Behind the Burger

Send us Fan Mail Alisa Ogden, a fifth-generation rancher and third-generation farmer from southeastern New Mexico, shares her family's rich history of land stewardship dating back to 1890. Her insights reveal how successful ranchers balance conservation, innovation, and tough decision-making through challenging drought cycles while maintaining passion for producing quality beef. • Fifth-gener...

Send us Fan Mail Dive into the world of veterinary medicine and food safety with Dr. Samantha Holeck, New Mexico's State Veterinarian, as she shares her remarkable journey from growing up on a small Carlsbad cattle ranch to safeguarding the health of livestock across the entire state. Dr. Holeck pulls back the curtain on the critical yet often unseen work of protecting our food supply, reveal...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a chef's passion for food quality leads to raising cattle? In this enlightening conversation with the family behind Sile Pastures, we discover how culinary expertise transformed into regenerative ranching in Sile, New Mexico. Sage Hagan shares his remarkable journey from high-end kitchens working alongside Wolfgang Puck to establishing a diversified farm ope...

Send us Fan Mail Agricultural advocate Tara Vander Dussen takes us behind the scenes of modern dairy farming, revealing how traditional practices are evolving alongside innovative approaches like beef-on-dairy breeding programs. As a fifth-generation dairy farmer married to another fifth-generation producer, Tara brings a unique perspective that spans environmental science, hands-on farming, and g...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Francine Giotto shares her journey from veterinary medicine in Brazil to becoming a meat science professor at New Mexico State University, where she revitalized the program after a long gap following her predecessor's retirement.  • Originally from Brazil with parents in agriculture and food processing industries • Holds degrees in veterinary medicine, animal production,...

Send us Fan Mail Belinda Garland brings a unique perspective to the beef industry as both a fourth-generation New Mexico rancher and the first female Executive Director of the New Mexico Livestock Board. Her story begins in the 1870s when her great-grandfather settled in Torrance County after the Civil War, establishing a ranching legacy that continues today. Growing up without brothers meant Beli...

Send us Fan Mail Abby O'Connor, fifth-generation rancher from Stanley, New Mexico, shares her family's century-old ranching legacy and their operation raising Hereford, Angus, and Charlay cattle for seed stock while managing the challenges of New Mexico's unique landscape. • Bill King Ranch has been operating for over 100 years with Abby's two-year-old daughter representing the...

Send us Fan Mail Kate Schulz shares her unique perspective as both a ranch-raised dietitian and the nutrition expert for the New Mexico Beef Council, helping bridge the gap between food production and nutritional guidance. • Family connection to agriculture spans generations, with her great-grandfather homesteading the Nebraska-Wyoming family ranch over 100 years ago • Becoming a registered dietit...

Send us Fan Mail "You're wired that way," Cheryl Knight explains about her deep-rooted connection to ranching, despite once vowing as a teenager never to marry a cowboy or return to ranch life. Life had other plans. From the windswept mesas of Tucumcari, New Mexico, Cheryl shares the multi-generational story of her family's ranching legacy. What began with her father purchasing...

Send us Fan Mail Journey to the grasslands outside Tucumcari, New Mexico where rancher Justin Knight reveals the authentic story behind your beef. Unlike many in agriculture, Justin didn't inherit a family operation—his passion ignited at age 13 while showing horses, eventually leading him to marry into a ranching family and establish his own cattle operation in Quay County. What does it real...

Send us Fan Mail Belinda Lavender of Lavender Brangus shares her family's century-long legacy of cattle ranching in eastern New Mexico and how they're improving beef genetics with each generation. She discusses the rewards and challenges of raising Brangus seed stock cattle while balancing tradition with cutting-edge DNA technology. • Fifth-generation rancher with family roots dating bac...

Send us Fan Mail This trailer talks about what to expect from our podcast "Behind the Burger" hosted by the New Mexico Beef Council. Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger ! Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.