The Link
Changing times.
July 2, 2025
Change is a good thing; it is often a necessity. Change leads to growth and new opportunities.
Change, though, is often perceived as a threat, because it is the opposite of the status quo.
One of the most important characteristics we can have is the ability to adapt and embrace change. I love the quote from George Bernard Shaw that states: “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
Of course, not all change is good. The quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi reminds us we should “be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Change for change’s sake is of little value. Our focus should be on building new possibilities rather than simply fighting the status quo.
Our industry is a great example. We have core beliefs and values that make us unique and that make us special. Our industry is built around the non-negotiables of:
- taking care of the land;
- taking care of the animals; and
- taking care of our people and family who work in the business.
While these characteristics are not unique to the cattle industry, I believe livestock production has tended to attract a certain type of person. We respect independence, grit and hard work, honesty, and continuous improvement.
The lack of profitability in our industry led to a loss of market share, industry consolidation and industry concentration.
The cattle industry has always been built around the principles of sustainability, the ability and desire to be able to pass our operations to the next generation. Until about 2020, our industry did just about everything right except the key component of sustainability — profitability.
The lack of profitability in our industry led to a loss of market share, industry consolidation and industry concentration. It was a great lifestyle, but a terrible business, it survived primarily on land appreciation and improving efficiencies of production, all leading to the never-ending downward spiral of a commodity marketplace with narrow margins and large barriers to entry. It wasn’t surprising that our industry began to consolidate via concentration.
A change for good
Tough times force change, and the beef industry has changed dramatically in the last 40 years. It began with the value-based marketing revolution and the move away from commodity pricing. We began to differentiate our product with everything from grid pricing to branded programs.
The advent of expected progeny differences (EPDs) and genomics gave us the tools to make incredible genetic progress, and the market gave us incentives. The result is that we are now looking at historically high demand. According to CattleFax, the improvement in beef demand has added more than $800 to the value of every fed animal today!
These changes didn’t come without resistance; the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand wasn’t always one of the most successful and recognizable brands in the world. EPDs were not always embraced by the seedstock and commercial industries like they are today. The list of technologies, the changes in the way we do business, has been dramatic.
The exciting thing is that we have maintained our core values and those traits that make our industry truly unique and special, with a few bobbles here and there.
According to CattleFax, the improvement in beef demand has added more than $800 to the value of every fed animal today!
I have not been a proponent of all changes. I still think the hydraulic calf chute and the rise in use of UTVs and four wheelers to move cattle were net negatives. While the most used piece of equipment on our ranch is probably our side by side, and while we have not roped and dragged calves for quite some time, I still prefer horses and roping. It is ironic that we now travel to an arena and pay someone to let us rope steers and chase cattle down the fence. Still, change tends to happen for a reason.
The basic principles of our business are immutable. Our goals are to convert grass to high-quality protein. We have learned we must always find the balance between continually improving the quality of our product and continually improving the efficiency of production.
The consumer is and will always be the final arbitrator in our business. Every time we have responded to consumer desires we have been rewarded; every time we have neglected them we have paid the price. Genetics, management, marketing and risk management are the key factors that determine our competitive position in the marketplace, while the consumer dictates how many dollars are available to our industry.
We have made a lot of positive changes during the last 40 years. Most of those changes have been accompanied by disruption; however, in the end, they have created opportunity. Times are good, but we know change is a certainty, how we adapt to it is crucial for our operations. Understanding the dynamics of change and being adaptable will be key to navigating a rapidly transforming landscape. Taking a proactive approach to shaping the future and creating change will remain the key to making an even better future.
I’m excited about the changes ahead.
Editor’s note: Troy Marshall is director of commercial industry relations for the American Angus Association. For more information about Association programs helping realize the value of calves sired by registered Angus bulls, including AngusLinkSM, AngusVerifiedSM and the Genetic Merit ScorecardSM, click here.
Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, Vol. 17, No. 7-A
Topics: Business , Management , Marketing , Sustainability
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Issue: September 2025
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