A beef about biodiversity in ag

I take a somewhat perverse pride in being able to tell people where the beef they are eating came from. Not just the USDA-recommended country of origin, but when it comes to the beef I serve, I can tell them the name, birth and slaughter date, personal history and family background of that particular T-bone.

My family raised a small beef herd, and I continue that tradition. The biggest herd I’ve had so far has been 11 head—including cows, calves yearlings and bull. Although small, it is enough to feed our family and have extra to trade and give to friends.

Like the big beef producers, my husba...