34 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2026 FROM THE PLAINS PERSPECTIVES Traveling abroad has a way of sharpening one’s appreciation for agriculture at home. That was certainly the case during a recent agriculture trade mission to Chile, where history, politics and global markets intersect in ways that leave a lasting impression, especially for cattle producers. This past November, I joined the Nebraska Department of Agriculture on a 10-day trade mission to Chile. Jessica Shelburn, Nebraska Department of Agriculture deputy director, selected Blake McGee of Fairbury, Kasey Taylor of Indianola and me to partner with 11 others from Montana and Missouri. Chile’s agricultural landscape is diverse and productive, but it also carries deep scars from its political past. In 1967, Chile enacted agrarian reform laws that allowed the government to expropriate privately owned farms and ranches. Those efforts expanded rapidly after 1970 when a Marxist government accelerated land seizures under socialist and communist ideology. Family-owned agricultural operations – many stewarded for generations – were taken in the name of redistribution. What remains especially sobering is that, in most cases, families were later required to buy back the very land that had been taken from them. Often decades later and at significant cost, producers repurchased their own farms and ranches to regain control. The interruption to ownership, investment and generational continuity is still evident across Chilean agriculture. Despite that history, the cattle operations we visited were impressive and consistent countrywide. Every ranch demonstrated a strong emphasis on efficiency and functionality. The cows were superior in phenotype from top to bottom, and we struggled to find any that we would cull from our own herds. These were cattle designed to work – fertile, efficient and well-adapted to the extremely diverse Chilean environments. Each ranch host stuffed us full of the best empanadas and steaks washed down with Pisco sours. Like most other countries, one of the most notable differences from U.S. beef production is Chile’s lack of a formal, nationwide quality-based grading system. Chile’s beef market largely operates without clear price signals tied to eating quality. Without the incentive of a formal quality grading system, Chilean producers have focused on what matters most at the ranch level: cows that breed, stay and raise a calf under real-world conditions without any mineral or other supplements. It was a reminder that efficiency and phenotype are universal priorities, regardless of geography. As a result, beef is treated more as a commodity protein than a differentiated product. While producers excel at efficiency, the system offers limited incentive for capturing added value. Instead, producers have limited partnership opportunities with larger producers. One Wagyu company will buy back F1 calves at 35 percent above market value if breeders exclusively use their semen. Chile relies heavily on imported beef to meet domestic demand, sourcing product primarily from Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. At the same time, Chile exports beef into select international markets and places strong emphasis on animal health and biosecurity to maintain that access. Beyond beef, one of the most valuable outcomes of this trade mission was relationship building. We made several Individuals from Nebraska, Montana and Missouri participated in a 10-day trade mission to Chile in November. Standing, left to right, are Chilean ranchers Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo Hevia; Reiss Bruning, Neb.; Victor Gonzalez, Chile; David Patten, Mo.; Weston Merrill, Mont.; Kasey Taylor, Neb.; Kelly Smith, Mo.; Megan Van Emon, Mont.; Shawn Johnston, Mo.; Jessica Shelburn, Neb.; Colby Atchison, Mont.; Blake McGee, Neb.; Nathan Rogers, Mo.; Abby Dowden, Mo.; Peter Atkins, S.D.; and Annika Stampfel, Mont. Crouching in front is an unidentified participant. The delegation attends a bull sale organized by southern Chilean Angus breeders.
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