Flint Fire Ranch is making a sustainable agriculture business that boosts food security for tribal members a reality.
After purchasing 68 head of cattle in 2022, the ranch saw 41 calves born in the spring of 2023. This year, the ranch welcomed 43 calves and expects nine more, all bred on Seneca- Nation land. CEO of Tribal Gaming & Flint Fire Operations Rick Smith shared “We’ve been very fortunate with the cattle at Flint Fire Ranch. Last year, we lost only one calf, and we haven’t lost any this season. We’ve had 17 males and 26 females born this Spring, and it’s a joy to see them all thriving here on the ranch.”
All the efforts of Flint Fire Ranch are carefully planned to create resources for the tribe. Ultimately, the goal for the ranch is to supply the butcher shop at Flint Fire Mercantile with fresh beef products, enhance the food security of tribal elders through special distributions and develop a sustainable ranch-to-table program that can benefit all tribal members.
Flint Fire Ranch continues to meet the challenges created by fluctuating cattle prices. When the ranch project began, the price of cattle was $1,680 per head. Today, the cost has more than doubled to $3,600. While this upward trend in beef prices slows the pace at which Flint Fire can acquire cattle from other ranches, the organic growth of our existing herd is not much more profitable. This also allows Flint Fire Ranch to rely on the genetics already established to grow our select brand of cattle. Mr. Smith shared with us, “The elevated beef prices are a great thing for our future. We have been very intentional about the breeding and development program for our heifers and bulls and look forward to them producing quality, consistent beef for many seasons to come.”
What once seemed like an insurmountable challenge is becoming a reality through exceptional herd management. Chief Charlie Diebold shared, “the future of our entire operation comes down to our breeding and land program. What we have created with Flint Fire Ranch is a serious cattle operation and something the Seneca-Cayuga Nation can be proud of.”
Chief continued. “It takes an unrivaled dedication to run Flint Fire Ranch – our team is small, it’s Rick and Ranch Manager, Michael Munson. Those guys do it all. It requires effort and focus every day. Cold or hot. Dry or wet. It’s an everyday process.”
Though the project has been running for less than two years, its timing couldn’t have been better. When COVID-19 hit, many processing plants shut down, causing beef production to slow dramatically.
“It really opened a lot of people’s eyes to the work that goes into industries like this,” said Chief. “Many tribes are getting more involved in agriculture in response to the pandemic and our nation is making food security a priority to protect the well-being of our people for generations to come.”
Currently, Flint Fire Ranch has its eyes set on July for its first special beef distribution to tribal elders.