Agriculture today is precariously balanced on a surgically-fine edge between the past and the future. As research enables us to discover innovative ways to feed and clothe a booming global population, we must embrace progress as an industry goal. On the other hand, what makes agriculture different from many other industries is the heritage and history behind what we do, something to be cherished, not forgotten.
This is a difficult balancing act, one that requires leaders willing to take on the challenges of tomorrow by studying the footsteps of yesterday. Jon Means of Van Horn, Texas, is the quintessential example of a successful rancher: true to his heritage and excited about the prospects of the future.
Jon and his wife, Jackie, live on the Moon Ranch in Culberson County amid the arid and often unforgiving Davis Mountains. Anything but newcomers, Jon’s family has been ranching in the area for over 125 years. In 2007, Jon was elected to serve as the president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, a key role in the promotion of one of Texas’ most important products. I had the pleasure of visiting Jon and Jackie on the ranch, and their passion for Texas runs as high as the temperature of the West Texas sun.
While the Means family used to raise Highland Herefords, Angus has been the ranch’s bread and butter for sixty plus years. Jon has a progressive mindset on the future of the beef industry and how best to move it forward in changing market environments, yet his appreciation for the traditional aspects of ranching is very clear. As he would put it, “Ranching is an art, not a science.”
Ranching is and will remain one of the premier endeavors that sets the Lone Star State apart from the rest of the nation. It takes men and women like Jon and Jackie Means, who understand the economic and cultural importance of ranching and cattle, to propel us into a successful future while constantly reminding us of our rich and vibrant legacy.
