Behind the Burger

New Mexico Beef Council
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Food
  • Biweekly

Behind every burger is a story. Produced by the New Mexico Beef Council, Behind the Burger introduces you to the ranchers, families, and industry professionals who raise cattle, steward the land, and keep beef at the center of New Mexico’s culture and economy. We go beyond the plate to explore heritage, hard work, nutrition, and the future of beef in our state - sharing transparent conversations that connect consumers to the people behind their food.

  1. 5d ago ·  Video

    Behind the Scenes at Landmark Mercantile Livestock Auction with Jaden McClure

    Send us Fan Mail A good cattle sale looks effortless from the seats, but the real work starts long before the first bid. From Las Cruces, we sit down with Jaden McClure of Landmark Mercantile Livestock Auction to get a grounded look at what a modern New Mexico sale barn does for ranchers, buyers, and the communities that depend on beef production. We talk about how Landmark grew from dairy supply and animal health into a livestock auction built on customer service, clean facilities, and relationships. Jaden breaks down what happens when cattle arrive: docking in, sorting, tagging, and why fresh, clean water and weekly pen cleaning matter for cattle health in an arid climate. If you have ever wondered how animal welfare, handling, and presentation affect buyer confidence, this conversation connects the dots. Then we get practical about cattle marketing and premiums. We dig into weaning, vaccination programs, working with your vet, and the power of simple records that help the sale barn tell your story on the block. We also touch the realities behind cattle prices, including drought, feed costs, diesel, and why honesty and accountability are nonnegotiable in agriculture. If you eat beef, you will leave with a clearer view of the work behind every cut. Subscribe, share with a friend who cares about agriculture, and leave a review to help more listeners find Behind the Burger. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  2. Oct 13 ·  Video

    How A Family Ranch Built A USDA-Inspected Processing Plant with Tommy Casados

    Send us Fan Mail A lot of people say they want “local beef,” but almost nobody gets to see what it takes to make that real. We’re in Tierra Amarilla with Tommy Casados, co-owner and CEO of C4 Enterprises, walking through how his family ranch grew into an on-farm USDA-inspected slaughter and processing plant plus a direct-to-consumer beef brand. From cow-calf roots to building a vertically integrated beef business, Tommy shares the decisions, risks, and day-to-day work that keep a rural, family-owned operation moving forward. We also get specific about New Mexico beef in schools. Tommy breaks down how the New Mexico Grown program helps school districts source New Mexico grown meats, what it looks like to fill ground beef orders on a harvest schedule, and why this market matters for local producers. Along the way, we talk about nutrition, why beef is such a powerful protein source, and the hard truth behind school meal budgets that stretch every dollar. Then we zoom into the business challenges people don’t always consider: marketing consistency, retail roadblocks, and how tough it can be to get a meeting with big grocery chains. Tommy shares what he’s building instead, including green chile beef sticks that stay refrigerated to keep ingredients simple, composting and bone-use projects that reduce landfill waste, and beef vending machines that help New Mexicans buy local meat any day of the week. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who buys beef, and leave a review so more listeners can find the people behind New Mexico beef. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  3. Sep 29 ·  Video

    From Ranch Hands To Bronze Stories In New Mexico with Cowboy Artist Curtis Fort

    Send us Fan Mail A working cowboy who can tell a story with a rope, a horse, and a hunk of bronze tends to notice details the rest of us miss. From the way a horse holds its ears to the unspoken rules around a chuck wagon, Curtis Fort has spent a lifetime learning what’s real, and then turning it into Western sculpture that makes people say, “I’ve been there.” We’re in Tatum, New Mexico with Curtis, a renowned artist and lifelong cowman, talking about where it all started: growing up on the ranch, riding with neighbors, and heading straight from high school to big outfits that still ran a wagon and relied on horsepower. Curtis shares the mentors who shaped him, what true leadership looks like in cowboy country, and why “ride for the brand” is less a slogan and more a daily decision to do the job right when nobody is watching. Then we dig into the craft behind his bronze sculptures. Curtis explains how authenticity and emotion work together, why horse people instantly spot what’s correct, and how art can teach the public about ranching, land stewardship, and beef production. Along the way, we swap stories about Western movies, cowboy etiquette, roping a bear, and the kind of pride that comes from building a life around hard work and meaning. If you care about the American West, Western heritage, ranch life, or the people behind beef, hit play, follow the show, and share this conversation with a friend. After you listen, leave a review and tell us what detail you think makes a Western story feel truly authentic. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  4. Sep 15 ·  Video

