One Cattle Rancher's Defense Against Mad Cow

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Tracy Vedder

TENINO - Mad cow disease here could cost the local cattle industry millions in lost exports and lower prices. But some ranchers already protected their operations. One specialty ranch outside of Olympia survives because of the way they raise and sell beef.

Greg Schoenbachler is a third-generation cattle rancher. But his cattle operation has changed dramatically since the days his grandfather was in charge.

"You can't make a living doing this the way my grandpa did. Times are changing, we gotta change with it or we gotta get out," he said.

All Schoenbachler's beef calves are born from Angus cows he raised himself. He doesn't use antibiotics or growth hormones, and most of what his beef eat is raised right on the ranch. By the end of 2004, he hopes to raise 100 percent of his feed himself. It's not organic, but natural.

He handles everything, all the way to the butcher. So not only does Schoenbachler know everything that goes into his cattle, so do his customers.

-more-

http://www.komotv.com/stories/29062.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Sounds like he is going back to the way

his grand father used to do it... organic that is the future

[cliss]

2. Then he is going to get the customers.

And rightly so. When and if people start dying of beef-related illnesses, the public will pay attention very closely. They will abandon any unsafe meat and take their wallets and go to smaller businessmen like Mr. Schoenbachler.