angus breed is recognized throughout the
United States, and around the world as a “gold standard.” The Angus
genetics in our cattle assure premium, high quality beef that we can be
proud to offer to our discerning customers.. .
Protecting wildlife and water systems is also a leading
management consideration on our ranches.
Because of their expansive size, these ranches are home to many native
species including: Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Bighorn Sheep and
Pronghorn Antelope. The McEwen ranch includes a superior high desert
watershed of over 300 square miles that provides both the cattle and
wildlife with a high-quality source of water with over 70 miles of
year-round continuously flowing streams and over 500 acres of ponds and
reservoirs.
Pasture management is extremely important to the overall
health of these ranches and we strive to never overgraze them which can
cause a deleterious impact on the water quality, wildlife health and
cattle performance.In strict compliance with the National Organic
Program, we never use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides
on our land or hay, which protects our Organic beef from potentially
harmful residues and our waters from toxic runoff.
Dakota Beef acquired these Organic ranches in
2007 to help provide a consistent high quality and
healthy Organic product for our customers while also caring for our
cattle in a humane manner and tending to our land responsibly. We at
Dakota Beef have made it our Mission to maintain sustainable stewardship
for the cattle, the wildlife, and the environment to meet the needs of
today and generations to come.