Beth Robinette

Beth Robinette operates a family cattle ranch near Spokane, Washington, raising grass-fed beef and teaching regenerative agriculture at a Savory Hub. She describes "Good Meat" as sustainable and humane food that benefits the earth and the people involved in its production. Emphasizing the need for diversity and ecological understanding in agriculture, Beth shares her journey as a young woman overcoming barriers in a male-dominated field while honoring the land’s history.

What do you do for a living?

I work on my family's cattle ranch, Lazy R Ranch, just west of Spokane, Washington. We raise grass-fed beef there and sell most of it directly to consumers in our community as custom meat. I also work for UVE, a Savory Hub that services the West Coast, where I teach online courses and consult with clients on regenerative livestock agriculture.

How do you define your Good Meat® values?

To me, "Good Meat" means food that’s both "good to eat and good to think"—as Michael Pollan puts it. It’s food that tastes delicious, is produced in a way that nourishes the earth and supports a thriving ecosystem. "Good Meat" is raised humanely, with responsibility taken for the full life of the animals we use for food. It should also be good for people, which means that producers are paid fairly, and the food remains accessible. And for me, "Good Meat" also involves acknowledging the history of the land we manage, and the legacy of colonization that we have inherited. As stewards of this land, I believe we have a responsibility to confront that history and hold all of this complexity at once.

Why do you raise meat that aligns with those values?

I raise meat this way because it’s what I feel good about feeding my family. I love the land I live on, and I love the animals I care for. I'm just trying to do right by all the living things I share this place with, and I want to honor the generations of land stewards who came before me and who will come after.

Why did you start educating people on how to raise livestock?

Growing up and entering this field as a young woman, I faced a lot of barriers. I often felt invisible or dismissed even with the clout of being a fourth-generation rancher, which made me realize how hard it is to learn this work without a family background in agriculture. Over time, I also saw the value in people who come from outside traditional agriculture because they don’t bring the same assumptions about how things "should" be done. I believe diversity is key to sustainability, and we need new land stewards with different backgrounds if we want continuity and innovation in this work.

Where and when did your journey into Good Meat® start?

My journey began at birth. I grew up around cattle, and I’ve been immersed in ranch life for as long as I can remember. But in my early 20s, I started to want something different—I wanted a better way to get our animals to market. We were still selling on the commodity market, but I wanted to know where my animals ended up, to ensure they were treated humanely, and to connect with our end customers.

What is one thing you wish more consumers knew about raising livestock for food?

I wish people understood basic ecological principles—how to look at land and understand things like the water cycle, nutrient flows, or how diverse plant and animal life support the land’s health. I think a stronger connection to nature through the food we eat is deeply fulfilling, and I wish more people felt equipped to make these observations and understand what’s happening on the land.