Brand Acres Beef LLC – Greenleaf, WI

Scott and Renee Brandenburg manage a herd of Certified Grassfed by AGW beef cattle at Brand Acres Beef LLC, located in a small town called Greenleaf, about 20 miles south of Green Bay, Wisconsin. The original farmstead of 80 acres was first purchased by Scott’s grandfather, Grandpa Gilbert Brandenburg. Gilbert worked the land, raising dairy cows and steers until he passed away in September of 2001.

At the end of 2003, Scott purchased 10 acres of the land with hopes of eventually raising beef cattle and replacement dairy heifers. Over the years, Scott and his wife, Renee, turned their interest of raising beef cattle from a hobby into a market venture. In 2010, they purchased two Pinzgauer heifers, a versatile cattle breed which originates from Austria and is prized for its beef, and their herd grew from there. More recently, they purchased cattle of mixed breed, including Angus, Belted Galloway and Simmental. Today, their herd consists of 17 Pinzgauers, 12 Herefords and 14 mixed breed beef cattle.

As the third- and fourth-generations to work the land, Scott, Renee and their three children are learning to grow cattle with sustainable agricultural techniques, including rotational grazing and grassfed management, in hopes of securing the farm’s production potential. “We see Brand Acres Beef as a multi-generational farm committed to restoring agriculture, replenishing nature and revitalizing organisms,” Scott explains. “We realize that cattle need outdoor space, as well as a grassfed diet, for their longevity and health. Our focus is to carefully expand capacity of cattle per acre for sustainable, rotational grazing.”

In addition to being Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, the cattle at Brand Acres Beef is Certified Grassfed by AGW, the first—and only—food label in the U.S. and Canada that guarantees food products come from animals fed a 100 percent grass and forage diet, and raised entirely outdoors on pasture or range. Scott describes their decision to become certified: “We follow Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW standards because this certification shows our customers that we really do care about the way we raise our animals, as well as our slaughter practices.” Brand Acres Beef plans to use the logo as a way to advertise and market their high-quality grassfed beef products, which they believe far exceed any conventional meat product. “Our loyal customers regularly comment on the great tasting beef from our grassfed cattle,” remarks Scott.

The Brandenburgs have many exciting plans to increase their farm business: “We are planning to increase our herd number to 50 grazing cattle this year,” Scott explains. “Within the next two to five years, we hope to have meat chickens out on pasture, foraging among the cattle.” Eventually, the family would also like to host public tours of the farm, start a U-pick operation (where customers pick their own fruits and vegetables) and open a retail store to sell direct to their customers. The ultimate goal for the Brandenburgs is to reach the point of financial sustainability and profitability, ensuring the family will be able to continue farming this land for generations to come.

Certified Grassfed by AGW beef from Brand Acres Farm LLC, is available to order direct from the farm in the spring and fall. For more information, contact Scott or Renee Brandenburg at brandacresbeef26@gmail.com, visit their website or call 920-366-3790. Follow them on Facebook.