Sponsored by Merial
Alliance/Web Address Contact Year estab. Cattle in alliance in 2004 Average premium paid/head Cost Minimum head Grids geared to QG, YG or both (see key) Par point on grid Carcass weight on grid Harvest states Required genetics Practices required: S, W, P, N (see key) Electronic ID capable Retained ownership required Aligned with specific feeders, packers or retailers Cow-calf producer post-harvest
Advertisement
| Alliance/Web Address | Contact | Year estab. | Cattle in alliance in 2004 | Average premium paid/head | Cost | Minimum head | Grids geared to QG, YG or both (see key) | Par point on grid | Carcass weight on grid | Harvest states | Required genetics | Practices required: S, W, P, N (see key) | Electronic ID capable | Retained ownership required | Aligned with specific feeders, packers or retailers | Cow-calf producer post-harvest premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer-Based Programs | |||||||||||||||||
| Angus America, www.angusamerica.com | Mark Nelson, 402/462-2057, Mark_A_Nelson@angusamerica.com | 1996 | 50,000 | $8.50/hd | $2-$4.50/hd | 35 | QG, YG | Choice YG3 | 550-949 lbs. | NE, CO, KS | 80% USDA Angus (51% black-hided, Red Angus feeder calf tagged, or a combination of both) | None | Y | N | Packer — Excel Corp. | N/A | |
| Angus Gene Net, www.genenetbeef.com | Dr. Ken Conway, 913/397-9100, genenet@comcast.net | 1998 | 100,000 | $26.18/hd | $3/hd | 20 | Both | Choice YG3 | 535-950 lbs. | NE, CO, TX | None | Pay a premium for source verification | Y | N | Packer — Swift & Co. | Y | |
| BC Natural Foods, LLC, www.colemannatural.com | Scott Coakley, director cattle procurement, 303/884-7202; or Jim Coakley, VP of red meats, 970/466-7201 | 1979 | 100,000+ | N/A | None | 1 | Both | Select — par, Choice — premium | 600-900 lbs. steer, 600-850 lbs. heifer | Midwest and Western states | 50% need to grade Choice | S, P, N | N | N | Feeder — Small feeders throughout the West and Midwest | N | |
| Beef Advantage, www.ourcoop.com | Keith Harrison, 615/793-8585 beefadvantage@ourcoop.com | 2001 | 7,000 | N/A | $1/head | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | W, P, two round animal health program with MLV boster, bunk broke following a nutritionally sound co-op feeding program, castration and deworming | Y | N | N/A | N/A | |
| Brangus Gene Net, www.genenetbeef.com | Dr. Ken Conway, 913/397-9100, genenet@comcast.net | 1999 | 100,000 | $26.18/hd | $3/hd | 20 | Both | Choice YG3 | 535-950 lbs. | NE, CO, TX | 25% Brangus | Pay a premium for source verification | Y | N | Packer — Swift & Co. | Y | |
| Cargill Cattle Feeders LLC | Ben Brophy, 806/371-3711, ben_brophy@cargill.com | 2000 | 65,000 | $20/hd | None | 120 hd, one sex | Both | Choice YG3 | 600-900 lbs. | TX, KS | > 50% British, 0-50% Continental, 0-18.75% Brahman | P, S | Y | N | Feeder — Cargill Cattle Feeders LLC, packer — Cargill Meat Solutions, retailer — Safeway & Harris Teeter | Y | |
| Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB), Feedlot Licensing Program (FLP) www.cabpartners.com | Steve Suther, 785/889-4162, ssuther@certifiedangusbeef.com | CAB: 1978, FLP: 1998 | 215,000 | Ch/Sel + $4.50/cwt. | None | 1 | Both | Vary with packer | Vary with packer | CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MI, MN, NE, PA, TX, WA, WI, CAN | 50% or greater Angus | CAB Natural Program opened 2004 | Y | Vary with feedlot | 80 feeders, 26 packers, 6,000 retailers, 7,000 restaurants and international distributors | Vary with feedlot | |
