THE FEDERATION OF

BEEF COUNCILS

Building beef demand by inspiring , unifying and supporting an effective and coordinated state and national Checkoff partnership .

HONORING ALL WHO SERVED

Throughout the summer , patriotism is prevalent in rural America with red , white and blue proudly displayed at rodeos , county fairs , community celebrations and on front porches . When fall approaches , the season brings a more formal way to celebrate those who have served . On Nov . 11 , Veterans Day honors all America ’ s veterans for their service . Many in the cattle industry have defended our country ’ s freedoms , and we thank them for their service , commitment and dedication .

BE ALL YOU CAN BE

Retired Army Special Forces Colonel Max Howard Krupp was born in El Paso , Texas , and was influenced at an early age by his grandfather and great uncles who served during World War II . Krupp ’ s relatives were part of the “ Greatest Generation ” and left an indelible fingerprint .

“ They demonstrated service through their patriotism in everyday life ,” Krupp reflected . “ They lived by the mantra , ‘ the harder you work , the luckier you get ’ and they appreciated the opportunities this country afforded them .”

When Krupp continued his family ’ s legacy of military service and joined the Army , Vietnam veterans remained in formation and he had the opportunity to serve with and learn from older soldiers . This inter-generational transfer of knowledge and experiences was powerful , and Krupp made sure he continued that tradition as younger soldiers entered under his command .

The Army ’ s slogan “ Be All You Can Be ” spoke to Krupp , and he pushed that idea as far as he could during his military career . While Krupp initially enlisted in the Army , he knew he wanted to become an officer , but to be a proficient officer he needed to first walk in the boots of the enlisted .

“ I never asked someone to do something I wouldn ’ t do ,” Krupp said . “ To be an effective leader , I needed to understand what it was like to live that life .”

During his service , Krupp held numerous commands in Long Range Surveillance , Airborne Infantry and Special Forces units . His primary mission was to work with partner nations to develop their defense capabilities . He served in more than 30 countries around the globe , helping Indigenous personnel improve their capacity and effectiveness to defend themselves .

Following 28 years of service as enlisted and an officer , Krupp ’ s military book of his life was in the final chapters and he turned to cattle to begin a new story . He knew it was time for his family to reset in a smaller rural environment , and Texas was calling him home .

Krupp ’ s father-in-law had a full-time town job and ranched on the side , acquiring land , cattle , and equipment , and creating a successful one-man operation . He served as Krupp ’ s mentor and inspired him to begin his own cattle herd .

Krupp began Halo K Cattle in 2019 , raising Black Angus and specializing in direct-to-consumer beef sales . He manages the operation from conception to consumption and shares his “ day in the life ” with social media followers . As a trained Trailblazer , Krupp learned from dynamic and gifted contemporaries how to share his story with consumers .

“ I try to show people what a small ranch is like and that our number one priority as a cattle industry is animal welfare ,” Krupp

said . “ Customers take great comfort in knowing how animals are raised , and I try to share how producers across the country treat animals with respect and give them an excellent life .”

Halo K Cattle relies on word-ofmouth to grow the business , and Krupp enjoys the personal relationships he develops with his customers . Every year , Krupp ’ s herd increases by a few head and his customers grow with him as they go through the journey together .

Today , Krupp ’ s wife , Keri , works as a pharmacist while he manages the cattle business , and together they raise their 15-year-old daughter , Kline , and 12-year-old son , Knox . Krupp continues to be all he can be , but instead of fighting the global war on terror in Afghanistan , he spends his time raising a family and managing cattle in the north central plains of Texas .

18 NATIONAL CATTLEMEN