Janie VanWinkle is a fourth-generation rancher from south of Grand Junction, Colorado. She and her husband, Howard, own and operate VanWinkle Ranch, a Charolais cow-calf operation that runs about 600 head. Together, they’ve spent decades building their ranching business, starting in the early 1980s with just a small herd and growing steadily over time.

The VanWinkles transitioned to full-time ranching in 2015, and today manage a mix of private land and public grazing allotments in the region. Their work is focused on responsible land stewardship, herd health, and maintaining strong relationships with their community and partners. They’ve also expanded into direct-to-consumer beef sales, offering locally raised ground beef to families and food banks across Colorado and Wyoming.

Janie has long been an active voice in Colorado’s agricultural community, having served as president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and most recently recognized as the 2025 U.S. Livestock Industry Leader of the Year at the National Western Stock Show. She’s known not just for her leadership, but for her commitment to practical, hands-on work in the industry.

At the heart of it all is family. Janie and Howard are proud to work alongside their son Dean, his wife Tayler, and their granddaughter Paisley—continuing the ranching tradition into its fifth and sixth generations.

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