Kimberly Ratcliff didn’t plan on becoming a rancher – after graduating from LIU in 2000, she took a public relations job at Bloomberg, LP. Then her parents bought Caney Creek Ranch in 2002 and her priorities changed. She moved back to Texas, took over the daily operations of the ranch and directly connected consumers to delicious East Texas beef. Caney Creek Ranch specializes in Charbray cattle, an Australian breed that is a cross between Charolais and Brahman cattle -they are hearty and known for producing tender meat. In addition, Caney Creek sells bulls, replacement heifers, semen and embryos internationally. Not content to learn from the sidelines, Ms. Ratcliff attended Texas Christian University’s ranch management program and was its first African American graduate. In 2008, she founded 100 Ranchers, a non-profit that seeks to unite producers by promoting agricultural education, and she’s also a board member of the Independent Cattlemen’s Association. She is also one of 15 members of the USDA’s Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers. She provides 8000 pounds of ground beef every other week to the Austin and Houston school districts and does presentations that will inspire the next generation of cattle ranchers.
Sources:
farmers.gov/blog/fridays-on-farm-coming-back-ranch
agweb.com/news/business/wall-street-texas-ranch-2025-women-ag-kimberly-ratcliff-transforms-beef-prod
I Am A Voice For The Voiceless 