Home > Our Commitment > Environment > Education > Environmental Stewardship Award.
Our Commitment to Ranching Responsibly
Yolo Land & Cattle Co.
Featured on Episode 802 of America's Heartland TV - see video below.
Since 1976, Yolo Land & Cattle Co. has
strived to produce the finest quality beef available. We
pride ourselves in the humane and respectful treatment of our animals,
and the reputation that we have garnered among consumers and our peers
in the livestock industry.
Our cow-calf operation consists of 700 Black Angus and Hereford/Angus X cows with a proven genetic base. The entire herd is part of a Natural Beef Program, which prohibits the use of growth hormones or antibiotics. We use a third party verification service to document compliance for this program. When animals do get sick, we treat them with antibiotics, but they are ear-tagged and excluded from the Natural program.
We
recognize that consumers
are concerned about the source of
their food. To address this concern, the identity of every one of our
animals is tracked from birth. Top female calves are also
hand-selected as eventual replacements for our breeding cow herd each
year, ensuring that the genetics remain uniform. For sire selection, we
utilize the latest proven
industry genetics to ensure the highest possible
consistency and quality of the beef we produce.
A progressive cattle herd is only one component to a sustainable operation. Equally important is a long-term commitment to keep the land as productive as possible. In addition to environmental restoration efforts on the ranch, we are also committed to making sure the land remains available for the benefit of future generations.
One of the conservation efforts we are most proud of was the decision to permanently protect our ranch from development. In many Central Valley counties, the pressure to subdivide large ranches into smaller “ranchettes” is tremendous. In 2002, the California State Legislature passed the Grazing, Grasslands, and Rangeland Protection Act to conserve open space. The Act authorized Public bonds to be utilized for acquiring conservation easements on private lands.
After a great deal of consideration, we
decided that the time
was right to place a conservation easement on our own ranch, utilizing
funding from the new legislation. Our ranch was one of the
first in the state to participate in this program.
Working with the California Rangeland Trust, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Great Valley Center, and the Yolo Land Trust, we spent three years navigating the complex process of doing a large easement. In 2005, we successfully completed the easement transaction. We protected 6,983 acres in perpetuity, making it the largest conservation easement in Yolo County.
Since that time, many other ranchers all
across the state have
applied for funding to preserve their properties as well, making this a
highly successful program.
Our conservation partners:
Yolo Land & Cattle Company - America's Heartland TV
"Saddle up for a ride across some land that's been home to cattle ranching since the California Gold Rush. Operated by the Stone family, the ranch is a model of agriculture that benefits the environment."
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