“Beef, it’s what for dinner” … and many times lunch and breakfast as well! For many Americans it doesn’t get much better than the thought of sinking your teeth into a juicy steak cooked just the way we like it. I’m also sure most of us know the difference between a great steak and a good steak. As consumers are more removed from their food than ever before, it can be difficult to understand what goes into the difference between “good” and “great” when it comes to beef. This week we get a chance to tell the story of Allan Ortmeier with Rural Route 1 Farms. Let’s head out to Scribner Nebraska to learn more.
Behind the Scenes
Starting as a simple dream in 1958, the idea of owning a family farm went from a dream and transformed into a thriving farmstead several decades later. Continuing that simple dream and adding to their father’s legacy is Allan Ortmeier and his brothers, Dave and John. In 2005, the brothers came to the realization that they had an opportunity to improve the quality of beef for their family, neighbors and customers. Working from sun up to sun down Rural Route 1 Farms went to work to make their beef the best, while ensuring what they advertised was exactly what you were getting.
With this new vision the farm began to prosper like never before. In late 2015, Allan and his brothers reached out to Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to start processing and selling their beef, which was NHTC, Verified Natural Beef, and Non-GMO Project verified. Since then, Creekstone Farms has been receiving all cattle from Rural Route 1 Farms.
To Allan and his brothers, the quality of their meat is of the utmost importance. Allan is very proud of what Rural Route 1 Farms has been able to accomplish with their hard work and clear vision. In the last two years, the farm has processed 35 head a week. They have graded nearly 100% Choice, and of those 53% were Prime, and only 2 head were graded Select. Allan and his family truly want everyone to experience first-rate nutritious beef and their results speak for themselves.
Audit Services
For more than five years, Rural Route 1 Farms has produced Non-GMO Project verified beef, along with being NHTC, Verified Natural Beef verified by Where Food Comes From. Because of these verifications, the farm has recently been able to take advantage of shipping product to China, Saudi Arabia and the EU.
The Benefits
“If you won’t eat it why would you feed it to your cattle?” was a question that resonated with Allan and his family and ultimately led to them to make a change on what they were feeding their cattle, switching from grass to Non-GMO corn. “Yes, cows can eat grass, but why do that when corn taste better?” says Allan. Everything the cows eat is Non-GMO. With the assistance of IMI Global and Where Food Comes From, Rural Route 1 Farms was able to make the transition from commercial to a highly restricted and specialized feed lot. The Non-GMO corn feed may not be the next item on the menu for you, but the cows sure do love it!
Head over to the Rural Route 1 website to watch this video and learn more about the farm! Interested in learning where to purchase their beef? The website will answer that question for you as well.