cattle ranchers

The California Rangeland Trust recognized CLEAR Center Director Dr. Frank Mitloehner, with the 2026 Conservation Impact Award during its annual Landowner Appreciation Dinner on June 2nd at the Yolo Land & Cattle Co. in Esparto, California. The event brought together ranchers, conservation partners, and agricultural leaders to celebrate the role of working lands in sustaining California’s landscapes.

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Katie Roberti sat down for a conversation that reflects both her roots and her mission. As Director of Communications for the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), Roberti spends her days translating the realities of ranching into language policymakers, media, and the public can understand. But her connection to agriculture is far more personal than professional.

California’s legendary rangelands, once the heart of the American West, are vanishing at an alarming rate. Driven by factors such as economic pressures, regulatory challenges, and relentless urban sprawl, these iconic landscapes are under threat—putting the future of cattle ranching in jeopardy. A powerful new documentary shines a spotlight on the determined ranchers battling to save these crucial rangelands for generations to come.