NATIVE AMERICAN BEEF
Labatt Food Service is utilizing the Where Food Comes From labeling program on their unique Native American Beef line, a new source verified brand featuring beef raised exclusively on Native American ranches.
All products carrying the Native American Beef brand are certified under Where Food Comes From’s industry-leading source verification program to be from an approved list of Native American producers. Native American Beef is available for purchase by stores and restaurants in the American Southwest.
WFCF Process Verified
As a true independent, third-party auditor, Where Food Comes From, Inc. ensures that our products are sourced from the tribal lands and ranchers we say they are, and traceable back to a specific group of producers that meet our production requirements.
Padres Mesa Ranch
Chambers, AZ
The Padres Mesa Demonstration Ranch is Located on 60,000 acres of a 365,000 acre parcel of recently acquired Navajo Reservation land in northeastern Arizona. The ranch was established in 2009 as a cow-calf operation to provide educational opportunities for local Navajo ranchers and to generate income for the local Navajo community. Practices such as freeze branding, electronic identification, quality mineral provision, vaccinations, low stress handling, and sustainable range land stewardship are utilized on the ranch and through workshops and community events are demonstrated to Navajo livestock owners providing educational opportunities. The ranch currently runs two herds for a spring and fall calf crop where high quality uniform medium framed Angus calves are sired from purebred bulls. In the short time that the demonstration ranch has been in operations it has already had a positive impact on the quality of livestock production in the local community and beyond.
14-R Ranch
Nahata Dziil, AZ
In the 1980s to help settle a dispute between the Navajo and Hopi tribes, hundreds of Navajo families were relocated to Nahata Dziil, a 365,000-acre parcel of ranch land the federal government acquired in the early 1980s.The name 14-R comes from the 14 parcels range management units in the Nahata Dziil, where community members practice in-common grazing.Cattle raised on the 14R Ranch are owned and cared for by families who are members of the Navajo Nation. These families are committed to not only producing high quality beef products for their customers, but also to creating strong family and tribal businesses and a sustainable ranching enviroment for future generations.
Meet the Pahi Family, one of the 14-R Ranch cattle producers.
Gonzales Family
Dulce, NM
Barbara Gonzales has been in the cattle business since 1972. Today, with the help of her daughter, Lisa Manwell, and son-in-law, Aaron, the family’s operation raises high-quality cattle on 4,200 acres of northern New Mexico pastures in Dulce, New Mexico. Producing premium beef is a way of life for Barbara and her family. In fact, her 11 grandsons and five granddaughters have grown up and have been very hands-on in the family’s cattle operation. The entire family views working the cattle as a good opportunity to spend quality time together.
Barbara and her family are very excited to be part of the Native American Beef program. “We’re so happy to be part of a program where our cattle and hard work are recognized,” says Lisa. “Another thing we love about the NAB program,” says Barbara “is that we know what we’re going to get paid for the cattle we raise. Before at the sale barn, we never knew what we would get and sometimes the prices would be so low. We don’t have to worry about that now. We’re very happy the program is here for us!”
H-P Ranch
Haystack, NM
Travis Platero and his family are one of the newest producers to the Native American Beef brand. The family lives on the H-P Ranch in Haystack, NM, where producing premium quality livestock is way of life for them. Travis recalls, “My grandpa gave my dad two cows and two sheep and told him to do something with them. That is still what’s going on to this day. I’m very excited to be part of the program and to have my dad’s name and brand recognized in different places – from the feedlots to the restaurants.”
A proud cattleman, Travis looks forward to growing their family’s cattle business and teaching his kids many of the skills his dad taught him. “My dad taught me in his own way how to be a good cattle producer and that’s what I’m trying to do for my kids. It’s great that people are enjoying what we raised as a family. I know my dad we would be happy that people are enjoying his beef,” says Travis.
Pahi Family
Nahata Dziil, AZ
Al Pahi and his wife, Nora, raise top-quality cattle on pastures located on the 14-R Ranch in Nahata Dziil, Arizona . They have been part of the Native American Beef brand since the program’s start and both are very excited to see how quickly the beef program has taken off. “It’s very exciting to see people starting to recognize our beef in the local casinos and restaurants. We’re getting a lot of positive feedback from everyone.” says Al. He goes on to say, “It’s also very nice to be part of a program that keeps this high quality beef in the community.”
Both Al and Nora also actively work within the community to help educate other ranchers and future generations on raising premium, great tasting beef. They work within the 14-R Ranch community to promote important topics such as the benefits of a good vaccination program and low-stress weaning (learn more about 14-R Ranch here. The Native American Beef brand is brought to you by family-owned ranchers like the Pahi’s, who are dedicated to producing the best tasting beef while positively impacting the community at the same time.
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