Pearce Cattle Company

Aerial shot of the Kissimmee River which is the western boundary of the ranch in Okeechobee.

Throughout Florida’s history, cattle producers have understood a simple truth: the land doesn’t belong to us forever. We are simply its caretakers for a season.

That belief is the inspiration behind Florida Cattlemen’s Association President John Williamson’s theme for the coming year—”Keepers of His Land.” It is a reminder that ranchers have long balanced the responsibility of producing food with protecting the natural resources that make ranching possible. Every pasture managed, every prescribed burn conducted, every wetland protected, and every calf raised represents an investment in the future of Florida.

Over the coming year, this series will highlight cattle producers across our state whose operations demonstrate that stewardship and production go hand in hand. Their stories reflect a shared commitment to caring for the land, the livestock, and the legacy they will leave for the next generation.

Few operations embody that commitment more completely than Pearce Cattle Company.

Pearce Cattle Company’s crew. Left to right: Taylor Pearce, Chandler Pearce, Aubrey Smoak, and Matt Pearce.

Headquartered in Okeechobee with ranching interests spanning South Florida and Georgia, Pearce Cattle Company has grown from a small family operation established by Matt Pearce in 1988 into a diversified cow-calf and heifer development business recognized throughout the industry for both production and conservation. This year, that dedication was recognized when the operation received Florida’s Environmental Stewardship Award, honoring cattle producers who demonstrate outstanding care for Florida’s natural resources.

For Matt, stewardship is more than a management practice, it’s part of his family’s heritage.

The Pearce family’s roots in Florida ranching stretch back to the late 1800s. In 1934, Matt’s great grandfather, John Olan Pearce Sr., joined eight other cattlemen in traveling to Tallahassee to advocate for private property rights, disease protection, and flood control. Those efforts helped lay the foundation for what would become the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and established a family tradition of leadership that continues today.

Cattle are a huge part of the land management tool at Pearce Cattle Company.

Matt has continued that legacy through his own service as FCA President and through a philosophy that productive ranches and healthy ecosystems are not competing priorities; they depend on one another.

Across the ranch, rotational grazing, prescribed fire, soil testing, strategic brush management, and carefully planned stocking rates improve forage production while protecting soil health. Solar-powered watering systems provide clean water for livestock in remote areas while reducing cattle pressure on sensitive wetlands and natural surface water. These practices have improved cattle distribution, enhanced animal health, and increased stocking capacity while conserving valuable natural resources.

One of the numerous wetlands on Pearce Cattle Company.

Perhaps the most visible example of this stewardship can be found on a leased Wetland Reserve Easement near Clewiston, where Pearce Cattle Company manages cattle alongside significant conservation efforts. Former agricultural fields have been restored into thriving wetlands that now support migratory waterfowl, wading birds, deer, Osceola turkeys, bobwhite quail, pollinators, and numerous protected species. In 2024, researchers documented 65 active Everglade Snail Kite nests on the property, an extraordinary example of how leased working ranch lands can provide essential wildlife habitat while continuing to produce cattle.

Those conservation efforts have also strengthened the ranch’s business. Improved grazing management has increased stocking rates by approximately 18 percent, while wetland restoration has created opportunities for conservation-based recreation through the ranch’s successful duck hunting enterprise. Rather than viewing stewardship as a cost of doing business, Pearce Cattle Company has demonstrated that sound conservation practices can improve both environmental outcomes and long-term profitability.

Family of Black Belly Whistling ducks born on Pearce Cattle Company.

Education has become another important part of the ranch’s mission. Pearce Cattle Company regularly partners with organizations including NRCS, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Ducks Unlimited, the University of Florida, and Florida Audubon to host research projects, first-time hunting programs, ranch tours, and conservation education. Through public speaking, media appearances, and social media, Matt continues to help tell the story of Florida ranchers as responsible stewards of the land.

Matt with Taylor and Chandler.

In a rapidly developing state, Florida’s working ranches remain some of our greatest conservation assets. They protect open spaces, recharge groundwater, provide wildlife habitat, and preserve a way of life that has shaped our state for generations.

That is what it means to be a Keeper of His Land.

It is not simply about preserving the past, it is about ensuring that future generations inherit healthy land, thriving wildlife, productive ranches, and an industry that continues to serve both people and the environment.

As we begin this new series, Pearce Cattle Company reminds us that the best ranchers understand stewardship is not separate from ranching. It is ranching. And it is through faithful care of the resources entrusted to us that Florida’s ranching heritage will continue to flourish for generations to come.

Stay tuned for another installment of Keepers of His Land, where we’ll highlight a different Florida cattle operation each month.