September 8, 2016
The Jaeger family knows that without optimum health in all aspects of their operation, there is no sustainability. They want the people outside of agriculture to know it too.
Titus Jaeger of Ingalls, Kansas, puts the consumer first. “We think it’s important to have transparency in what we’re doing and how we’re producing to the consumer, and we believe that it’s imperative to handle our livestock in a low-stress environment and to follow the protocols and guidelines that are set by the Beef Quality Assurance.”
Studies show that two of the Jaegers’ operational goals are closely related: producing the best beef and low-stress cattle handling.
Erika Jaeger explains, “I think when you want high-quality beef, that includes taking really great care of the cattle and really great care of the land that you’re on. They all work together. The word holistic really defines what we’re looking for.”
That means looking at the entire business, from genetics and marketing to animal and soil health. The family has made improvements with a comprehensive grazing plan the last two years.
Erika and her family are dedicated to making this happen. “That’s our future, you know: Agriculture as a whole’s future is soil health. It’s incredibly important, especially during a drought. That’s where our focus is really on: soil health and really getting our organic matter up and those things that are going to be good for the long term.”
Quality. It’s a whole-systems approach that the Jaegers are looking to master.