US ranch to build sustainable beef cattle feeding operation

Bion said its new technology will make beef sustainable, profitable
calendar icon 1 August 2022
clock icon 2 minute read

Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc., a developer of livestock waste treatment technology that dramatically reduces environmental impacts and recovers valuable resources, announced a letter of intent with Ribbonwire Ranch to build a 15,000-head sustainable beef cattle feeding operation in Dalhart, Texas. The facility will include innovative barn systems, anaerobic digesters and Bion's cutting edge waste treatment technology, the company said in a press release.

Bion and Ribbonwire will work together to create a definitive joint venture this fall. Construction of the Dalhart sustainable beef facility will begin in 2023. The letter of intent contains a provision to allow expansion of the project to four phases, representing 60,000 head capacity or annual production of 180,000 head. Bion expects formal agreements with foodservice and retail customers over the next few months.

The Dalhart facility will be developed to produce blockchain-verified sustainable beef, reduce the stress on cattle caused by extreme weather and temperatures, while remediating the environmental impacts associated with cattle Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). According to Bion, its patented technology will refine the waste stream into valuable co-products that include clean water, renewable natural gas (RNG), and organic fertiliser products. The revenues generated from these new product lines will transform a cattle feeder from a marginally profitable business into a lucrative one.

"We are excited to be partnered with Bion for this initial system," said Chad Schoonover, co-founder of Ribbonwire Ranch. "This could change the industry. This new approach allows us to capture what has otherwise been lost, while still providing a humane environment that doesn't pollute the air, water or land."

"I am proud that we are working on a better way to feed cattle, one that will allow our kids and grandchildren to live and work in this area for generations to come," added Doug Lathem, co-founder of Ribbonwire.

Bill O'Neill, Bion's CEO, expressed his appreciation to Ribbonwire for recognising this opportunity and wanting to be part of it. "We are fortunate to be working with a forward-thinker like Ribbonwire Ranch," he said. "We realise that this announcement is just a first step in making sustainable beef a reality. However, it is an important step to giving the consumer the sustainable beef they want and helping cattle feeders and producers create more value for their cattle. And equally important is the fact we are keeping the waste stream from polluting the air, land, and water, and verifying those improvements in the process."

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