On a small, abandoned generational ranch along the banks of the Yellowstone River just outside Big Timber, ranchers Heidi and Gary Todd ring the dinner bell, calling their cattle herd to a feast of hay protein snacks.

Starting with six cows in 2007 and building the herd slowly, Todd Family Meats started as a business in 2020. Heidi and Gary are proud of their first- generation, calving to processing ranch operation that produces pasture raised, grass fed, grain finished beef and lamb products.

“Something we are passionate about is sharing our beef and lamb with other families just like ours,” said Heidi. “We want other families to have the same access to the quality meats we feed our kids.” 

Heidi and Gary knew they needed to find a way to market their products to their expanding customer base, so they connected with Montana’s USDA Rural Development Rural Business and Cooperative Service team to apply for a Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG).

While Heidi acknowledges the process was a bit intensive (she wrote the whole application herself), she believes the effort was worth it when Todd Family Meats was awarded a VAPG in 2022.   

The Todd’s used the grant to help pay for processing and packaging their beef and lamb shares and individual cuts of meats such as ground beef, steaks, bratwursts, and beef jerky. Grant funds also helped them enhance their website, add an online store, and buy biodegradable packaging for shipping frozen beef and lamb products to customers in the lower 48 states. 

“We have a lot of input costs, so this grant has allowed us to grow our business at a faster pace than we would have otherwise,” Heidi said. “It has slingshot our small business.”

Todd Family Meats’ success also contributes to Big Timber’s economy. Their products are finished at the local meat processing plant where Gary works as a production manager, and the special recipe he uses in some of their meat products is made with ingredients purchased from local businesses.

While their online orders certainly have increased, the Todds still sell to customers at trade shows and at the weekly Livingston Farmer’s Market which Gary jokingly refers to as “date night” because it’s the one time he and Heidi get out without their children.

The business really is a labor of love for this Montana family; online orders always come with a personal handwritten thank you note from the Todd Family. 

“Every time we get an order, we get giddy,” says Heidi. “We are just so appreciative of our customers and that we get to share this.”