CAB Honors 2025 High Achievers
CAB honors those who take the lead in producing high-quality beef for the brand at annual conference in Austin, Texas.
November 3, 2025
Each year, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) honors those who take the lead in producing high-quality beef for the brand, introducing them to the licensees who serve the products during the annual conference. This year’s event, hosted Sept. 24-26 in Austin, Texas, featured an all-star lineup of cow-calf and feedlot honorees.
We feature the commercial (click here) and feedyard (click here) Commitment to Excellence winners in this issue. Following are introductions to features on the other winners. Full stories are available online.
Seedstock Commitment to Excellence
Tehama Angus Ranch honored for multi-generational commitment to balanced genetics and stewardship.
Stretches of orchard flash by like the rhythm of a lullaby in rows. Tucked into a horseshoe of mountain ranges, sunbeams cascade across a landscape more known for celebrities and coastlines than its farmland.
Yet on a quiet stretch of Northern California rangeland, a different story unfolds. The Borror family’s legacy modestly speaks through the cattle they raise and the ground they steward. The generations who’ve made a life here demonstrate commitment to doing things right, even when no one is watching.
“We don’t take it lightly,” Erin Borror says. “We are gifted with this land to be stewards of it, not only for our generations, but for everyone around us, as well.”
Progressive Partner
The Zybach family has built a reputation on cattle care, community service and a commitment to doing things right.
“When I die, I want to come back as one of your cows,” murmurs a friend to Steve Zybach. With a herd full to the brim from an alfalfa ration every day and bountiful fields of lovegrass stretched out across the Texas Panhandle, these owners leave no ounce of cattle care up for question.
The Zybachs’ motivation for this level of dedication to their Angus cattle is simply love.
“It’s not always an easy lifestyle, but it’s one of the best there is because I love being with the cattle and working, and just the rural atmosphere,” says Steve’s wife and top hand, Joy. “There’s just nothing like it.”
An equal driving force is the fulfillment of moving ahead and lifting others along the way.
“There’s always room for improvement,” Steve says. “And there’s always room to help people.”
Sustainability Award
Means Ranch earns 2025 Certified Angus Beef Sustainability Award.
The horizon swallows the sky in every direction — miles of sparse grama grass and greasewood swaying under a pitiless sun. Just over the foothills of the Davis Mountains, cowboys are horseback, driving a herd of cow-calf pairs toward catch pens.
It’s the picture of ranching, romanticized. Until you live it. On the Means Ranch, beauty is a thin veil over a land that is barren and desolate. Unforgiving.
What makes a ranch sustainable? To Jon Means, it’s simple: the same family, ranching on the same land, for the last 140 years. Keys to success include responsible usage of water, caring for the land and its wildlife, and destocking their herd while the land recovers from drought. Then building back with quality Angus genetics, geared toward grid premiums.
With Jon and Jackie at the helm, Means Ranch Co. has more than survived — it has thrived.
Ambassador Award
Maplecrest Farms recognized for promoting each segment of the beef industry.
The beef business is built on partnerships, some sealed by pen, some with a handshake.
“We look for those we can belly up with and go through thick and thin,” says Joanie Grimes, owner of Maplecrest Farms, Hillsboro, Ohio. “That’s how we approach Certified Angus Beef as a partner.”
It’s a mindset that makes Maplecrest Farms a strong ambassador, not just for the brand, but for the entire breed. Joanie, with daughter Lindsey and her husband, Adam Hall, raise registered Angus cattle with two primary goals: producing high-quality seedstock that perform well in a wide variety of environments and ensuring end-user satisfaction.
Those goals tie everything together, from promoting Angus to other producers to sharing their story with CAB partners and beef consumers.
Canadian Commitment to Excellence
Cross family earns CAB’s 2025 Canadian Commitment to Excellence award.
In the Eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies, the land stretches in steep, sweeping curves. Bold and untamed. Native grasses blanket the ridgelines. Spring-fed creeks cut through valleys, feeding rivers that have shaped the foothills for centuries. It’s a beautiful place, yet brutal for ranchers.
To raise cattle here, you need more than determination. You need vision and a commitment to double down on what works best. That’s what defines Cross Cattle Co.
South of Calgary, Alberta, brothers Austin and Malcolm Cross carry on a century-old family history.
Their great-great-grandfather staked his future on this land. Today, the Cross brothers are building one of their own — with Angus cattle that not only perform in the harsh environment, but consistently meet the highest standards for beef quality.
Topics: Award winner , Management , Marketing , Ranch profile , Success Stories
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Issue: November 2025
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Current Angus Beef Bulletin
Our November issue is focused on having your herd winter-ready and features ranches honored by Certified Angus Beef.
