Ranches are becoming not merely a throwback to a bygone era of cowboys and open pastures, but a sensible way to make serious money selling high quality beef to luxury markets both foreign and domestic. Gourmands have become far more conscious in the past several years of the importance of animal happiness and health to meat quality. These consumers also like to think that they are helping to promote a better quality of life for the animals they eat in an environmentally sustainable fashion. It would be wise to remain conscious of those expectations and desires when marketing your ranch.

Wealthy, environmentally conscious consumers want to be able to hear the following things about your ranch: they want the animals to be well cared for, free of antibiotics, fed organically and processed in a plant conscious of its environmental impact. Not all of these things are possible or sensible for every ranch owner, but a savvy marketing campaign will emphasize the positives in those categories and pat down the less attractive aspects of the business.

Building a unique narrative about your ranch helps to distinguish yourself in the competitive meat market. People want to hear that your ranch has a history - a profound sense of place. Like their tastes in folk music, the conscientious meat consumer is looking for authenticity  on their plate. They're not just buying a cut of beef, but purchasing into a lifestyle, a way of relating to the world, a moral system. If you can create that mystique around your beef, you can start marking up your prices.