For Kim Ratcliff, life has always been rooted in rural America. Regardless of where her father’s job took them, she and her family consistently stayed connected to livestock and the land. This lifestyle, deeply ingrained by her father throughout her upbringing, profoundly influenced her outlook on life. Now, she wants to promote opportunities and diversity within the agriculture industry.
“Wherever we moved along his journey of jobs, we always had land and lived in rural America because he believed it was an opportunity to have a bigger look at life,” Ratcliff says. “When you have that incorporated into your daily life, you have a different perspective of what life is about. He just wanted his kids to be raised in that atmosphere. Even in New York, we lived on 20 acres. We had horses, we would stable horses for those in the city, and I had the opportunity to ride them for people. I believe having that responsibility has put me in a position where I’m more outgoing. I’m able to do public speaking, I’m able to talk to anyone. He really believed this lifestyle can change the way you view the world.”
Finance to Farming
After graduating from college determined to build a career in the Big Apple, Ratcliff began her corporate journey, while her parents moved back to Texas to begin ranching full time. She established a career with Bloomberg Financial in marketing and public relations, but the pull to return home and help out became one she couldn’t ignore.
“When I got to my office every morning, the first thing I would do was call my parents,” she says. “Every call, there was something different going on at the ranch—from good to bad. After doing that for so long, I just reached a point where I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t sit on that side of the fence knowing there was an opportunity for me to go home and potentially help alleviate some of those issues that my dad was facing every day.”
Shortly after, she quit her job and enrolled in the Ranch Management program at Texas Christian University. As the first African American to complete the program, she realized her true calling: raising awareness and educating others about the diversity within the agriculture industry.
“Originally, I was coming home because my parents needed my help, but that program, and being in that program with kids who might not have seen someone like me in that industry, changed my perspective of why I came home,” she says. “[I thought,] ‘How can I change that perspective in agriculture in general?’
“When I came back to the ranch, I did my research and found that the county we’re in, Freestone County, has the highest population of minority producers in the United States,” she continues. “I wanted to build the morale of the community, and I think community building is the No. 1 thing to bring people to agriculture. I wanted my community to be my biggest fan, and they are. I have an awesome team behind me.”
Her company, Ratcliff Premium Meats, is dedicated to telling stories through its products while building a legacy for future generations. What started out as a beef operation has since grown to include chicken, pork, and lamb. For Ratcliff, it’s much more than producing meat; it’s about fostering relationships and building up her community.
“It’s about a culture and a community. How can I continue telling their stories? It makes the community even more proud to have a family business like this growing. I wanted it to be generational. You also can’t have your hat in one bucket as a rancher; you have to evolve and figure out the longevity of the operation.”
She started her business in 2008 and first focused on building a team.
“It’s important to have an open mind. When I came home, I wouldn’t have told you I’d be in the meat business right now,” she says. “Sometimes we have to let our life evolve.”
Encouraging Others
To expand her endeavors in her community, Ratcliff launched Ratcliff Community Base Organization (CBO), a nonprofit to assist producers and local youth with sustainable agricultural practices through education and minimizing barriers.
Kim was recently awarded with Farm Journal’s 2025 Top Producer Women in Agriculture Award. She is also working with historically Black university Prairie View A&M University to expand students’ exposure to agriculture and meat production, as well as partnering with the school’s athletic department to provide student athletes with proper protein intake.
“There’s all these great qualities that meat provides, so how can I take our mission and help create a template for schools that don’t have the opportunity for great protein resources?” Ratcliff says. “We also want to help create a curriculum for ‘Barbecue 101’ that opens up the ag world to the entire campus and educates them on why we produce feed a certain way, and also why we use certain genetics for certain things.”
As Ratcliff’s local community continues to grow and support her operation, she has been working on new media opportunities, including an upcoming documentary series that highlights the Black community in the ranching, rodeo, and entertainment industries, as well as a special on CBS Saturday Morning with Michelle Miller.
“Collaborating with renowned organizations and communities has been instrumental in building this platform,” says Ratcliff. “That’s why I emphasize the importance of creating a strong team and community. Once you have that foundation, everything else will fall into place.”
This article about Kim Ratcliff appeared in the April 2025 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
