Veteran expands Valor Provisions beef biz

Benjamin Herrold
May 24, 2026
May 24, 2026

Army Ranger veteran Pat Montgomery started KC Cattle Company a decade ago, selling beef directly to consumers. He has since started Valor Provisions, a co-op with several independent livestock producers.
Photo courtesy of Pat Montgomery

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

After serving as an Army Ranger in the 1st Ranger Battalion, Pat Montgomery faced a decision about what to do next.

kAmw6 :?:E:2==J H6?E 324< E@ D49@@= E@ 36 2 =2C86 2?:>2= G6E6C:?2C:2?[ 3FE 96 D2:5 96 “;FDE 4@F=5?’E >2<6 E96 >2E9 >2E9” H:E9 E96 6IA64E65 D2=2CJ 2?5 :?DE625 564:565 E@ DE2CE C2:D:?8 42EE=6]k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ DE2CE65 zr r2EE=6 r@>A2?J 2 564256 28@[ 2?5 96 C2:D6D 42EE=6 2E (6DE@?[ |:DD@FC:[ ;FDE ?@CE9 @7 z2?D2D r:EJ] w6 D6==D 9:D 3667 5:C64E=J E@ 4@?DF>6CD[ E2<:?8 @C56CD @? 9:D H63D:E6 W<442EE=64@>A2?J]4@>X 2?5 H@C<:?8 E@ 56G6=@A 4@??64E:@?D]k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 96 H2D 5C2H? E@ E96 =:76 @7 C2:D:?8 42EE=6 2?5 36:?8 @FED:56]k^Am

kAm“x ;FDE 5:5?’E H2?E E@ D:E 369:?5 2 56D<[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%9:D :D D@>6H92E :C@?:4[ 96 D2:5 ?@H[ 8:G6? 9@H >F49 @77:46 E:>6 :D C6BF:C65 E@ CF? E96 3FD:?6DD D:56 @7 E96 @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAmxE H2D 2 492==6?86 86EE:?8 E96 C2?49 DE2CE65 2D 2 7:CDE\86?6C2E:@? 42EE=6 AC@5F46C[ 2?5 |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 96 =62C?65 2=@?8 E96 H2J]k^Am

kAm“(6 3@@EDEC2AA65 :E 7@C E96 7:CDE 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm$@>6 >65:2 4@G6C286 96=A65 AC@G:56 2 3C62<E9C@F89[ :? A2CE:4F=2C 2? 2CE:4=6 23@FE 9:D (28JF 3667 9@E 5@8D] %9:D =65 E@ 2 C2A:5 DFC86 :? D2=6D[ H9:49 =65 E@ >@C6 =@8:DE:4D E@ 7:8FC6 @FE]k^Am

kAm“$2=6D :D 2 8@@5 AC@3=6>[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m&?:E65 677@CEk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmp7E6C J62CD @7 D66:?8 E96 492==6?86D E92E :?56A6?56?E 72C>6CD 7246[ |@?E8@>6CJ 564:565 E@ 6IA2?5 9:D >:DD:@? E@ DFAA@CE E9@D6 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD] p J62C 2?5 2 92=7 28@[ 96 7@F?565 '2=@C !C@G:D:@?D[ 2 4@\@A E92E AC@G:56D >6>36CD9:AD 2?5 @?6 D:E6 E@ 3FJ >62E 7C@> D6G6C2= 5:776C6?E =:G6DE@4< AC@5F46CD]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 366? 2 H:=5 C:56[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 96 7@F?565 '2=@C !C@G:D:@?D E@ 96=A 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD D6== 5:C64E=J E@ 4@?DF>6CD C2E96C E92? 4@>A6E:?8 H:E9 9F86 4@>A2?:6D H9@ 4@?EC@= =2C86 A6C46?E286D @7 E96 2?:>2= AC@E6:? >2C<6E]k^Am

