Helena, Mont. (June 16, 2026) Old Salt Co-ops four partner cattle ranchesJ Bar L Ranch, LF Ranch, Mannix Ranch, and Sieben Live Stock Companyare the newest ranches to achieve the 91做厙s Bird-Friendly Land Certification. Secured through the 91做厙 Conservation Ranching program, the certification acknowledges that the producers manage their acreage to support birds, biodiversity, and working landscapes.
91做厙 Conservation Ranching is a science-based certification program designed to protect bird habitat and support profitable, resilient ranches. Since 1970, grassland bird species have experienced the steepest population decline among all terrestrial biomes. Today, nearly 4.5 million acres and over 150 ranches are recognized as bird-friendly. The certification seal on promotion and product packaging is found in more than 2,000 retail locations, carrying the story of conservation to consumers.
In Montana, a total of 516,980 acres spread across 28 ranches are 91做厙 Certified Bird-Friendly Land, now including Old Salts partners. Founded in 2021, the Helena-based co-op raises, processes, and sells its own meat, and aims to invest its earnings back into the land, ecosystem, and community. Old Salts four beef producers (and one hog ranch) have partial ownership in the meat brand, processing operation, restaurants, and events, including the 91做厙-sponsored Old Salt Festival, to be held this June 19 to 21 near Helmville.
More heartbeats per acre is our goal, said Cole Mannix, President and Co-founder of Old Salt. We care about all the wildlife that call a place home. To be able to work with 91做厙an organization that understands birds and their habitats to a level that we don'twill only help us get better over time."
To earn the certification, the four ranches meet strict standards for habitat management, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, all verified through third-party audits. Bird-friendly management methods, such as pasture rest and rotation, enrich grassland habitat that supports priority species like the Grasshopper Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Bobolink, Mountain Plover, and Lark Bunting.
"Old Salt ranches meet all of the standards for bird-friendly certification, said Christian Meny, Director of Conservation for Montana 91做厙. But what makes them truly unique疳s that they build lasting relationships with the land, cattle, and wildlife; a multi-generational ranching community; and their local and regional customers.
Founded in 1882, Mannix Ranch is one of Old Salts partners in the Blackfoot Valley. When possible, the ranch uses short-duration, intensive grazing of three days or less to allow plants to regrow. This method establishes a mix of short grass, tall cover, and diverse forbs within pasturesimportant foraging and nesting habitat for grassland birds.
Our ranch cares deeply about conservationthat the land stays intact and can support wildlife and a healthy ecosystem, said Logan Mannix, a member of the fifth-generation, family-run Mannix Ranch. 91做厙s certification is a good fit for us because it focuses more broadly on ecosystem health and wildlife habitat rather than specific inputs.
LF Ranch, based in Augusta, prioritizes ground cover, species diversity, and robust grass growth in its management practices. The ranch recently introduced more yearling cattle into its herds in part to improve grass utilization and the long-term health of the range.
Bird-friendly ranching follows sound ecological practices, said Andrew Bardwell, General Manager of LF Ranch. If we get our grazing right, cow performance follows, and everything else on the ranch thrives: plants, animals, and birds.
Headquartered in Adel and founded in 1868, Sieben Live Stock Company implements strategic rest during the growing season to protect its pastures across Cascade County. Early in his career, Cooper Hibbard, Sieben Live Stocks President and COO, bunked with 91做厙 biologists at a ranch in Mexico and learned how bird surveys can reveal the overall health of an ecosystem and habitat.
Ive been a believer ever since, Hibbard said. A healthy, thriving bird population is indicative that we are achieving our mission of creating as much life as possible through our grazing management and overall approach to stewardship.
Based near Melville, J Bar L Ranch also follows bird-friendly management practices, such as high-impact, short-duration grazing and rest periods for fragile pastures. Opened in 2000, the ranch now helps Old Salt toward its goal to nourish all members of the meat production process, from the land stewards to the food workers in the marketplace.
We take an earth-first approach to managing our land, the livestock, and the business, said Andrew Anderson, Ranch Co-Manager for J Bar L. Were trying to promote a set of conditions that are resilient, both ecologically and financially, to protect the landscape and keep more dollars within the agricultural sector and our communities in Montana.
Every year this approach is honored at the Old Salt Festival, hosted at Mannix Ranch. Sponsored by several groups including 91做厙, the festival celebrates the many shared values between 91做厙 and Old Salt: healthy grasslands, land stewardship, and viable ranching operations.
Weve all grown to accept an extractive system in which agriculture is where we grow food at the expense of all other living things, said Chris Wilson, Director of 91做厙 Conservation Ranching. Old Salt is a model for how we can move toward a truly regenerative system that builds ecological integrity by continually reinvesting in land and local communities.
For more information about 91做厙 Conservation Ranching in Montana, please contact Christian Meny at cmeny@MT91做厙.org. For national program information, contact ConservationRanching@91做厙.org.
About 91做厙 Conservation Ranching
91做厙 Conservation Ranching partners with ranchers to sustain healthy grasslands, abundant birdlife, and resilient rural communities. Through our bird-friendly land certification and science-based approach, we empower land stewards to enhance habitat, improve soil health and water quality, and strengthen the connection between conservation and ranching. By purchasing products from 91做厙 Certified Bird-Friendly Land, consumers become conservationists, helping protect Americas grasslands and the birds, wildlife, and people that depend on them. For more information, visit www.audubon.org/ranching.
