A journey to South Africa inspired one Idaho native to bring a unique form of meat production back to the United States— ostrich farming!
According to Alex McCoy, “I was living in South Africa working in a totally different industry and I was training for an Ironman Triathlon, and this was my training food. So, one day I was craving red meat and wanted a big piece of beef. So I went into a restaurant in South Africa and instead of beef, there was ostrich on the menu. So, I said, ‘yeah, I’ll take some ostrich’ and this huge ostrich steak, it tasted just like beef. It was amazing. Satisfied by red meat craving. However, I felt great after eating it. I felt so light. In fact, I was like, ‘you know what? I’m just going to go for a run.’ I was training for a huge race at the time. So I went out and ran sixteen miles, like within an hour of eating this massive red meat steak, and from that moment on, I was hooked.”
McCoy says that experience inspired him to learn more about ostrich meat, ultimately leading him to leave his old career behind and work towards bringing ostrich to America!
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 agenda centers on labor stability, biosecurity, and economic resilience for family farms. Expanded DMC coverage improves risk protection for dairy operations facing tighter margins.
January 14, 2026 11:19 AM
·
Agronomy experts explain why standing crop residue protects soil and reduces costs for crop growers, while shredding often yields little benefit at higher costs.
January 14, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today unveiled a bold plan to protect the nation’s prime farm and ranchland from the rapid spread of data centers.
January 13, 2026 03:36 PM
Secretary Rollins also met with specialty crop producers at a local strawberry farm to discuss workforce needs and the Trump Administration’s recent wins related to significantly cutting the cost of H-2A labor for California farmers.
January 13, 2026 03:25 PM
·
China’s beef policy risk stems from domestic volatility, making export demand inherently unstable. Jake Charleston with Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on cattle markets, risk management, and producer sentiment.
January 13, 2026 02:13 PM
·
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said permanent access to the higher ethanol blend would provide farmers with much-needed certainty while supporting domestic crop demand.
January 13, 2026 01:31 PM
·
