Joann Hutton, a fourth generation cattle rancher, was six years old when she got her first heifer and she’s had cattle ever since. In the 1990s she took holistic management classes and in 2000 began raising grassfed beef. In 2005, she purchased land east of the Cascade Mountains, where she raises Horned Hereford cattle. Her herd has a small amount of Shorthorn and Angus genetics and some of the same blood lines from her first Horned Hereford cattle. She keeps her own cattle for replacements and only buys bulls for breeding.

Bill and Margot Heard were looking for a ranch within driving distance of Houston, where they operate two private schools and an open enrollment charter school. Ideally, they were looking for an operating cattle ranch with a family-oriented home and acreage. They wanted to get back to the land in a natural setting and to incorporate a ranch into a plan that coordinated with the family and school operations.

Dan and Joanne Nelson raise Animal Welfare Approved pigs on their family farm, DanJo Farms, in Moberly, Missouri. The Nelsons first started farming professionally in 1997 on a small farm in Utah. In 2002 they moved to Stockton, Missouri, and in 2006, settled into 80 acres in Moberly.

John Council raises Animal Welfare Approved pigs and beef cattle on John L. Council Farm in Shannon, NC. This is a multi-generational farm where sustainable agricultural practices have been passed down from father to son. Livestock graze on 68 acres, naturally foraging and growing on grass and pasture. By using a rotational management system, the cows and pigs enrich the soil, preventing against erosion and nutrient leaching. The Councils have chosen sustainable agricultural practices because they truly believe that “you are what you eat.” If the animals benefit from sustainable, humane treatment, then so will consumers, by receiving a superior, more healthful product that also benefits the environment.

Greg Shafer originally decided to start his farm selling goat milk because his step-son Jake is allergic to cow and soy milk. With this motivation and after extensive research into dairy farming and the health benefits of goat milk, he purchased his first five animals. Since then demand has grown through grassroots networking and now he proudly discusses his sixteen goats and ten cows, including four new calves this year.

Before working with Animal Welfare Approved I had never even heard of the Fancy Food Show. It seems like such a silly name for a tradeshow, but when you get there you realize it describes it perfectly. Essentially it’s hundreds, if not thousands of exhibitors that want to connect with retailers, manufacterers, distributors, restaurants and chefs. Most of the exhibitors offer lovely samples of their products to the attendees. Thousands of people were scurrying around the Javits Center tasting all of this exceptionally delicious food. For a sense of what people were saying some of the comments heard over and over were: Have you tried the wine flavored sorbet? Where did you get that HUGE Fave yogurt sample? I’m overwhelmed by all the chocolate! There’s so much food here, but I’m still sooo hungry! (referring to the tiny sample sizes this year).

While pork may not have been as popular as chocolate this year, pasture-raised, Animal Welfare Approved products were certainly intriguing to many attendees.