Partner Spotlight: Burgundy Pasture Beef and ROAM Ranch

Native grasslands are among the many most imperiled ecosystems on this planet — and one of many least protected. All through the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, these vital ecosystems are dwindling at an alarming fee, as tracts are fragmented and degraded by unsustainable agricultural makes use of, proliferation of invasive crops, encroaching human growth, and poor grazing practices. In consequence, many birds and different wildlife are edging nearer to extreme inhabitants decline and even extinction.  

Audubon goals to deal with these challenges by the conservation of focal fowl species and the habitat they rely on. We assist the atmosphere by serving to birds. For the reason that overwhelming majority of remaining grasslands are privately owned, we work with the farmers and ranchers that dwell and work on these lands. The Audubon Conservation Ranching Initiative is an revolutionary, market-based strategy that connects conservation-conscious shoppers to farmers and ranchers that make use of bird-friendly administration practices in elevating their livestock.  

In 2025, Audubon counts 15 collaborating ranches in Texas, spanning 178,000 acres of grasslands throughout the state. Totally licensed ranches embrace: the Dixon Water Basis’s Mimms Unit Ranch in Marfa, Bandera Grasslands in Hondo, C7 Ranch/Burgundy Beef in Grandview, the North Mason Unit in Mason, and ROAM Ranch in Fredericksburg. 

Right now we’re talking with three of our ACR producers, Jon Taggart of Burgundy Pasture Beef and Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest of ROAM Ranch. We’ll characteristic further ACR producers in future conversations, similar to Debbie and Don Davis of Bandera Grasslands and Chad Lemke of the North Mason Unit. 

Audubon Texas spoke with three ACR producers: Jon Taggart of Burgundy Pasture Beef, and Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest of ROAM Ranch. We are going to characteristic further ACR producers in future conversations, together with Debbie and Don Davis of Bandera Grasslands and Chad Lemke of the North Mason Unit. 

Editor’s Observe: This interview has been edited for size and readability. 

Background and the way you started conservation ranching? 

Jon Taggart: We began our grass-fed beef operation round 1999. My household and I moved onto this ranch in 1995; on the time, 900 of the 1,400 acres had been plowed and have been actively farmed. Starting nearly instantly, we labored to transform the farmland again to native grass. That conversion took about ten years. 

We bought our first beef in 1999 and constructed a processing plant in 2004. For a few years we distributed our meat by dwelling supply all through the Dallas/Fort Value metroplex, we dwelling delivered for 17 years. We opened our first retail retailer in Fort Value in 2014 and adopted with a Dallas retailer in 2015. We began on-line gross sales early on alongside our dwelling supply service. Right now our enterprise appears fairly completely different than it did eight weeks in the past. 

Taylor Collins: Katie and I are first-generation ranchers; we didn’t inherit agricultural land and even leisure property. We grew up within the metropolis. Our transfer into ranching was pushed by an curiosity in vitamin, well being, and wellness, and by desirous to make a deep connection between soil well being, land well being, and the meals we eat. 

We found regenerative agriculture and soil-health rules early on. The work of Allan Savory influenced our strategy and launched us to holistically managed grazing and regeneration practices. Spending time on ranches that had lengthy practiced these strategies was life altering; it confirmed us how individuals can spend their lives restoring the land and serving their communities. 

What does conservation ranching appear like in your operation? 

Taggart: For us, the largest change was changing farmland again to native grass. Farming was not significantly worthwhile right here, and as we restored grassland, we realized essential classes about biodiversity. Our inputs are minimal as a result of native grasses largely maintain themselves: we don’t want fertilizers or herbicide sprays. We use high-intensity, short-duration grazing and keep acceptable stocking charges and inventory density to extend biodiversity. Over time, native grass and pollinators have flourished. Once we arrived, there have been nearly no deer or turkey; now wildlife is ample. 

Collins: We function in a reasonably brittle atmosphere, so we have to be intentional about capturing moisture and utilizing rainfall successfully. Positioned in the midst of wine nation surrounded by vineyards and orchards, lots of that are monocultures, we would like as a substitute to revive the area’s former biodiversity. Our purpose is to create an ecosystem that works with pure rules, mirroring nature somewhat than always opposing or making an attempt to manage it. 

