MERGING MARKETS BIANCHI RANCHES STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE ON THE RANGE WHILE BRINGING BEEF DIRECT TO CONSUMERS by CCA Associate Director of Communications Maureen LaGrande
California is a diverse state serving as home to many multigenerational farms and ranches that have continued to operate amidst natural disasters and everchanging regulations that make it difficult for an operation to carry on. In Zone 4 of the California Cattlemen’s Association lies the local associations of Contra Costa – Alameda and Santa Clara County. To expand upon a business, many ranchers look for ways to diversify and build upon their operations so that in the years to come those who want to continue in the business have the opportunity to do so. Involvement, innovation and education are continually being implemented at Bianchi Ranches, located in the foothills of Gilroy. Now in its fifth generation, the ranch is run by Robert and Chris Bianchi, their daughter Erica Bianchi Pirnik, her husband Steven Pirnik, their daughter Mila and friend Juli Figone. The land in which the ranch resides was purchased in the early 1910s by Chris’s grandfather George Milias, the then mayor of Gilroy and a hotel owner. Milias made the decision he wanted to become a cattle rancher and purchased range land, some of which is now Bianchi Ranches. Since Miliases start in the cattle industry, the ranch has been passed down from generation to generation. RUNNING THE RANCH Following in the footsteps of previous generations who have raised livestock on the ranch, the Bianchi family wears many hats running a cow-calf operation, raising purebred Charolais, Hereford, Red Angus and Black Angus
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cattle, and selling their meat direct-to-consumer. “While there have been changes to the ranch over the years, we are very fortunate to still be here ranching,” said Erica Pirnik. Having so many moving parts on the ranch, it’s always all hands on deck, with each family member overseeing the various facets of the operation. Robert can be found out on the ranch tending to the cattle as well as working alongside Steven keeping up on ranch maintenance and projects that need to be completed. In addition to their cow-calf operation, the family also raises purebred livestock including bulls that they sell via private treaty and at various livestock sales throughout the state and have a few commercial calves that they raise and sell to youth showmen throughout California, Oregon and Nevada. On the purebred side of things, there is a lot of record keeping, and each association has a different set of standards that must be followed and submitted. Chris keeps detailed notes to make sure their records are up to date and handles all the necessary paperwork for the breed associations. To ensure that they are producing strong genetics, Pirnik shares that they do a lot of embryo work and utilize the use of some artificial insemination. “We invest in really good herd bulls that can breed everything,” said Pirnik. With a strong foundation of genetics, Pirnik explained how their operation with the bulls is twofold, for the family uses their home-raised bulls on their ranch allowing them to see what they are selling to their customers. When they aren’t on