The Beef Improvement Federationrecognized Rezac Land & Livestock of Onaga as Commercial Producer of the Year during the group’s annual convention this week in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Kansas Livestock Association nominated the ranch for the award.
Rezac Land & Livestock, founded by Don and Barbara Rezac, is a diversified operation on the northern edge of the Flint Hills. In 1986, their son, Jay, and his wife, Stacy, and Jay’s older brother, Lance, and his wife, Debra, formed a partnership. Since that time, the operation has grown substantially and today includes six partners—Jay and Lance; Jay’s sons, Russell and Matthew; and Lance’s children, Nicole and Garrett.
The family operation includes a Simmental- and Angus-based cowherd, feedyard, stocker and backgrounding business, and farming enterprise. The cows graze year-round on native grass, stocks and cover crops. The Rezacs have carefully drafted a plan to make the ranch’s commercial cowherd financially viable, and a producer of quality females and calves that perform well in the feedyard and on the rail. This plan includes an intensive breeding program and careful use of natural resources. Over the years, great strides have been made in improving conception rates and increasing pasture performance. These improvements are a result of a willingness to embrace new technology and a commitment to enhancing the sustainability of the ranch.
BIF also announced new leadership during the convention. Joe Epperly of Nebraska will serve as president, with Kansas rancher Kevin Schultz of Haviland elected as vice president. Matt Perrier, a rancher from Eureka, will remain on the board as immediate past president.
More than 200 beef producers, academia and industry stakeholders were in attendance at the meeting. The BIF mission is to promote greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation.
