What Consumers Want from Beef in 2026 | Raise Well + Source & Age Explained
We Live It | LiveAg's Livestock Marketing Podcast · LiveAg
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Show Notes
This week on the We Live It Podcast, Ty deCordova and Casey Mabry sit down with Doug Stanton of IMI Global to break down one of the biggest new announcements in value-added cattle marketing — the Raise Well program.
If you're wondering:
- How do I add more buyers on sale day?
- What claims actually matter in today’s market?
- What are retailers and consumers demanding in 2026?
- Is Raise Well different from CARE or Natural programs?
- Should I bundle verification programs?
We cover it all.
Doug walks through the evolution of third-party verification programs including:
• Source & Age
• NHTC (Non-Hormone Treated Cattle)
• Natural
• CARE sustainability platform
• Angus Link & GMS
• And now… Raise Well
Raise Well is an animal welfare-based, natural, traceable program already approved by Whole Foods and being utilized by retail supply chains. It represents a growing shift toward consumer-driven beef standards and gives producers another opportunity to attract new buyers.
The key takeaway?
You don’t build premiums overnight — you build buyer pools.
The more programs you qualify for, the more options you create on sale day.
If you're marketing feeder cattle, backgrounding calves, or selling through video auctions, this episode will help you understand how third-party verification adds market access and protects long-term buyer relationships.
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#RaiseWell #IMIGlobal #CattleMarketing #VerifiedBeef #WeLiveIt
- (00:00) - Welcome from Denver | Coors Field Recording
- (02:00) - IMI Global Background & Third-Party Verification History
- (05:30) - Why Source & Age Is the Foundation
- (09:45) - NHTC, Natural & Bundling Programs for More Buyers
- (15:20) - The CARE Sustainability Platform Explained
- (21:10) - What Retailers Are Learning from Consumer Data
- (26:30) - Introducing the Raise Well Program
- (30:45) - How Raise Well Differs from CARE
- (35:00) - Whole Foods Approval & Retail Demand
- (38:40) - Country Natural Beef & Expanding Buyer Pools
- (42:00) - Why Adding One More Buyer Matters on Sale Day
- (46:00) - Don’t Chase Premiums — Build Market Access
- (50:00) - Protecting Buyer Relationships Long-Term