| Certified Hereford Beef LLC www.herefordbeef.org | Jim Williams, vice president of supply, 816/842-3758, jwilliams@herefordbeef.org | 1995 | 322,000 | $14-$16/hd | None | N/A | Both | Choice YG4 or less, Choice & Select | 600-1,000 lbs. | NE, KS | 100% British, at least 50% Hereford | Corn feeding | Y | N | Greater Omaha Packing Co., National Beef Packing, LLC | Y | |
| Charolais Gene Net www.genenetbeef.com | Dr. Ken Conway, 913/397-9100, genenet@comcast.net | 2001 | 100,000 | $26.18/hd | $3/hd | 20 | Both | Choice YG3 | 535-950 lbs. | NE, CO, TX | 25% Charolais | Pay a premium for source verification | Y | N | Packer — Swift & Co. | Y | |
| Consolidated Beef Products Inc. www.consolidatedbeef.com | Bruce Cobb, 806/655-8955, bruce@consolidatedbeef.com | 2000, began operations in March 2001 | 210+ cattle feeding entities | N/A | Full member — $3,000 one-time membership fee, $1/hd marketed; Associate member — $3,000 membership fee (Paid out at 50¢/hd marketed), $1.00/hd marketed | N/A | All grids available to the market | Choice YG3 | 650-900 lbs. | TX, NM, OK, KS, CO, NE, WY, IA, MN, SD | N/A | N/A | N/A | N | Cooperative owned by member feedyards and cattle feeders | N/A | |
| Country Natural Beef www.countrynaturalbeef.com, www.oregoncountrybeef.com | Dan Probert, 541/473-3355, dprobert@fmtc.com | 1986 | 32,000 | Cost of production/return on investment | Responsibility of being member of co-op, 11 days/year | 120 | Both | High Select, low Choice YG1 &2 | 600-775 lbs. | WA | Cattle selected by biological type | S, N, food alliance certification, no ionophores | N | Y | Retailer — Natural Food Stores, packer — Washington Beef, feeder — Beef Northwest | Cost of production/return on investment | |
| Decatur Beef Alliance www.decaturfeedyard.com | Warren Weibert, 888/675-2212, warren@decaturfeedyard.com | 1994 | 40,000 | Confidential | App. $9/hd | Load lot of same sex | Both | Choice YG3 | 550-950 lbs. | KS | < 25% Bos indicus | S, W, P | Y | 50% | Packer — Excel | N/A | |
| Iowa Quality Beef Supply Coop www.iacattlemen.org | Gene Rouse — 515/292-7385 | 1999 | 125,000 | Boxed beef-based pricing | Must own or lease shares | 30 | Both | Choice YG3A | 550-950 lbs. | N/A | None | Premium for S | Y | N | Packer — Swift & Co. | N | |
| Laura's Lean Beef www.laurasleanbeef.com | Don Knore, VP of cattle procurement, 800/392-9389, dknore@llbcorp.com | 1985 | 70,000 | $109.50/head average slaughter premium (Slaughter cattle with 700-lb. carcass including premium over market price, bonus grid, freight to slaughter) | No cost to producers except weighing the feeder cattle | No established minimum | YG | Select QG, 1.8-1.9 YG | 550 to 800 lbs. | NE, WI, MN | 3/4 Continental or more, heavy muscled, lean bodied | All-natural, 2 round vaccination program with a modified-live booster, 45 days weaned, bull calves castrated, wormed, dehorned | Y | N | N/A | For load lots of cattle, 35% of slaughter bonus | |
| Montana Ranch Brand www.montanaranchbrand.com | Terry O'Neill, 406/373-6016, tomahawk@mcn.net | 1994 | 10,000 | $75/hd | Free | 40 | Both | YG2.8 and Choice -, Select | 600-900 lbs. | NE | 3/8 British, 5/8 Continental | S, W, P, N | Y | N | Sell directly to the retailer | Y, under certain conditions | |
