-- US Wellness Meats is marking more than 25 years in business and reflecting on the farming, sourcing, and production decisions that have shaped the company since its establishment in September 2000.
Founded in Missouri in 2000, the company began with grass-fed and grass-finished beef. Over the following quarter-century, its selection expanded to include other meats, seafood, dairy products, animal fats, and organ meats.
The milestone also reflects the development of founder John Wood’s approach to farming. A fifth-generation farmer, Wood moved away from conventional practices and adopted managed grazing before the company was established. He presents the practice as a way to give pasture time to recover between grazing periods, and he notes that it influenced the principles he considers when working with other producers.
Wood summarizes that perspective through the company’s longstanding principle, “Our animals eat right so you can too.” For him, the phrase connects decisions made on the farm with the company’s approach to sourcing and processing.
As the business developed, Wood sought to maintain the company’s involvement in several stages of its supply chain. He reports that US Wellness Meats works directly with producers, uses its own USDA facility to process beef, pork, and lamb, and relies on its employees for cutting, packing, and order fulfillment.
“We actually control the process from the animals,” Wood explains. “We have our own USDA facility. We’re cutting our own beef, pork, and lamb with our own people. We pick and pack with our own people.”
Wood reports that the company’s producer network includes family farming operations in Missouri, Oregon, Arkansas, and other parts of the Midwest. He views those relationships as one way for the company to remain involved in sourcing decisions as its operations develop.
For Wood, the anniversary offers a chance to consider whether the company can continue developing without losing the direct involvement that shaped its early years. He believes that means reviewing how it works with producers, how responsibilities are managed, and which founding priorities should guide its next chapter.
Looking ahead, US Wellness Meats plans to continue developing its producer network while retaining its involvement in processing and fulfillment. Wood also wants managed grazing and land stewardship to remain part of the company’s longer-term direction.
“We’d like to see deserts turn back into grasslands,” Wood notes. “That’s a project that I’d like to see in my lifetime.”
The milestone gives US Wellness Meats an opportunity to review how the business has developed since 2000 and identify the farming, sourcing, and operational priorities it intends to carry forward.
Contact Info:
Name: Brent Jarvis
Email: Send Email
Organization: US Wellness Meats
Website: https://grasslandbeef.com/
Release ID: 89202402
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