Global Animal Partnership (G.A.P.) had the great opportunity to sit down and talk with Wayne Langston, VP of Production for Panorama, Grass-fed Meats- a company based in California that sells Organic, Step 4, 100% Grass-Fed beef.
In 1999, a group of ranchers came together to discuss some solutions to obstacles they were facing such as proper marketing, sales, transparency for their practices of raising cattle the way nature intended, and overcoming the bad media and generalizations that had been placed upon farmers and ranchers. These ranchers knew there was a better way to get their message out there to the consumer. Panorama was formed as a result.
Panorama has been committed to working with and growing in the G.A.P. program since the formation of G.A.P. in 2007 and the ranches have been a certified Step 4 since the program launch in 2010. The 5-Step™ Program has provided the much needed form of public recognition for the ranchers and their commitment to the animals and land. Wayne commented, “When we first entered G.A.P. I commented that this [the certification process] is not going be hard for these ranchers – our ranchers have been doing this forever… This is a great opportunity for us to show that we aren’t the bad guy. We can show consumers what good stewards of the land and of the animals these ranchers are.” G.A.P. did require the ranchers to improve their record keeping and documentation for greater transparency but the actual practices and management did not need to be changed to achieve their Step 4 certification.
The ranchers at Panorama have achieved a lot for their cattle, Wayne jokes that they all have PhDs because of all the certificates they have behind them- G.A.P. Step 4, USDA Organic, and Grass-Fed. All of these do not come without some challenges and hardship. “Our biggest challenge is managing what we do with mother-nature and succeed with what she gives us. Day to day, how do we manage when we don’t know what we will get with the weather, the environment? Like now, there are huge droughts in California and in order to raise our Grass-Fed cattle, you need grass. You need rain to get grass.” This is just further proof of the Panorama commitment because they do in fact manage these challenges and provide for the cattle and for the consumer demand.
Panorama’s outstanding reputation with the consumers both retailer and shopper alike is another great quality to add to their repertoire. They take the extra steps to ensure the product maintains an identity as being a product from a ranch and a rancher that the consumer can trust. They make sure they are available to answer questions about the differences that you see and experience when purchasing, preparing and eating Grass-Fed beef. Panorama places huge importance on animal and land stewardship. All Panorama ranchers are conservationists, many receiving awards. They are truly proud of their relationships with retailers like Whole Foods Market that share their commitment in taking the extra steps to preserve and grow amazing, organic, Grass-Fed beef that consumers love.
