ILLINOIS BEEF, SUSTAINABLY RAISED BY LOCAL FAMILY FARMERS.


From the pasture to your plate, beef farmers are committed to providing a great tasting, sustainable protein your family can enjoy.

TODAY’S FARM FAMILIES icon

TODAY’S FARM FAMILIES

Behind the great tasting beef you love are farm families dedicated to raising animals with the utmost care, compassion and pride. They are passionate about what they do today and the legacy they’re leaving for tomorrow.

Illinois’ 14,000+ beef farmers believe in producing affordable food for us all while caring for their animals and the environment.

Farmers are creating opportunities for future generations by adopting sustainable technologies and smart-farming practices like renewable energy.

Farmers take great care of their land and animals because they live off that land, breathe that air and raise their kids right where they work.

The Martz Family

Justin and Jamie Martz are part of a three-generation family farm raising beef cattle and growing corn and soybeans in Maple Park, Illinois. Every decision is based on making the farm the best it possibly can be so if their kids choose, they can farm one day, too.

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SUSTAINABLY RAISED BEEF

We hear you. You want food to be raised sustainably with less impact to our planet. We do too. Farmers have made big changes in beef’s overall sustainability. Here are a few examples.

Raising beef accounts for just 2% of all U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

96% of Illinois farms are owned by families working to improve land, water and natural resources for the next generation to farm.

Beef cattle can live off land that is unusable for raising crops, upcycling the plants into high-quality protein.

Trent Sanderson

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THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL BEEF

Nothing beats the taste of beef. We’re here to help you to enjoy your beef and cook with confidence any way you like it, from traditional ground beef to affordable cuts that deserve a little more attention.

Lean and boneless, sirloin tip steak makes great cabobs, stir fry or cubed steak.

Ground beef for breakfast? Find cooking inspiration with these recipes to start your day right.

Local farmers, local food. Many Illinois families can ship beef direct to your door. Check them out.

Andrew Bagley

As a family-run market near St. Louis, Bagley Farms Meat Market sources local beef as much as possible, with a commitment to the highest quality standards for everything sold. He and his family also farm and raise Angus cattle, corn, soybeans and wheat.

BEEF FACTS FROM THE FARMERS THEMSELVES icon

BEEF FACTS FROM THE FARMERS THEMSELVES

Illinois’ beef industry is pretty special. Nowhere else can you find the diversity of farms, from farmers who specialize in raising calves to those who grow corn to feed and finish cattle. At each farm, you’ll find farmers committed to only the best in animal care and welfare.

Farmers continually innovate and adopt new ideas to meet and exceed food industry quality and safety standards.

Cattle eat mostly grass. Some are grain-finished the last few months in a feedlot, eating forages and a mix of corn and other grains.

Sometimes antibiotics are needed to humanely treat sick animals. Strict protocols ensure meat is always antibiotic free.

Emily Adcock

Emily is a fourth-generation farm girl who married into a family dedicated to raising Angus and Simmental cattle. She is passionate about the role she plays in caring for her animals, and lives by their family’s key principle of land conservation to keep crops and cattle healthy.