Mission

Texas Beef Initiative (TBI) provides a consistent and reliable source of high quality ground beef to Texans in need.

Texas Beef Initiative is a Texas based 501(C)(3) (EIN# 85-3564543) non-profit corporation founded in October 2020.

Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by IRS regulations.

Texas Beef Initiative

TBI is the essential link between the food-insecure community’s desperate need for meat protein and the cattle widely available in Central Texas.

Based in Dripping Springs Texas, TBI seeks donations of cash and cattle. Donations set the TBI mission in motion. TBI’s existing network and know-how turn local cattle into high quality ground beef. The ground beef is donated to local food banks and partner organizations and distributed to Texans in need. 

TBI has donated more than 300,000 meals to date and is on track to donate 150,000 meals in 2024.

Partners and Recipient Organizations

 TBI was founded in the fall of 2020 by Noel McAlexander and Dave Sisler— both cattleman and amateur team ropers.

TBI seeks donations of cash and cattle . Cash is used for the purchase of cattle, processing and operating expenses.

The key to TBI’s success is the growing network of donors and local partners.

TBI depends on  local ropers/ ranchers/ producers for the reliable supply of cattle, feed and resources.

TBI has negotiated rates with local processors to provide complete processing services under state inspection.

TBI ground beef is packaged into one-pound frozen portions and certified for distribution by a growing list of recipient organizations .

Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP) is an important partner to TBI (https://www.drippingspringsranchpark.com/).

DSRP, a City of Dripping Springs facility, has two indoor arenas, one outdoor arena, conference rooms, event rooms, concessions facilities, offices etc. DSRP is TBI’s home base for weekly roping practice, roping competitions and fundraising events throughout the year.

This network grows daily and increases the awareness for Texas Beef Initiative.

Need

Natural meat protein is a critical part of a balanced healthy diet, but absent from most food distribution programs. 

Millions of Texans need help putting food on the table. This food insecurity was made much worse by the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic starting in 2020.

Three points from TBI’s first call to Central Texas Food Bank in 2020 continue to motivate the mission today:

- Peanut Butter is one of the most common sources of protein included in the food boxes assembled/ distributed to Central Texans.

- Despite all the local ranches and cattle production, the Central Texas Food Bank did not receive regular donations of beef prior to TBI.

- Local food banks have plenty of capacity to accept ALL of the ground beef TBI can provide.

Source

TBI is the essential link between the local food bank’s desperate need for meat protein and the cattle widely available in Central Texas.

Texas is the largest cattle producer in the U.S. and has a huge rodeo sports and roping community. Early on, TBI aimed to acquire rodeo cattle after their sporting days were over. TBI now seeks and accepts all breeds, classes and weights of cattle, ie: beef cattle from local ranchers, longhorn “pasture ornaments”, cull cows etc.

In all cases, these cattle are widely available, yet underutilized as a source of high quality ground beef.

Texas Beef Initiative seeks donations of cash and cattle .

Numbers

TBI has donated more than 300,000 meals to date and currently on track to donate 150,000 meals in 2024.

- One pound of ground beef provides the protein portions for four meals.

- One steer can provide 1,000 to 1,500 protein meal portions.

- A $1,000 donation pays to purchase, feed and process one steer.

- The average cost per meal portion is less than $0.75.