Featured Producers
Ed Sage
Bar Standing S Ranch
Raising cattle has been my family’s way of life for three generations. Since the beginning of the 1940’s, my family has done what they loved, farming and raising cattle. I am no exception to that tradition. I strive to produce high quality beef with superior Angus and Angus cross genetics and now more than ever, produce a safe and wholesome product for our consumers. I have faith in my product because when the calves are born, they are on my land and under my care until it is time for them to be taken to the packer. For my wife, my three children, and myself, raising cattle is what we love and we have made it a way of life.
Paul Johnson
RPJ Cattle
My name is Paul Johnson. My brother and I are third generation ranchers that operate a cow-calf to finish operation south of Mason City, Nebraska. The ranch started when my grandparents lived in a sod house three miles north of my current home. It is a tradition in our family to raise high quality Hereford and Black Angus cross cattle. Our involvement in growing crops is also a family tradition. We raise just enough crops to keep the cattle healthy and fed. We may have a small operation, but with the help of my brother and both of our families, we are glad to say that we are carrying on the family tradition.
Samson Inc.
My name is Scott Mueller and my family and I own a 2,500 head feed yard called Samson Inc., located north of Columbus, Nebraska. My family started the feed yard in 1986 and began working in the value added beef markets. We target ranch direct Angus and Red Angus seedstock producers. We pride ourselves on producing high quality beef as well as becoming Beef Quality Assurance certified to focus on humane handling and environmental management for waste water management and compost management for value added fertilizers. We also actively participate in developing non-hormone treated cattle for domestic and European markets.
Larry Carlson
Sandhills Cattle Feeding Inc
To me, Sandhills Cattle Feeding Inc. is not a business, it’s a way of life. I am Larry Carlson and my feedlot is what I call a “niche market feed yard” because we focus on non-hormone treated cattle. In 1987, I nestled myself into the heart of Nebraska in the Sandhills, just south of Basset, Nebraska. We believe that a hands on method has a better influence on the cattle. The way we care for and treat the cattle makes a difference which can be seen in the high quality Angus beef cattle that our shipped out of our feed yard.
Bernie Schmidt
Schmidt Land and Cattle
Even though our operation is not the biggest in the area, my hired hand, Owen, and I have big hearts for the cattle that come through our feedlot. My name is Bernie Schmidt and I am proud to be a third generation farmer and rancher. We spend our time tending to a 1,200 acre farm and feeding 500 head of non-hormone treated Angus cattle. Because we are Beef Quality Assurance certified, our cattle are the best quality and their good health is a top priority. With the help of my father and our hired man, we maintain the farm and feedlot in the family tradition.
Al Davis
OLO Ranch
We are Al and Dottie Davis. We are the third generation to operate the historic OLO Ranch. This beautiful ranch began as a 160 acre homestead owned by my grandfather in 1888. I have been the sole manager of the ranch since 1990. Today, the ranch operates as a cow-calf operation, but we also finish cattle. Our family is proud of our holistic natural approach to livestock production. The Nebraska Sandhills area is one of the last places to find independent cattlemen. My family and I believe the lifestyle is worth protecting and that this can be done while embracing innovations that are key to success in any business.
Eric Anderson
Anderson Farms
I was still in high school when I began managing Anderson Farms near Sumner, Nebraska, with my grandfather. He instilled in me an understanding of how hard work brings great rewards. That’s the way my brother and I, along with our families, approach the operation today. We raise 190 head of Angus cattle, and we feed and market 500 head of non-hormone treated Angus cross cattle. We also farm 700 acres which allows us to feed our cattle with our own corn silage and alfalfa. Managing both cattle and crops is hard work, but I believe that’s what it takes to bring high quality beef to market. We’ve done it for generations.
Terry Beller
Beller Feedlot
My family believes that it takes hard work, dirty hands, and motivation to succeed in a cattle feeding operation. These beliefs began in 1958 when my father started feeding cattle. Even though he is getting older, he is still on the “Advisory Board” and is not afraid to help at any time. My brother, my two sons, and I, operate the now 5,500 head feedlot located west of Lindsay, Nebraska. We focus on feeding top quality non-hormone treated cattle, consisting of mostly Angus breeds. By investing our time and effort into raising beef cattle, my family and I are proud to be a part of a hands on industry.
Alan Janzen
Circle 5 Beef, Inc.
The centralized location that we have here at Circle 5 Beef makes it easy to access both feed and packers in central Nebraska. We owe it all to my great grandfather who homesteaded this land five generations ago. The 13,000 head feed yard that we now operate started with my father and uncle and other area producers who wanted to consolidate their feedlots. We concentrate on source and age verified cattle as well as non-hormone treated cattle.
Mike Freeman
Rolling Stone Feed Yard, LLC.
If someone would have told me that in a matter of eight years my family and I would be managing a 50,000 head feedlot, a farming operation, and a cow-calf herd, I would have told them they were crazy. In 2003, my partner Bob Maxwell and I purchased an 8,000 head capacity feed-yard. Neither of us had much cattle feeding experience. With hard work and dedication, my family, our partners and our staff have grown the business to our current capacity of 50,000 head. We now have over 40 employees that care for our cattle on a daily basis.