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We sit down with Tom Paterson, rancher and new president of New Mexico Cattle Growers, to talk stewardship, drought strategy, and how data and design make cattle calmer and beef better. From policy wins to local processing, we share a clear path to resilient ranching.

• law-to-ranch journey and Spur Ranch origins
• role and scope of New Mexico Cattle Growers
• drought, culling decisions, and infrastructure pivots
• Temple Grandin handling systems and hydraulic chutes
• breeding with EPDs for calving ease and moderate milk
• written protocols for vaccines, minerals, and breeding
• water development expanding wildlife habitat
• coalition policy wins and legislative focus
• mentorship, asking for help, and leadership growth
• local beef markets, state inspection, and processors

"Join our team. Join our team to protect rural New Mexico, to protect the men and women and children who live in rural New Mexico, protect them from the craziness that sometimes goes on, protect them from the additional cost burdens, tax burdens that make it more expensive for us to do our work. Work with us on rural health care, work with us on rural education, join the team." -Tom Paterson

Dion's is has a new menu item! Try their Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza today.

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Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

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We trace how a ranch family in Curry County built a vertically integrated beef business, from wheat pasture yearlings to a fresh meat counter known for prime cuts, green chile brats, and face-to-face service. We compare grocery and direct beef, tackle pricing myths, and share what’s next, including USDA inspection and expanded local delivery.

• Family ranch roots and multi-state cow-calf, stocker, and feeding operations
• COVID catalyst for direct-to-consumer sales and retail launch
• Managing inventory, grades, and the ground beef challenge
• Customer education on antibiotics, hormones, and grass versus grain finishing
• Why grocery beef is safe and why food choice matters
• Building a premium, service-first butcher shop with specialty items
• Genetics, Simmental and Speckle Park trials to lift marbling and yield
• USDA inspection plans to unlock shipping and wholesale flexibility
• Hiring for character, training skills, and growing community ties
• Practical advice on risk, resilience, and saying no

Thank you for joining us for today’s episode
If you would like more information, please visit nmbeef.com
Whether it be a burger, a steak, or another beef dish, we hope you are enjoying beef at your next meal

Dion's is has a new menu item! Try their Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza today.

Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger!
Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.

Send us a text

Start with 12 cows, add three counties of scattered leases, mix in a veterinarian, a range scientist, and two determined brothers, and you get a modern ranch story that’s as practical as it is inspiring. We sit down with Jim and Jovani Armendariz to trace their family’s path from their parents’ arrival in America to a 300-cow operation known for turning bare ground into healthy grass—and healthy beef.

We talk through the real economics of ranching: why leasing often beats buying, how scattered parcels drive up time and costs, and what it takes to build a reputation that opens doors to new leases. Then we get into the tools that changed their trajectory. Virtual fencing lets them run adaptive rotations without miles of wire, boosting forage diversity and carrying capacity. Water sensors cut 120-mile tank checks down to a glance at an app. The result is a sharper, soil-first approach where observation, timing, and animal health work together.

When COVID froze the supply chain, the brothers and a family friend launched A&G Family Meats to create cash flow and connect directly with customers. They share how they educate buyers on live weight vs. hanging weight, the typical 60–65 percent yield, and how cut sheets, bone-in choices, and dry-aging affect freezer pounds. We also dig into the balancing act between steaks, roasts, and ground beef, plus why social storytelling matters as much as marbling for building loyal local demand.

Along the way, you’ll hear about mentorship from their father, the confidence their kids gain working cattle, and the philosophy that drives every decision: if you’re going to do it, do it right. If you care about regenerative grazing, ranch technology, direct-to-consumer beef, or the grit behind American agriculture, this conversation will stay with you.

Enjoyed the story? Follow, rate, and share the podcast, and tell us which idea—virtual fencing, water sensors, or direct sales—you’d try first.

Dion's is has a new menu item! Try their Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza today.

Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Burger!
Stay connected with us — follow @NMBEEF on TikTok and Instagram, New Mexico Beef Council on Facebook and visit nmbeef.com for recipes, nutrition info, a local beef directory and more.