Local News
Discussing Montana’s Wagyu beef market with a woman-run small cattle ranch
By 
Local reporter
Townsend, Montana – One of the key participants at the forefront of the beef market is Montana. Montana’s economy heavily depends on cattle ranching, with the state home to over a million cattle. Governor Greg Gianforte declared at the beginning of 2022 that the state’s meat processing industry had doubled and was still expanding.
Montana’s cattle ranches are generally regarded as “small businesses” despite the industry’s scale. Indeed, after Wyoming, Montana has the second-highest percentage of small enterprises in the US.
Jocelyn Cahill of Avalanche Ranch is one such “small business” owner who stopped by NonStop Local to share her experiences as a woman-led small business owner.
Jocelyn’s Avalanche Ranch, located in Townsend, grows cattle for Wagyu beef. Raising premium Wagyu beef is a year-round endeavor, and given the recent harsh winter weather in Montana, her hard work is all the more impressive.
Jocelyn acknowledges the unpredictable nature of Montana weather as they prepare for calving season. She is upbeat despite the difficulties, attributing some of her company’s increasing success to the growing trend of customers wanting to know where their food comes from. This trend was furthered by the COVID-19 epidemic, which raised sales and maintained demand for their Wagyu beef.
Jocelyn, a woman working in the ranching industry, says she is proud of the advancements other women in her area have achieved. She emphasized the cooperative spirit that characterizes their community and highlighted a coalition of supportive female ranchers throughout the state.
Jocelyn’s spouse is also essential in helping to oversee the cattle, and she credits her husband, as well as the hard effort she and her crew put into ranching, for her success thus far.
To find out more about Jocelyn’s goods and show support for a small, locally owned business in Montana, visit Avalanche Ranch’s website, avalanchewagyu.com, and Instagram account, Avalanche Ranch Wagyu (@avalancheranchmt).
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