kAm“uC@> ’aa E@ ’ac H6 H6?E 7C@> =:G:?8 E96 p>6C:42? 5C62> E@ 52C? ?62C 36==J FA[ =:<6 2 =@E @7 WA6@A=6 :? 28C:4F=EFC6X[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 96 92D 2 DEC@?8 2AAC64:2E:@? 7@C 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD H9@ AC@5F46 E96 7@@5 A6@A=6 ?665]k^Am

kAm“x <:?5 @7 76== :? =@G6 H:E9 E96 >@C2=D 2?5 6E9:4D @7 A6@A=6 H9@ AC@5F46 7@@5 :? E9:D 4@F?ECJ[” |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5]k^Am

kAm'2=@C !C@G:D:@?D DE2CE65 H:E9 E9C66 G6?5@CD[ :?4=F5:?8 zr r2EE=6 r@>A2?J[ 2?5 ?@H 92D 7:G6] |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 E96J H:== 36 255:?8 E9C66 >@C6 D@@?]k^Am

kAm%96 5:776C6?E G6?5@CD @776C 3667[ A@C<[ 49:4<6? 2?5 D@@? 3:D@?[ 2?5 2 8C2DD765 @AE:@? 2D H6==] rFDE@>6CD 42? D9@A 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^G2=@CAC@G:D:@?D]FDQmG2=@CAC@G:D:@?D]FDk^2m]k^Am

People are also reading…

Don’t confuse popularity with expertise when deciding who speaks for American ranchers
With dry conditions, combine fires a strong possibility in 2026
Beef-production cycle slow
Farm Progress Show displays range in size
When company was coming: What the farm used to teach us about talking to people
Power-line project garners opposition
Answer Plot Innovation Farm discusses spray drone advancements
SWC opens up cost share funds for water projects in drought-stricken areas
Heading toward harvest, South Central Nebraska crops looking good
The life of a true cowboy
Corn market taking notice of yield projections
Barn Boards and Baling Wire
Social media puts a face to food production
Lessons learned in Lyman County
A gold star ranch

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 E96 >6>36CD9:A A2J>6?ED 2C6 D:>:=2C E@ r@DE4@ @C @E96C H9@=6D2=6 4=F3D[ H96C6 4FDE@>6CD A2J E@ 86E 8@@5 AC:4:?8] w6 D2:5 4@?DF>6CD 42? 86E E96 >62E 32D:42==J 2E 4@DE[ 2?5 E96 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD 86E 2 D6E :?4@>6 DEC62> 7C@> E96 >6>36CD9:AD]k^Am

kAm%96 ?2>6[ '2=@C !C@G:D:@?D[ C67=64ED 2 56D:C6 E@ 5@ 3FD:?6DD 72:C=J[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“x’> ECJ:?8 E@ 3C:?8 324< 2? @=5\D49@@= H2J @7 3FD:?6DD[ E2<:?8 42C6 @7 E96 4@?DF>6CD[ ?@E ;FDE E96 3@EE@> =:?6[” 96 D2:5] “r9@@D:?8 E96 92C5 C:89E @G6C E96 62DJ HC@?8]”k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m‘q6DE ;@3 x 6G6C 925’k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 ?2>6 2=D@ C67=64ED |@?E8@>6CJ’D >:=:E2CJ 324<8C@F?5] w6 D2:5 D@>6 @7 E96 @E96C G6?5@CD 2=D@ D6CG65 :? E96 >:=:2CJ]k^Am

kAm“%96 H@C5 ‘G2=@C’ 4@>6D 7C@> >J 3C@E96CD H9@ 5:5?’E >2<6 :E 324<[” |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5]k^Am

kAmw:D 3C@E96C\:?\=2H[ $E277 $8E] y6C6>J z2EK6?36C86C[ H2D <:==65 :? 24E:@? 27E6C D6G6C2= E@FCD @7 5FEJ] %92E =@DD 96=A65 :?DA:C6 |@?E8@>6CJ E@ DE2CE E96 zr r2EE=6 r@>A2?J 2?5 E9:?< 23@FE 2 >:DD:@? 3:886C E92? ;FDE 9:D :>>65:2E6 42C66C]k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ 92D 9:C65 G6E6C2?D E@ H@C< 7@C 9:>] w:D >:=:E2CJ 6IA6C:6?46 H2D :>A@CE2?E :? D92A:?8 9:D G2=F6D]k^Am