| Montana Range Piedmontese Beef www.montanarange.com | Terry Hause, 888/251-1847, info@montanarange.com | 1999 | 6,000 | $0.10-$0.25 HCW | $0 | N/A | No grid | No grid | 850 lbs. | All | Piedmontese sired | S,W, P, N | N/A | Available | Yes | Yes | |
| Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef Inc. www.necornfedbeef.com | Jo McElwain, 402/475-2333, jo@necornfedbeef.com | 1997 | 32,000 | $12/hd | $4/hd | 1 | Both | Choice YG3 | 550-1,000 lbs. | NE | No Bos indicus | S, W, P, BQA guidelines | Y | N | Feeder — Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef feedyard, packer — Swift & Co., Premium Protein Products, Excel | N | |
| Nolan Ryan's Tender Aged Beef www.nolanryanbeef.com | Coy Meyring, 806/457-1389, cmeyring@nolanryanbeef.com | 2000 | Confidential | Varies (call for information) | None | 1 | Yield | Select, YG1 & 2 | 600-899 lbs. | TX | None, prefer Bos indicus | N | Y | N | Feeder (licensed feedyards in South Texas and Texas panhandle) packers (Sam Kane Beef and Swift & Co.), retailers (Kroger) | Y | |
| Performance Plus — Retained Ownership | Don Cain Jr., 888/269-8387, performance@alloisp.com | 1993 | Confidential | $32.90/hd | $7.50/hd | 1 | Both | N/A | 500-975 lbs. | IA, KS, NE, CO, MO, SD | 50-75% British, 25-50% Continental | MSI scanned | Y | Y | N | N | |
| Performance Plus — Sale Barn | Don Cain Jr., 888/269-8387, performance@alloisp.com | 1993 | Confidential | $22.33/hd | $8/hd | 1 | Both | N/A | 500-975 lbs. | IA, KS, NE, CO, MO, SD | 50-75% British, 25-50% Continental | MSI scanned, S, Vac 45 | Y | Y | N | N | |
| Power Genetics www.powergenetics.com | Jason Anderson or Mark Tracy, 308/493-5604 | 1993 | Confidential | Confidential | None | 35 | Both | Confidential | Confidential | Confidential | Power Genetics | S, W, P | Y | N | Confidential | Y | |
| Premium Gold Angus Beef www.pgabeef.com | Ron Vanderboon, 616/361-2808, 616/485-4257 (cell), rybon@msn.com | 1993 | 100,000 | $20-$30/hd | $3/hd | No minimum | Both | Choice YG3 | 600-950 lbs. | NE | 50% Angus | S, W, P | Y | N | Packers — Tyson | Yes, with PGA approved bulls | |
| Ranchers Renaissance, www.ranchersrenaissance.com | Rose Hickert 303/662-1945, RanchersR@ranchersrenaissance.com | 1997 | 100,000+ | Confidential | Confidential | N/A | Paid based on value created | N/A | Confidential | TX, CO, Canada | 50% British, 50% Continental | W, P, Process verification | Y | Optional | Feeder, packer, retailer | Y | |
| Red Angus Feeder Calf Certification Program, www.redangus.org | Ann Holsinger or Blake Angell, 940/387-3502, ann@redangus.org, blake@redangus.org | 1995 | 100,000 | Depends on location | $1.19/hd | 1 | QG | Choice YG3 | 550-950 lbs. | CO, NE, KS | 50% Red Angus, calves must have one registered Angus parent | S | N/A | N | Packer — Excel Corp. | N | |
| Simply Better Beef LLC, www.smithfieldfoods.com | Al Perez, 970/304-2913, al.perez@fiveriverscattle.com | 1995 | 150,000 | Confidential | No cost to producers for group data, $1-$3 individual & full data | Load lots of steers or heifers | Both | Choice YG3 | 536-999 lbs. | CO, ID, TX | British cross and Continental x British feeder cattle | S, P | Y | N | Feeder — Five Rivers Ranch Cattle Feeding, Packer — Smithfield Foods | N | |
| U.S. Premium Beef Ltd., www.uspremiumbeef.com | Tracy Thomas, 866/877-2525, tlthomas@uspb.com | 1996 | 600,000 | $20/hd average | Membership and share access | 20 | Both | 50% Choice YG3 | 575-1,000 lbs. | KS | Breeds with high-quality grade carcass traits | None | Y | N | Packer — National Beef Packing Co. | Yes | |
