OAKLAND, CALIF. – Belcampo Meat Co. announced on Oct. 1 that approximately 8,000 acres of its farmland near Mount Shasta, Calif., used for cattle grazing were burned in the Zogg Fire.

The company said no employees, animals or structures were harmed or lost. Belcampo does not expect the fire to affect the supply chain or production.

“We’re devastated by the losses experienced by our communities, friends, and neighbors due to the ongoing wildfires, and are so fortunate that our team members, animals and farm buildings were unharmed,” said Anya Fernald, co-founder Belcampo. “We feel fortunate that our supply chain will be able to support our business’ planned growth despite this setback, and our hearts go out to all in our area who have also been impacted.

The company said its herd of mother cows were scheduled to begin grazing on the burned land from November through January 2021. Belcampo is now seeking land to lease in the surrounding area. The burned pastures represent nearly a quarter of company’s 25,000 total acres of farmland.

“The destruction these massive wildfires have caused to the land and infrastructure is real – in our case it will take at least two years for the land to regenerate so our herds can graze there again,” Fernald said.

The Zogg Fire is still burning across Shasta and Tehama counties and has already destroyed more than 40,000 acres of land to date. With slight winds, high temperatures, and low humidity, these fires are continuing to threaten the businesses in the surrounding area.

“We’re incredibly lucky that our team and animals are safe given the land we lost has not been touched by fires in many years,” said James Rickert, farm and procurement director of Belcampo. “My heart goes out to the rest of the community who is also impacted by these fires. Unfortunately, we’ve had to recognize the harsh reality that wildfires are now a part of our lives in rural California. All we can do is lean aggressively into our recovery and continue our fight to be a part of a larger solution for the future.”

Belcampo works to build a supply chain that produces meat with Certified Humane, regenerative and climate-friendly farming practices.

The company raises many of its animals on company owned USDA Certified Organic farms in California using Certified Humane and regenerative farming techniques. It sources from partner farms that utilize the same guidelines.

Belcampo produces a variety of beef, poultry, pork and lamb cuts, whole cuts of beef such as Ribeye, New York Strip Steak and Tri-Tip, ground beef, pork and lamb, beef jerky, sausages, whole Cornish chickens, smoked bacon, eggs, salami, snacks and bone broths.