15 Minutes with rancher Kimberly Ratcliff

After seven years in New York City’s financial environs, Kimberly Ratcliff shifted gears to become a cattle rancher near Oakwood, Texas. Her parents bought Caney Creek Ranch in 2002, as a turnkey operation including livestock, equipment, and even some of the furniture in the house. The ranch, which started with 500 cows, was her father’s retirement dream, and after seeing the disconnect between her parents’ experience and what she was living in New York City, she felt drawn to move to Texas and use her marketing skills to help bridge the gap between the rural and urban experience.

After completing Texas Christian University’s ranch management program, Ratcliff became part of the ranch in 2007 and has worked to diversify the operation to include not only direct-to-consumer meat sales, but also registered cattle embryo sales, a hay business that supplies the Dallas Zoo, and a turfgrass sprigging operation. She has also become a sought-after motivational speaker, sharing her story and encouraging others to support their local farmers.

SF: When your parents purchased the ranch, part of the deal was the herd of Charbray cattle. Can you tell us about that breed? 

KR: Charbray is a cross between Charolais and Brahman that acclimates to hot climates. It’s a slick animal with less hair, and mosquitoes can’t penetrate their thick skin. We like the breed for its beef and we sell to Mexico, as well as the southern coast and into Nevada. 

SF: When your siblings expressed interest in the ranch, you worked with them to start a freezer beef company. Tell us about that. 

KR: We’re transitioning the name to Ratcliff Premium Meat, because nobody else can have that name or tell our story. Much of the beef is raised on our ranch, but I do source locally because I believe in supporting my community. Where we’re located in Texas is the highest population of Black cattle producers in the country, and when I came to the ranch people were asking me to help them, to help their kids, and I see that as part of my purpose.

I’ve been blessed with a platform where people are wanting to support a Black woman in the industry, and in turn I can help my neighbors by buying their cattle at a premium price.

Every one of the cows has a unique number and that unique number is on a unique carcass. I’m currently creating a system on my website where we can let customers know exactly which cow their meat comes from by putting in that unique number.

SF: You’ve appeared in documentaries about your life produced by USDA, RFD-TV, and others, along with many public-speaking appearances. How did that part of your story get started?  

KR: I was approached by a production company, and I said, “Sure, why not?” My message is it doesn’t matter who you are, an issue is an issue. I wanted to stop segregating and start bringing us together, because rural America is one area I feel is getting so divided, but really we all have the same challenges. 

SF: What is the biggest challenge you face day-to-day?

KR: My goal is for urban America to understand what we’re doing. That disconnect is the reason I came to the ranch, and that disconnect is why I’m out advocating. The challenge is that people want to divide and segment agriculture because we’re organic or we’re all natural or we’re non-GMO. I understand those things are important to some people, but my community is raising what they can. If someone in my community has 20 cows, and one gets sick, they’re going to give that one antibiotics, and I’m still going to buy that cow from them without judgment for doing what they need to do.

SF: What kind of a legacy do you hope to leave? 

KR: Seeing these families in my community still in business would mean more than anything to me. I would love to see what our industry looks like a hundred years from now. The best legacy would be to see communities thriving.