Modern-day Consumer Concerns About Beef

2025-09-15

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In this episode of Casual Cattle Conversations, host Shaye Wanner sits down with Katey Johnson, a first-generation rancher and beef advocate, to talk about addressing consumer concerns in today’s beef industry. From questions about grass-fed vs. grain-finished beef to myths about factory farms, Katey shares how she connects with consumers at farmers markets, online, and through direct-to-consumer beef sales. If you’ve ever wondered how to better engage with consumers or how to respond to tough questions about beef production, this conversation will give you practical ins...

In this episode of Casual Cattle Conversations, host Shaye Wanner sits down with Katey Johnson, a first-generation rancher and beef advocate, to talk about addressing consumer concerns in today’s beef industry. From questions about grass-fed vs. grain-finished beef to myths about factory farms, Katey shares how she connects with consumers at farmers markets, online, and through direct-to-consumer beef sales.

If you’ve ever wondered how to better engage with consumers or how to respond to tough questions about beef production, this conversation will give you practical insights and encouragement.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction with Shaye Wanner
01:35 – Why Katey Johnson bet on the beef industry

04:21 – Becoming a first-generation rancher
06:00 – Selling beef direct-to-consumer and shipping nationwide
07:21 – Common consumer concerns about beef production
09:22 – Explaining the beef lifecycle: cow-calf to feedyard

11:14 – Why Katey is “Team Beef” regardless of how it’s finished
13:03 – Grass-finished vs. grain-finished: consumer perceptions
15:24 – Shocking myths and misinformation consumers believe
17:05 – Beef’s role in upcycling food byproducts
18:30 – Addressing glyphosate and other health claims
19:57 – Building consumer trust as a rancher
21:27 – Advice for ranchers: engaging with consumers respectfully
23:36 – What Katey would do differently in her first five years
24:50 – Where to connect with Katey online

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