CNN Cattle Company

With the foundation of faith, friendship, and integrity Carrie and Nate Horman established CNN Cattle Company of Roland, Iowa. Their journey began when they met showing cattle in middle school and in 2010 the couple married. They then purchased their acreage in 2014 and have since expanded their herd of Simmental cattle on that land.

The two pride themselves in breeding good cattle for themselves and their customers. Nate expressed, “We breed cattle to sell to families that can give birth unassisted, grow well, produce high-quality beef, and do all of that in an attractive package.”

Today, The Hormans successfully host two events a year where they sell their cattle. Their online female sale is held in the fall, allowing buyers to bid online. This is followed by their live auction bull sale, Pasture to Pounds, held every March. CNN Cattle Company strives every day to breed cattle that are functional enough to harvest as well as stylish enough to succeed in the show ring.

Carrie and Nate prioritize maintaining the original cow families that helped them begin. They breed their animals to preserve original genetics while still introducing newer and fresher genetics that are up and coming. This strategic breeding also leads to hanging high-quality carcasses when it is time for harvest. These animals can achieve optimal weight and marbling, improving the overall taste and quality of beef cuts you might feed your family.

Beyond their own business, Carrie and Nate are devoted to the next generation of young cattlemen and women. Their focus is helping others the way that their mentors helped them. They actively support and organize national and state-level fundraisers to benefit the industry’s youth.

Youth involved in showing cattle are often referred to as ‘juniors.’ Juniors in the beef industry are similar to players on a high school basketball team. Young athletes typically look up to coaches and retired players for advice, encouragement, and support. On the cattle side, juniors look up to people like Carrie and Nate with many other families and breeders for support and advice as they start their involvement in the beef industry.

The Hormans’ fundraising efforts help raise money for merit scholarships for these young cattle farmers. Their efforts also provide leadership competitions for juniors to further their beef industry knowledge and experience. These two things are comparable to getting a full-ride college basketball scholarship. For these young farmers, it’s like taking the next step in starting your own business.

The couple's numerous efforts were recognized in 2023 when they were awarded the American Simmental Foundation Promoter of the Year. Although the Hormans have received much-deserved recognition for their efforts, they remain grounded in their goals and commitments to promote and engage in the industry. They achieve this by valuing the relationships they have built and are continuously building. Carrie and Nate believe that much of their success has come from countless friendships and relationships they’ve made.

“Blood, sweat, and tears would be an accurate summary,” Nate says, sharing a laugh with Carrie. The couple has proudly been through many trials and errors through the years and still learns something new daily. With a clear vision and many ambitious goals yet to be accomplished, the couple will not let anything get in their way from helping spread excitement for the beef industry.

Promoting beef and educating the public are big goals for Carrie and Nate.“We aren’t the people to turn away from questions,” Carrie explains, “when we are at cattle shows, we enjoy answering questions from the public walking through the barns.” The couple loves to see people eager to learn about cattle and beef production.

Educating consumers about beef from farm to table is very important to the couple. One thing that they wish they could emphasize to consumers is the fact that it is not simply about transporting the animals to be processed. It takes a lot of decision-making and management to deliver the perfectly plated steak. This is close to a three-year process that includes breeding, calving, and ensuring optimal nutrition and daily cattle care to both the momma cow, as well as the calf. The end goal of this process is then to meet the customer’s preference for delicious and nutritious high-quality beef.

Reflecting on what the industry means to them, Nate said, “A lot. It is literally what we eat, sleep and breathe”. CNN Cattle Company strives to nourish consumers with beef, be a resource to consumers eager to learn more, be successful cattle farmers, and assist with building the next generation of cattlemen. For Carrie and Nate Horman, it is more than just the cattle. It's their livelihood, their passion, and their legacy.