kAm“xE H2D 2 D9@CE E:>6 A6C:@5 @7 >J =:76[ 3FE :E H2D 2 3FDJ E:>6 @7 H2C72C6 7@C @FC 4@F?ECJ[” |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5] “%9@D6 6IA6C:6?46D 82G6 >6 A6CDA64E:G6]”k^Am

kAmw6 D2:5 9:D E:>6 :? E96 >:=:E2CJ 6>A92D:K65 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 D6CG:?8 @E96CD[ 2?5 36:?8 @G6CD62D 96=A65 9:> 36 E92?<7F= 7@C =:76 :? p>6C:42] tG6? H:E9 E96 492==6?86D 2?5 3FC62F4C24J @7 >:=:E2CJ =:76[ |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 :E H2D C6H2C5:?8]k^Am

kAm“xE H2D E96 36DE ;@3 x 6G6C 925[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 :E 42? 36 5:77:4F=E 7@C G6E6C2?D E@ C6EFC? E@ ?@?\>:=:E2CJ =:76[ 3FE 96 6?4@FC286D E96> E@ 8@ 7@C :E 2?5 AFCDF6 E96:C 5C62>D]k^Am

kAm“s@?’E 36 27C2:5 E@ 6I:E :?E@ E96 4:G:=:2? H@C=5[” 96 D2:5] “(6 ?665 2 =@E >@C6 G6E6C2?D W:? E96 H@C<7@C46 2?5 :? 28C:4F=EFC6X]”k^Am

kAm|@?E8@>6CJ’D 6IA6C:6?46D =65 9:> E@ DE2CE 2 42EE=6 3FD:?6DD[ DEC:G6 E@ C2:D6 E96 9:896DE\BF2=:EJ 3667[ 2?5 “A:4< 2 7:89E H:E9 E96 7@@5 DJDE6>[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm!6@A=6 2AAC64:2E6 <?@H:?8 >@C6 23@FE E96:C 7@@5 2?5 H9@ AC@5F46D :E[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%96J 23D@=FE6=J =@G6 E96 AC@5F4E[” 96 D2:5] “%96J H2?E E@ <?@H H96C6 E96:C 7@@5 4@>6D 7C@>[ :D :E AC@46DD65[ 2?5 :D :E 8@@5]”k^Am

kAm%C2?DA2C6?4J :D :>A@CE2?E[ 2?5 |@?E8@>6CJ 92D :?7@C>2E:@? @? 9:D H63D:E6 23@FE 9@H 96 C2:D6D 9:D 42EE=6]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 '2=@C !C@G:D:@?D 92D 2 8C2DD765 @AE:@?[ |@?E8@>6CJ :D @A6? H:E9 4@?DF>6CD E92E 96 >FDE 92G6 4@C? :? 9:D 42EE=6’D 5:6E E@ 86E 9:D 3667 E@ >66E (28JF DE2?52C5D]k^Am

kAmpD 96 92D 8C@H? E96 '2=@C !C@G:D:@?D 4@\@A ?6EH@C<[ |@?E8@>6CJ D2:5 96 2AAC64:2E65 86EE:?8 E@ >66E A6@A=6 C2:D:?8 =:G6DE@4< 2?5 AC@G:5:?8 7@@5 7@C E96 4@F?ECJ[ 2D H6== 2D 96=A:?8 E96> D6== 5:C64E=J E@ A6@A=6]k^Am

kAm“(92E x 6?;@J >@DE :D E96 4@??64E:@?D H:E9 E96 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD[” 96 D2:5] “'2=@C’D 2 >F49 3:886C >:DD:@?]”k^Am