    How A Navajo Family Builds A Black Angus Herd In A Dry Climate with the Lantana Family

    Send us Fan Mail The auctioneer hums in the background at Four Corners Stockyards, and it’s the perfect soundtrack for a straight-from-the-source conversation about New Mexico beef. We’re in Kirtland with the Lantana family: Marjorie Lantana, her daughter Trina Lantana-Platero, and granddaughter Kynlie Lantana-Platero, who represent six generations of Navajo ranching rooted near Crownpoint and Farmington. We talk about how their cow-calf operation evolved from a small, mixed herd into Black Angus commercial cattle, and what they learned along the way about genetics, calving season, and making decisions that actually fit their land. You’ll hear why 4-H matters when the project calf comes from your own herd, and how youth involvement turns into real leadership, advocacy, and education for the future of agriculture. Then we get into the daily reality that shapes everything in this state: drought and water scarcity. The Lantanas walk us through practical drought management like cross-fencing, rotational grazing, and building water access to reduce pressure on pastures and cattle. We also cover herd health and prevention, including New World screwworm and why tools like injectable Dectamax and strong producer education can make a huge difference when cattle live on big country. If you care about sustainable ranching, animal wellbeing, rangeland management, and what “local beef” really takes, you’ll leave with a clearer picture and a deeper respect for the work behind every steak. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves beef, and leave us a review. What’s one beef or ranching question you want us to answer next? Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  5. Sep 1 ·  Video

    Why Four Corners Stockyards Rebranded And What A Stockyard Really Does with Shane Hatch

    Send us Fan Mail A name change can be more than a new sign on the gate, it can be a promise to the community you serve. We’re in the Four Corners area with Shane Hatch, longtime auctioneer and the face behind the newly named Four Corners Stockyards, to unpack why “location” matters in agriculture and how the word stockyards better captures the full scope of what happens there. We talk about what it means to run a true family business in the New Mexico beef industry, from office work to pen checks, and why Shane calls it “everybody else’s sale barn.” You’ll hear how a livestock auction becomes a gathering place where neighbors reconnect, markets get discussed in the stands, and sale day turns into its own kind of tradition. Shane also shares what’s most rewarding about cattle marketing: helping producers maximize value when they may only sell once or twice a year. Then we get practical. Shane breaks down the two challenges that hit both ranchers and sale barns hardest, weather and markets, and why even the best manager can’t outwork a drought or a bad cattle market. We also cover cattle care at the facility, including full feed and water, disinfected water sources, clean pens, and thoughtful transition hay to support animal comfort and welfare. If you care about New Mexico cattle, the ranching way of life, and what really happens behind the scenes before beef reaches your plate, this conversation is a clear window into the people who keep it moving. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves agriculture, and leave us a review so more listeners can find Behind the Burger. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  6. Aug 18 ·  Video

