Oregon residents eagerly await the slower days of summer to start, where they can put away their umbrellas, savor the sun’s rays, and plan their barbecue menus. After months of being indoors, the aroma of sizzling beef on the grill beckons people outside to celebrate the warmth of the season.

Cattle ranchers across Oregon work hard to raise their cattle sustainably to ensure the meat that ends up on your summer table is of the highest quality.

Symons Beef Company is no exception.

Founded in 2007 by husband-and-wife duo JoHanna and Jeremy Symons, the Madras-based company began as a ranching and feeding operation and has grown to integrate each step of the beef life cycle, including a cow/calf operation, farming, growing cattle, and providing fresh beef to consumers. Like many cattle ranchers across the U.S., the Symons’ prioritize environmental sustainability, an essential pillar of their success now and for the future.

The Beginning
Jeremy and JoHanna were both born and raised in Madras and, from a young age, shared a deep-rooted passion for cattle ranching. JoHanna was raised on a 160-acre cattle ranch and knew the life well. After she and Jeremy married, they both worked two jobs and slowly grew their operation to what it is today, allowing them to manage over 1,100 acres of land with their cattle.

A Commitment to Environmental Stewardship
JoHanna shares that environmental sustainability is a core value that’s reflected in all that they do. Not only do they work with agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management to develop grazing management plans that enhance both plant life and wildlife habitats – including for endangered species – but they also develop water resources to support wildlife and promote biodiversity.

Water conservation is an important need in western states that often struggle with drought. One way the Symons contribute to the at-large efforts is by releasing water into the Deschutes River to benefit the threatened Oregon spotted frog. The farm’s irrigation reservoirs, open canals, ponds, and irrigated fields provide a much-needed habitat for the species. The Symons’ use soil and moisture testers in each field to measure their need for irrigation, ensuring that they never overapply or underapply water to their land.

“We aim to utilize every drop of water on our farm,” JoHanna explained. “We have the most up to date water efficiency irrigation equipment. There is not one puddle or bit of run off from the fields that is wasted.”

In the summer, magic is truly in the air across their cattle pastures as the nearly threatened Monarch butterfly species makes their annual migration down to Mexico. The Symons’ welcomes them and other pollinators by planting various wildflowers, with seeds purchased just down the road from their farm. To attract other migrating birds and various wildlife throughout the cold winter months, they also leave large sections of their cornfields unharvested to provide feed for these creatures. 

Symons Beef Company also fertilizes their crops with manure collected from their cows. All the crops that they grow are fed to the cows and a consulting animal nutritionist specifically formulates feed with those crops to ensure a balanced and nutritional diet for each animal.

Like most cattle ranches in the U.S., at Symons Beef Company, nothing goes to waste. Uniquely, cattle use their unique digestive system to upcycle plants like grass that humans cannot eat into high-quality protein.

In another effort to invest in environmental sustainability, Symons Beef Company founded a nonprofit called Perfect Balance USA that aims to connect people – especially youth – with hands-on educational field trips. These educational opportunities introduce people to the realities of farming, food production, and the critical need for balanced water usage between wildlife, farmland, and human communities.

The Future
Looking ahead, the Symons family is excited to continue tending the land they have the honor of owning in Central Oregon. Like most cattle ranchers, they acknowledge that without proactively caring for their land, a long-term future to preserve their landscape would not be possible.

“Oregon is a diverse and stunning state,” JoHanna said. “Central Oregon is a high desert with a unique climate ideal for both ranching and farming. What excites us most is growth – growing our ranch, expanding our reach, and continuing to integrate every aspect of the beef production process. Our goal is simple: to deliver safe, wholesome, premium beef that we are proud to serve to our own family – and to yours.”

Learn more about beef’s role in a healthy, sustainable diet!