Social sustainability in ranching and the U.S. beef industry: a case study of three counties in Oregon’s High Desert Basin

While sustainability’s “triple bottom line” encompasses environmental, economic, and social considerations, beef industry research predominantly focuses on environmental and economic aspects with less attention to social dimensions. This study addresses this gap by examining six social sustainability dimensions from a proposed social sustainability framework in Oregon’s High Desert Basin ranching communities: land ownership and succession, community relations, human health, equity and inclusion, learning and adaptation, and industry structure. Semi-structured interviews with 21 ranchers revealed significant concerns in this region about changing land ownership dynamics and rising property prices, weakening community relationships, inadequate physical and mental health care access, and economic pressures from industry consolidation. There were intraregional differences within our study area regarding the dimensions of equity and inclusion and learning and adaptation. The findings demonstrate that social sustainability challenges vary geographically, that different aspects of social sustainability are interconnected and reinforcing, and that social sustainability in our study area is shaped by the sustainability of larger social and economic systems. This study highlights the critical need to integrate social sustainability considerations into beef industry research and practice, recognizing that sustainable ranching depends on thriving rural communities and equitable industry structures.