    Raising Cattle Takes A Whole Family And A Whole Lot Of Care with Philene Tyler

    Send us Fan Mail A dried-up lake. Extra hay runs. Miles of fence to mend. And three boys learning what it means to show up anyway. From the Four Corners Stockyards in Kirtland, New Mexico, we sit down with Philene Tyler, a Navajo cattle producer from Navajo, NM, for a grounded look at family ranching and the choices that shape New Mexico beef.  Philene shares how her operation grew from multi-generation knowledge passed down by her uncle, aunts, and grandparents, and why “more head” is never the whole goal. We talk about shifting from Beefmaster cattle to Black Angus, selling cattle to reinvest in feed, and keeping some beef at home to share with family. It is an honest conversation about the real economics of a cow-calf operation and the pride that comes from raising livestock the right way.  We also get into the tough parts: drought and water stress, the need to supplement feed, and the labor challenge when kids grow up and jobs pull them off the reservation. Philene explains the health basics that protect the herd, from staying current on vaccines and immunizations to choosing the right supplements and insisting on quality hay. She makes a strong case for quality over quantity, good grazing practices, and rotating bulls and rams so the next season is better than the last.  If you care about ranch life, animal care, and the people behind the beef supply chain, this one delivers. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find these New Mexico ranching stories. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  7. Aug 4

    How A New Mexico Dairyman Keeps Cows Healthy And Teams Strong with Sybrand Vander Dussen

    Send us Fan Mail A 4,000-cow dairy doesn’t run on luck. It runs on routines, trust, and the kind of leadership that keeps both animals and people steady when costs rise and markets swing. From Ruidoso, we talk with Sybrand Vander Dussen of Legend Dairy and the New Mexico dairy community about what “people first” actually looks like on a working operation, and why that mindset shows up in everything from training to day-to-day cow handling.  We get specific about animal care and animal welfare, including the not-so-glamorous details that make a real difference: manure management, clean pens, bedding that gets fluffed, and the constant push to keep cows comfortable and healthy. Sybrand also walks us through where his milk goes, what large-scale cheese production looks like in New Mexico, and why the state’s dry climate and cooler nights can reduce heat stress and support cattle health.  Then we dig into beef-on-dairy and why it has become a major shift for both the dairy industry and the beef supply chain. Sybrand shares how raising beef calves alongside dairy can support more consistent beef availability, plus the technologies that are changing herd management, including cow collars that track locomotion and rumination like a Fitbit for cattle. We also talk renewable energy, lessons learned from solar panels, and why agricultural trade organizations matter for education and policy.  If you care about New Mexico agriculture, dairy farming, beef production, or how food really gets from the farm to the store, hit play and come along. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the people behind the burger. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

  8. Jul 21

    How A Beef Economist Reads Weather, Trade, And Demand with Don Close

    Send us Fan Mail We sit down with beef economist Don Close to unpack what actually moves beef prices and why the cattle cycle changes slower than most people expect. We talk through weather, trade, risk management, and the data points that hint at herd expansion, plus the shocks that rewired the beef supply chain.  • what a beef economist does and why forecasting matters for producers and consumers  • how Don’s career moves from ranch life to market analysis, risk management, and global work  • why weather remains the biggest disruptor and how politics and trade volatility layer on risk  • how producers can reduce price risk with contracting, futures, and insurance products  • why knowing true break-even costs is the foundation for any hedging decision  • what drives beef price swings, including macroeconomics and global demand signals  • how fertility rates and aging populations can flatten food consumption decades early  • why beef supply cannot change quickly due to the 2.5 to 3 year production timeline  • what signals to watch for herd expansion, including heifer mix and cow slaughter rates  • what BSE and COVID reveal about sudden disruption and how consumers respond  • why beef prices look different when compared to CPI and average hourly wages  • what strong protein demand trends could mean, including the role of GLP-1s  • the “perfect cheeseburger” pursuit and why tougher cuts are the real cooking test  Follow the show so you never miss an episode and connect with us on social media for more behind-the-scenes stories and updates. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at NM Beef and on Facebook at NM Beef Council.  Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Behind every burger is a story. Produced by the New Mexico Beef Council, Behind the Burger introduces you to the ranchers, families, and industry professionals who raise cattle, steward the land, and keep beef at the center of New Mexico’s culture and economy. We go beyond the plate to explore heritage, hard work, nutrition, and the future of beef in our state - sharing transparent conversations that connect consumers to the people behind their food.

Information

  • Creator
    New Mexico Beef Council
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind the Burger
  • Show Website
    Behind the Burger

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