If you took a look at me, your first impression probably isn’t “she’s a rancher.”

I don’t live on a ranch, I drive a small crossover, I have a small herd and pasture, and you can find me in pretty dresses more often than boots and jeans.

You wouldn’t have any clue that I started my ranching business this year.

The truth is that the average cow herd size in the US is just 43.5 head, according to the 2017 census. And only about 36% of farmers and ranchers in total are women. In a time when barriers to entry, like finding land and resources to buy equipment, feed and cattle, as well as increasing regulation and decreasing population involved in agriculture, it makes sense that many of us don’t fit the stereotype or the expectations traditionally held in the industry. We hold normal jobs outside the farm or ranch, we don’t use the same methods or practices, and our day-to-day lives function in a way people don’t expect from someone who calls themselves a “rancher.”

Most of us walk around in society without anyone knowing that we raise animals or crops to help feed people.

And that is what’s so cool about us, we are humans who have other interests and duties, but our passion and heart will always be with agriculture.

So, remember that when you see us in public, at the club, kayaking the lake, vacationing in big cities, sitting at a cute little cafe, or jamming at a Post Malone concert, that we fit into so many different cultures and identities and love them and celebrate them all. Our industry is full of people you wouldn’t ever expect to be part of agriculture and that’s what’s so beautiful about it. We hope you can love our ranching side as much as our pop culture-loving side, too.

I was watching Next in Fashion on Netflix last night.

In one challenge the designers had to use denim to create a new runway fashion look. One of the designers used scraps from the other designers to make his looks. He said he recognized how environmentally impactful the fashion industry can be and wants to make sure to be responsible and improve the eco-friendliness of the industry through his work.

I thought a few things when he said this.

1. It’s great to recognize that your industry has an impact on the environment. Everything on this planet does, and to want to work towards improving it in any way you can is something more people should strive for. Even though you love the industry and know that it’s what you are passionate about, it’s ok to recognize that there needs to be changed for the greater good.
   
2. If agriculture advocates said something similar, we could still face criticism. Even though we are all working to improve our animals so they are more efficient and we adopt practices that are better or even just talking about our love for the industry as a whole we receive ridicule. There’s a double standard there that irks me a little. I love the fashion industry, and I love agriculture, and I know there have been great advancements in both in order to provide for the world while also being eco friendly towards it.
   
3. The celebrities and icons in the world who often preach to us that our industry is harmful are oftentimes those at the front row of fashion shows and do other things that are considered bad for the environment(this doesn’t make them bad people, I just wish they understood the hypocrisy). We all have a responsibility to make the world better, and I don’t see a lot of critics of Ag from Hollywood spending their lives improving genetics and nutrition so animals are higher quality, better yielding and more efficient. I don’t see them out in their pastures working to make the soil and land better because that contributes so much to the health of our animals and gives land longevity.

Loving our industry doesn’t mean we ignore its downfalls, it means we want to make it better and that says a lot about the people involved in it.

What is one thing you would change about the ag industry?

I would change the public perspective of small and large farmers.

Small farmers are not just hobbyists. They are building their business up from the ground and might have off the farm jobs to provide security. Most are working hard to improve and grow their business. They still play a very crucial role in Industry events and decisions.

Large farms aren’t the bad guys, just because they found a way to increase their business and grow efficiently. Most have college degrees and outstanding knowledge of their commodities, and the resources to ensure their crops and livestock are well cared for. They provide higher quality food to people all over the world who may not have had access to it otherwise.

I would change the way people think certain management practices and operations don’t belong in agriculture, as if they don’t allow our nation to have better access to food, and better choices. With small and large, conventional and organic, and everything in between, we are so lucky to have such diversity and I wish more people could see that instead of trying to destroy it.

I support the local rancher,

who spends her weekends at farmers’ markets, who is the creative, communications, financial, legal, operations manager for her business and maybe also a mom, wife, and community member.

That doesn’t mean I’m against larger ranches, with hundreds of employees that handle daily operations.

Each one is made up of people who are working to improve their cattle and their business every day. Each one is providing families with healthy, quality raised beef, one of the best proteins you’ll ever consume. Both are giving back to their local economies, and both are giving back to their communities in different ways. Both are concerned about the welfare of their animals.

Your worth is not dependent upon your size. This goes for small and large.

The kind of marketing that puts down large operations(that are commonly family-owned) makes the small rancher who might be just starting out, afraid of growth, afraid of success, and afraid of how the world will perceive them Instead of being excited to provide a quality, homegrown product to a larger audience, providing customers the ability to choose and support them, and looking forward to possibly creating a business that provides an income to support their family.

I hope to see more positive marketing and less hate towards someone who is different.

Dear Cattlewomen:

Don’t be afraid of asking the “dumb” questions. Not knowing something doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it means you’re inexperienced and there is nothing wrong with wanting to learn.

Don’t be intimidated by the men and women who can talk circles around you with their knowledge, these are great learning opportunities, and anyone worth your time will show you kindness and compassion while you’re learning.

Don’t be afraid to love your animals and be excited in a slightly naive way. Passion is what this industry is about. If you don’t love your animals, and if you aren’t excited to be a part of their lives and journey, then you’re in the wrong profession.

Don’t lose hope. Finding land is a lot of work. Affording cattle is a lot of work. Caring for cattle is a lot of work, but none of it is hard. Everything is possible if you work at it and have a team of support behind you.

We all started somewhere and we all have so far to go. Your legacy may have started generations ago, or you may be like me, where it started with one little spark inside your heart that lit up when it saw cattle at 26 years old. It’s never too late, and you’re never all alone.

Make it work for you, not other people. So many people have opinions on how you should do things, and they may think they have a better way. Follow your heart. You know your cattle, and you know how you want things done. Be humble and willing to learn, but stand your ground and fight for yourself. Your voice matters for your herd.

Dream as though you have it all figured out, but let yourself get a little messy. We learn by the things we do wrong. When everything is always right, we never learn a lesson. Cattle ranching is more of a case of Murphy’s law anyway, so don’t be afraid to let things get messy. As long as you and your animals are safe and healthy, everything works itself out.

The only way to fail is by letting fear get in the way of your dreams. Everything else is just a small step towards achieving them.

Lastly, look out for your other cattlewomen, we are all in need of each other’s support.

Even if you own a small herd of cattle, you’re still a CEO.

You still have invested in something. You’re still building an empire. You still have a business plan, aspirations, and you’re still putting in the same effort that other powerful women are.

Remember that starting small is better than not starting at all. Take a risk, do the dang thing, and build your brand from the ground up. There are a lot of other women cheering you on, and hoping you’ll succeed.

I choose love.

I don’t hate you because you’re vegan.

I don’t hate you because you think regenerative ag is better than conventional.

I don’t hate you because you’re not in agriculture.

I don’t hate you because you’re a strong male who knows more than me.

I don’t hate you because you hate me.

I don’t hate you because your political beliefs are different. Or that the way you vote might make my passions a little more difficult to achieve, or cause inconvenience.

I don’t hate you because you think my way of life is wrong.

What I do hate, is hate.

Find more inspirational messages and thoughts on Facebook and Instagram @Girls Eat Beef Too