Periodic recurrences of drought are the biggest challenges any rancher faces. After all, ranchers are basically taking inedible grasses and turning them into high-protein foods that nourish the human body. And when you don't have rain, you don't grow grasses.
I think when you have gone through droughts like we have had in the last decade, it becomes evident you have to take care of your environment and your resources. You have to maintain your grasses and be good stewards of the land. If you don't, you have to deal with the impact of your actions and the recovery aspect that it takes to get back to normal.
As producers, we realize that everything we do is interconnected. If you maintain your grazing land, then you're also conscious of your water situation. So you monitor your rainfall, your runoff, and your ongoing water quality.
And none of that matters if you don't look out for your animal's welfare. My philosophy for quite some time is to pay particular attention to handling practices that provide for low-stress handling of cattle and the impact it has on the quality of the product. We've taken the position that we do not hurry the cattle or push them and we find that the end results are much better.
So that's my definition of sustainability. I believe in a balance of nature. I have a presence there, but I pretty much try to have as little impact on the ecosystem as is necessary.