Audubon Conservation Ranching- A New Co-op of Ranches Joins the Flock!
We are thrilled to announce that the Montana Audubon Conservation Ranching (ACR) program is now enrolling the ranches that make up the Old Salt Co-op!
In partnership with the ranchers, we are working to write customized “Bird-friendly” Habitat Management Plans (HMPs) for the four primary ranches that make up the Co-op, including: the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, the Sieben Livestock Company in Adel, the LF Ranch in Augusta, and the J Bar L Ranch based out of Melville, Montana. Once complete, Montana Audubon will submit the HMPs to our third-party auditor, the Food Alliance. This summer, the Food Alliance will visit the Old Salt ranches, and if all goes as planned, will award each ranch with Audubon “Bird-friendly” Certification. Separately, Montana Audubon staff will also visit each ranch to conduct bird surveys, creating a baseline inventory of bird species present on each property. The program uses regular bird surveys, as well as monitoring vegetation change and soil health, to measure the effectiveness of regenerative grazing practices.
“Good Food Comes from Ecological Integrity”
The Old Salt Co-op is more than a meat company, but also a model of regenerative ranching and land stewardship, focused on both ecological health and returning value to the people stewarding the land. ‘Land Is Kin,’ the Co-op’s motto, is the distillation of this shared set of values.
Each ranch in the co-op strives to deliver on these principles raising grass-finished, antibiotic- and hormone-free livestock. The producers practice regenerative grazing management, which includes short duration, high stock density, and long pasture recovery, focusing on building biomass and diversity of species, including grasses and native plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Beyond conservation, the Old Salt Co-op works to support viable ranching communities and connect the community, fostering a resilient regional food system. They own each stage of the process that brings their products to hungry customers, from the ranch to production and distribution.
Since 2023, the Co-op has celebrated their work and ranching communities by putting on the Old Salt Festival at the Mannix Ranch in Helmville. National Audubon’s Director of Conservation Ranching, Chris Wilson, attended the inaugural Old Salt Festival in 2023:
“It really struck me how the ranchers at Old Salt are blazing an important path between land conservation and the food we eat,” he said.
“Their focus on land stewardship and ecological health resonated with me and everyone in our circles. I know of no other brand that more perfectly aligns our values and ideals for ‘conservation ranching’ by demonstrating that cattle and ranching can be ecologically essential, environmentally beneficial, and economically viable in ways that invest in local communities rather than extracting from them.”
Support bird-friendly ranching
To support the Old Salt Co-op and “bird-friendly” ranching, purchase their products online or in-person at The Union in downtown Helena. The Union is both a butcher shop and a sit-down restaurant (and, a finalist for the 2025 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant!). Or for a more casual dining experience, head across the street to the Old Salt Outpost for a burger and beef tallow fries.
If you’re looking for live music, amazing food, conservation discussion, and family-friendly activities, join us at the Old Salt Festival, June 20-22 at the Mannix Ranch in Helmville.
This year, OSF is donating 10% of every ticket sale to Montana Audubon when you purchase tickets with our custom code- and, you’ll get $5 off! Enter MTAUDUBON at checkout. Buy your tickets here: https://www.oldsaltco-op.com/pages/old-salt-festival-2025-tickets
We hope to see you there- make sure to stop by our table to learn more about the Audubon Conservation Ranching program in Montana!
