Opportunities and Constraints to Expanding Value-added Beef Production in the Northern Great Plains

Ruminant livestock production in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming is critical to the region's economy. Because of the economic significance of ruminant livestock production, producers in the four-state area are continually looking for opportunities to increase income and improve the viability of their farm and ranch operation. Accordingly, the Four-state Ruminant Consortium, an integrated research and extension program, was created to specifically address issues related to ruminant livestock production. The purpose of the Four-State Ruminant Consortium is to enhance economic development in the target study area of southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, southeastern Montana, and northeastern Wyoming by strengthening and capturing value from the ruminant livestock industry. This study sought to identify opportunities for and constraints to expanding value-added enterprises within the beef cow-calf sector. A number of sources were utilized in assessing opportunities and impediments to adopting value-added beef enterprises. A mail questionnaire was delivered to 5,270 livestock producers in 37 counties in the 4-state study area of southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming. The questionnaire was designed to solicit a wide variety of information about operators' current production practices, including marketing, backgrounding, retained ownership, herd management and feed and forage practices. Following the survey, focus group interviews were conducted with groups of producers in each of the four states. Other individuals knowledgeable about other aspects of the region's livestock industry such as auction manager, banker, feed dealers were also interviewed. The results detailed in this report are a combination of a summary of key findings from the written questionnaire and findings from the focus group meetings. Findings from the focus group meetings are detailed in terms of opportunities and constraints and key themes articulated by focus group and interview participants.