The Gate Post Podcast

Arizona Cattle Growers Association

Welcome to Ranchers for Tomorrow: The Gate Post, the official podcast of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association. Join host Nate Brawley as he shares conversations with Arizona ranchers, industry leaders, and advocates about the people, policies, and traditions shaping the future of the state's beef industry. From stories on the ranch to updates from the association, each episode celebrates the heritage, resilience, and innovation driving Arizona cattle ranching forward.

Episodes

  1. Sep 1

    Ranching and Resilience: Navigating Change in Arizona with Jim Koweek

    In this Gate Post podcast episode sponsored by the Arizona Cattle Industry Research and Education Foundation and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Nate interviews Jim Koweek, a longtime southeast Arizona revegetation and monitoring consultant and author of two field ID guides (“Grassland Plant ID” and “Sonoran Desert Plant ID for Everyone”). Jim describes his shift from reseeding work to monitoring/consulting, notes agencies’ emphasis on using locally native seed, and observes hotter, drier conditions driving vegetation shifts such as lower-elevation grasses moving upslope. He argues monitoring is increasingly important because recent decades have been among the driest in centuries and rangeland no longer “always comes back,” and he shares a Tonto National Forest example where monitoring data helped a permittee keep a grazing permit. He recommends starting with U of A Cooperative Extension or NRCS, emphasizes boots-on-the-ground over satellite-only tools, discusses mixed outcomes of mesquite grubbing and the need for retreatment, and challenges ranchers to manage for whole-system soil health and adapt beyond “how grandpa did it,” using cooperation with agencies.

  2. Jul 27

    From Field to Feedlot: The Story White Barn Beef

    In this Gate Post podcast episode sponsored by the Arizona Cattle Industry Research and Education Foundation and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Nate interviews Jason Barnard of White Barn Hay and Cattle/White Barn Beef about his integrated operation near the Arizona–New Mexico line. Barnard describes farming irrigated forages, feeding up to 5,000 head and finishing American Wagyu-cross cattle, and direct-marketing beef at farmers' markets. He outlines challenges of diversification, competing time demands between farming, feedlot, and ranch, and educating consumers on topics like GMOs. He discusses drought-driven shifts toward Corriente-cross cows to maintain the herd and market calves through their beef program. Barnard emphasizes minerals and timely, multi-round vaccination to reduce sickness and death loss, notes buyer selectivity despite high calf prices, and explains limited implant use to prioritize beef quality and consumer preferences, while prioritizing cattle health in backgrounding. Learn more about ranching initiatives in Arizona at https://www.azcattlegrowers.org/. 00:28 Meet Jason and the Ranch02:12 Integrated System Challenges06:50 Marketing Beef and Story08:36 GMO Questions and Drought Adaptation11:56 Vaccines and Arizona Feedlots16:07 Timing Vaccines and Stress20:26 High Prices and Vaccination Premiums23:22 Reputation and Customer Calves28:35 Growth Implants Explained36:06 Quality Programs and Consumer Trends38:16 Bridging the Industry Disconnect

  • 2 Episodes

About

Welcome to Ranchers for Tomorrow: The Gate Post, the official podcast of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association. Join host Nate Brawley as he shares conversations with Arizona ranchers, industry leaders, and advocates about the people, policies, and traditions shaping the future of the state's beef industry. From stories on the ranch to updates from the association, each episode celebrates the heritage, resilience, and innovation driving Arizona cattle ranching forward.

Information

  • Creator
    Arizona Cattle Growers Association
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Arizona Cattle Growers Association
  • Show Website
    The Gate Post Podcast