Gary and Donna Sharp, South Dakota

Northeast South Dakota is home to the Gary and Donna Sharp family. They run a fifth-generation dairy and beef operation, where the family milks about 250 cows and runs a dairy replacement heifer program and a beef cattle backgrounding and feeding operation.

“Our family has always believed you need to promote your livelihood and your industry. Nobody else is going to do it for you,” say the Sharps. With their commitment and service to the beef industry, the Sharps live this sentiment every day through their involvement with organizations such as the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. 

“Because the checkoff has been building beef demand for 20 years, our fifth-generation operation has the chance to become a sixth-generation. The checkoff helps build consumer demand for beef and that directly affects our bottom line.”

For the Sharps, the checkoff is our program. “It is a self-help program where everyone pays their fair share to promote our product – beef. No other company or group is going to promote our product for us…we, beef producers, must do it ourselves.”

The Sharps believe that the beef industry needs programs that the checkoff supports, including new product development and youth programs, to be viable to consumers now and in the future -- and, in turn, keep our farm and ranch operations in business.

Click here to listen to Gary and Donna talk about the importance of the beef checkoff for their operation and yours.



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