Joining the Texas Rangers

If you've followed my blog or read my newsletter, you know my three passions in life are my family, my beef operation and baseball. So you can imagine my excitement when Texas Rangers' owner Tom Hicks appointed me as president of that professional baseball team.

My family agreed that I should accept the position. So I took over all aspects of the Texas Rangers' organization at the beginning of February. Between settling in the headquarters in Arlington and traveling to Arizona to watch veterans and prospects at spring training, time has flown by.

So I'm a little late in getting this message out to you. But I want you to know how important it is to me to balance out this new pursuit with everything else I have built.

At the top of that list is Nolan Ryan's Beef. I pledge to you that I will continue to maintain the highest standards for our beef products from our pastures to your table.

Today, I am on my Texas ranches checking my cows during their spring calving season. And even as you read this, many of your stores are rolling out a battery of new Nolan Ryan's Guaranteed Tender Beef products including pre-cooked burgers.

In partnership with Kroger, we also are launching a distinct new line of beef called Nolan Ryan's Premium Reserve.
This new line features beef from cattle of verified age and from identified producers who “never, ever” administered antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones. You told us you wanted this product, and now it will be available at Kroger by the end of March.

These are just a few ways I'll continue to listen to you at the same time I'm watching the Rangers move toward a pennant.

Before closing, I want to comment on the recent beef recall sourced to a plant in California. We did no business with the companies impacted by the recall. At the same time, I can assure you this was an isolated incident caused by a breakdown in process that may never happen again.

As an industry, beef producers follow best management practices that ensure animal care and provide our customers with only the safest, most wholesome beef. For an example, you need look no farther than Nolan Ryan's Beef procurement and processing program. Once you do, we feel certain you'll understand why you can be confident in the process controls we have in place. Visit our website at www.nolanryanbeef.com for more details.