| Western Grasslands Beef | Wayne Langston, 530/253-1193, langstoncattle@frontiernet.net | 2002 | N/A | Confidential | $3/hd | 1 | N/A | N/A | 1,150 lbs. live weight | CA | 51% Black or Red Angus | S, W, P, N, grassfed only, Born & Raised in the USA® certification | N | Y | Confidential | N | |
| Calf-Based Programs | |||||||||||||||||
| BUB Ranch Beef Alliance | Don Bush or Holly Meyer, 417/867-3336 | 1998 | 3,000 | $45/hd — Live $78/hd — Killed | Buy BUB genetics, average bull — $2,450, commercial female — $1,350 | 1 | YG | N/A | N/A | MO, TX, AR | Sired by BUB bull or from a BUB sired female | S, Preconditioned at least 45 days, fully vaccinated | Y | N/A | Joplin Regional Stockyards, U Lazy 2 Ranch, Flink Rock Feeders | Y | |
| Cooperative Beef $olutions — combining superior genetics and advanced management technologies to capture the most net dollars for your cattle! www.cooperativebeefsolutions.com | Willie Altenburg, 970/568-7881; Tim Davis, 800/584-0040; Dan Dorn, 888/675-2212; Joe Young, 800/858-4330; Info@cooperativebeefsolutions.com | 2003 | N/A | $15-$25/hd management improvement | $10-$12/hd | 1 load 1 sex — will accommodate multiple owners | N/A | Choice/3B | 550-950 lbs. | KS | None | S | Y | Y | Feeder — Decatur County Feedyard, packer — Excel, genetics — Genex, Herd, Management Programs — Midwest Micro Systems (Cow Sense) | N/A | |
| MFA Health Track Beef Alliance, www.mfahealthtrack.com | Mike John, 573/876-5573, mjohn@mfa-inc.com | 1998 | 42,816 | $43.70/hd | None for members | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | TX, KS, NE, MO, IL | Low % Bos indicus and dairy | S, W, P, standardized nutrition | Y | N/A | No | N/A | |
| Missouri Verified Beef, www.moverifiedbeef.com | Brad White 662/312-1443, bradwhite@probeef.org | 2000 | 1,100 + | $39/hd | See Web site | 5 | Both | N/A | N/A | Multiple | No dairy | S, W, P, process verification | Y | N/A | Confidential | Y | |
| Montana Beef Network, www.mbn.montana.edu | Lisa Duffey, project coordinator, 406/994-4324, lduffey@montana.edu | 1999 | 24,600 | N/A | Source and age verification — $3/head, Source and age verification w/tracking and carcass data collection — $5/head | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | All U.S. | none | S, W, P | Y | N | N | N/A | |
| Piedmont Cattle Producers Association, www.pcmabeef.com | Phil Slay, 334/864-0407 | 1994 | 2,150 | 8¢ over market | $1.25/hd | 20 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Midwest feedlots | 50% Angus, 1/8 Bos indicus | S, W, P, V (2 rounds) | Y | N/A | Alabama Feeder Cattle Council | N/A | |
| KEY: Grids: geared to QG = quality grade, YG = yield grade, Both = quality and yield grade Practices Required: S = source verification, W = weaning, P = preconditioning, N = natural (i.e., typically prohibit the use of antibiotics and growth hormones) | |||||||||||||||||
Editor's Note: BEEF defines alliances in this listing as either consumer-based alliances — those that focus on finding, feeding and marketing cattle according to pre-defined consumer product specifications, or calf-based — those concerned with procuring calves that fit certain value requirements. These BEEF Yellow Pages provide the most comprehensive public listing of industry alliances to date. Some that were contacted declined to participate.