Advantages to the rancher and the animals? 

Taggart: As a result of we handle cattle with low stress and thru cautious dealing with throughout the operation, animal well being points are minimal. Our protocol requires no antibiotics and no added hormones; we haven’t administered antibiotics in years. If I needed to give one, I wouldn’t even know the place to discover a syringe. 

Collins: Having the ability to eat from the land we steward is essential. Producing nutrient-dense meals for ourselves and our group is deeply rewarding. Greater than something, watching the land heal is the actual return. When it comes to manufacturing, we run larger stocking densities in kilos per acre than anybody else in our group. The extra grass we develop, the extra animals we are able to increase, which straight impacts profitability. 

Particularly, our bison herd: the primary yr three animals have been born on the property; the subsequent yr 18 survived; and this yr we count on greater than 60 new calves. That progress displays improved land well being and the power to nourish younger animals. 

Modifications in wildlife populations and ecosystem operate? 

Taggart: Restoring grassland has considerably lowered soil erosion from beforehand plowed fields and improved water retention. Through the drought from 2011 to early 2015, we didn’t want to scale back stocking charges or present supplemental feed. These outcomes replicate elevated soil natural matter and the resilience of deep-rooted native crops, that are tailored to droughts, floods, freezes, and bug pressures. 

We now have a mixture of cool-season grasses and legumes paired with warm-season crops, permitting us to offer nutritious forage year-round with minimal inputs. 

Collins: Katie and I grew up in Central Texas, and we’re always figuring out birds we’ve by no means seen earlier than. Every year we see extra wildlife and better range. Mountain lions have returned to the property, which is encouraging given the essential function predators play in ecosystem steadiness. 

We’re additionally seeing range in plant biology: deep-rooted perennial grasses are re-emerging from seeds that had been dormant within the seedbed for many years regardless of prior plowing and spraying. Grassland birds are returning too, which has been rewarding to witness. 

Forrest: There’s additionally a lot better range in insect species, which helps fowl populations by offering ample meals. 

Collins: A various insect group brings predator bugs that assist regulate pest species. Birds then assist break parasitic life cycles in manure and act as pure debuggers for bison, contributing to general herd well being. 

Favourite birds 

Taggart: I miss the quail that have been right here once we arrived. I’d like to see them return. Quail require massive areas of high quality habitat, and we’re surrounded by farmland, so their return could be a protracted shot — however they have been current 25 years in the past. 

Collins: My prime two are the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and the Mockingbird. Mockingbirds are particularly charismatic: they’re territorial and fiercely protecting of their nests, even chasing off bigger birds of prey. 

Forrest: I additionally admire the Scissor-tail, however recently I’ve been significantly fascinated with Black Vultures. They play an essential however usually underappreciated function within the ecosystem. 

Why work with Audubon and the Conservation Ranching Initiative? 

Taggart: Our partnership with Audubon provides us one other avenue to inform the story of what limited-input, native-grass administration can obtain. Trying on the Nice Plains and the way the land functioned traditionally offers a mannequin to emulate. Biodiversity; bugs, animals, and crops working collectively makes the land extra productive. This partnership helps convey that conservation can coexist with, and even improve, agricultural manufacturing. 

Collins: We work with Audubon as a result of it’s the precise factor to do. As land stewards, our intention is to enhance the property every single day by emulating pure programs. Grassland fowl species are underrecognized but important to ecosystem operate. For a ranch to lack a habitat-management plan for these birds could be onerous to think about. 

Forrest: Audubon is a good group whose philosophy and information base align with ours. Their experience has offered steering we couldn’t have developed on our personal. 

These grassland fowl species are a number of the most below acknowledged, underappreciated, but additionally most important components of a wholesome functioning ecosystem. And the listing of ecosystem companies they supply goes on and on. So to have a ranch or a farm that doesn’t have a habitat administration plan for that animal that’s so important for land well being, that was past fathomable for us. 

Forrest: Audubon is essentially the most respected useful resource that additionally has a philosophical alignment with us, and a information base that we couldn’t have obtained on our personal.