By Sean Ellis
A trade team from Japan spent some time in Idaho April 2-4 learning about the state’s beef industry.
The trade delegation consisted of a dozen young Japanese women who represent four of the largest beef purchasers in Japan.
One of the group’s stops was at the Buhl ranch of former Idaho State Department of Agriculture Director Celia Gould. She hosted the trade team in her living room, with mother cows and their calves strolling by 20 feet from the main window.
“You’re seeing the first part of beef production. Step 1,” she told the group. “In February, calves start being born. It starts right up on this hill here,” she added, pointing out of her living room window.
The trade team asked numerous questions of Gould, a third-generation Idaho cattle rancher, and many of the questions had to do with animal welfare and environmental stewardship.
“We do rotational grazing so the land rejuvenates,” she said. “It’s important to us that our land is healthy and our cattle are healthy. That’s how we can have a quality product that we can be proud of. We have to protect our land, our water and our cattle so we can have a fourth and fifth generation and on and on.”
Gould laughed when asked what her normal schedule looks like and she responded by telling the group there is no such thing and the cattle always come first.
“The cattle get fed first. That’s the first job for everyone,” she said, adding that “We all work together. Everybody does everything, if you’re physically able. We’re all family and we all work together and do everything.”
The tour was hosted by the U.S. Meat Export Federation in conjunction with the Idaho Beef Council and Boise-based Agri Beef.
The tour included stops at Boise Valley Feeders, an Albertson’s flagship store in Meridian, the True West Beef processing facility in Jerome and the Gould Ranch. The trade group was joined at dinner by Idaho State Department of Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt.
Most members of the delegation don’t come from a farming background so they wanted to learn everything they could about agriculture and beef production in Idaho, said Tom Kasatani of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, who accompanied the group and acted as its interpreter.
“Bringing them here and letting them see the actual operations and industry should be a good experience and education for them,” he said. “This will allow them to explain to customers the good things about the beef industry in the USA.”
During their outside tour of the Gould ranch, trade team members got an up-close look at mother cows casually strolling by with calves in tow.
Kasatani said it was the first time most of them experienced that type of interaction with cattle.
“As you can see, they’re pretty excited,” he said as enthusiastic trade team members jockeyed to have their pictures taken in front of the cows.
Japan is the top destination for U.S. beef on a volume basis, so the visit could turn out to be a big benefit for the U.S. and Idaho beef industry.
“There’s great benefit to this type of incoming trade mission because we have four of the largest beef importers from Japan here in Idaho learning about (the industry),” said Idaho Beef Council CEO T.K. Kuwahara, who joined the group during its tour. “They can really get the sense of how ranchers take care of the land and their animals to produce that high-quality beef.”
She said the fact that the trade team consisted of younger people representing major beef importers was potentially a big opportunity.
“This is the future of meat buying in Japan,” Kuwahara said. “So, this is really our opportunity to not only educate the younger generation, but we could secure beef purchases for the years to come.”
Gould told Idaho Farm Bureau Federation after the visit she was more than happy to host the trade team in her home.
“It’s important for us to let our customers know how we raise the cattle so they will have confidence in the products they are getting,” she said. “We work hard to produce excellent products and for them to be able to see the work that goes into that and the dedication of our ranchers is critical to those relationships.”
She said she was also more than happy to answer the questions about animal welfare and environmental stewardship.
“We absolutely care about the animals and that’s important to them and it’s important to us that they know that,” Gould said.
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