For 40 years, Country Natural Beef has been built on the belief that family ranchers are stronger when they work together. That spirit was on full display during Summer Celebration, where members, partners, and friends gathered at Sunriver Resort to celebrate four decades of cooperation and look ahead to the future.
The annual event brought together rancher members from across the West with industry partners for several days of learning, conversation, and connection. While the milestone anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on the cooperative’s history, the focus remained firmly on the future and the relationships, up and down the value chain, that continue to strengthen Country Natural Beef.
Strong Partnerships Start with Honest Conversations
One highlight of Summer Celebration was a panel discussion that included leaders from two of the co-op’s largest customers. The discussion reinforced the importance of trusted partnerships and collaboration in navigating today’s evolving beef industry. Over the past four decades, Country Natural Beef has cultivated deep and longstanding relationships with our customer partners. This panel discussion was a valuable opportunity for suppliers and retail/foodservice customers to learn from each other in a candid, in-person setting.
Honoring the Past While Looking Ahead
To commemorate the cooperative’s 40th anniversary, each attending member received a custom-designed wild rag that tells the story of Country Natural Beef. 
The design incorporates the brands of the founding ranches, a windmill representing where the cooperative began, a central circle symbolizing every member’s equal voice in the business, and imagery reflecting the stewardship of the land and the journey of beef from pasture to plate.
A short video shares the inspiration behind the design. [Video l
Like the wild rag itself, Country Natural Beef is woven together by many individual stories. Independent family ranchers, each with their ownhistory and operation, united by shared values and acommitment to producing high-quality beef that does right by the land.
Forty years after its founding, that commitment remains as strong as ever.