SAN DIEGO (July 8, 2025) – McFaddin Ranch in Victoria, Texas, was recognized today by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) as a 2025 Regional winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). Regional awards were presented during the cattle industry’s Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, and the national winner will be announced during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, in February.
“It is an honor to recognize these cattle producers for their commitment to conservation,” said NCBA President Buck Wehrbein. “Not only are they protecting natural resources for future generations, but they also serve as stewardship role models for producers across the country.”
Established in 1991, ESAP celebrates outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry. Regional ESAP winners come from every corner of the country and undertake stewardship efforts unique to their environment, landscape and resources. The 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award Program Regional winners are:
Region I: Whispering Hills Farm, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Region II: M&D Overstreet Ranch, Kathleen, Florida
Region III: Smith Family Farms, Bankston, Iowa
Region IV: McFaddin Ranch, Victoria, Texas
Region V: G&G Livestock and Cathey Cattle Company, Polson, Montana
Region VII: Wine Glass Ranch, Imperial, Nebraska
“McFaddin Ranch embodies a stewardship ethic that is reflected in relationships with their family, their land and their livestock,” said Jeff Goodwin, director of the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management at Texas A&M AgriLife Research. “Bob McCan leads by example by providing international leadership through industry engagement and providing an environment of learning for peers, students and resource professionals.”
Founded in 1877, McFaddin Ranch is a living testament to the resilience and innovation of Texas ranching. Located near the Gulf Coast, McFaddin Ranch has worked for decades to hone grazing management practices to match the environment and optimize ecosystem services. From proper stocking densities, genetics, handling, forage quality and flood and drought management, co-owner and general manager Bob McCan continually seeks out new tools and approaches that enhance all aspects of the operation. These efforts have improved wildlife habitat, protected and enhanced water quality, and increased carbon sequestration. These stewardship efforts are helping the ranch meet its goals of integrating research-proven strategies to maintain thriving wildlife and livestock populations through complementary practices, using economic, environmental and social sustainability to guide decisions, and continuing the family’s ranching legacy. In addition, McCan shares what he’s learned through leadership roles at the state, national and international levels.
“Our consumers, regardless of where they live and how far removed from the land they are, need to know that we take the responsibility of stewardship seriously,” said Bob McCan with McFaddin Ranch. “We do everything in our power to take care of the natural resources entrusted to us.”
ESAP is generously sponsored by companies and federal agencies who share the cattle industry’s commitment to caring for the environment and protecting natural resources. Sponsors including U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Corteva Agriscience, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partner with NCBA to promote environmental stewardship throughout the beef supply chain. For more information, visit www.environmentalstewardship.org.
###
Published by NCBA