South Jersey Beef

Ray Rastelli Jr. is the founder and president of Rastelli Food Group, a South Jersey-based family business that he grew from a small neighborhood butcher shop into a vertically integrated global food company with USDA-inspected processing, fabrication, distribution, retail, foodservice, and direct-to-consumer operations.

Over nearly five decades, Ray has built extensive experience in meat processing, beef quality, food safety, distribution, and bringing premium products to market.

Fred Sorbello brings a valuable combination of hands-on farming experience and international agricultural business knowledge to the South Jersey Cattlemen’s Cooperative.

As both a farmer and global importer, Fred understands agriculture from two important perspectives - the realities producers face on the farm and the larger supply chains, markets, and economics that influence how agricultural products move and compete.

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Grant Harris is a generational South Jersey cattleman with extensive hands-on experience raising high-quality beef. His expertise includes cattle genetics, breeding selection, pasture and grazing management, and nutrition - all critical factors in producing consistent beef quality, marbling, flavor, and performance.

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Grant brings a producer’s perspective to the Cooperative’s quality standards and educational programs, helping fellow cattlemen understand how decisions made from genetics through finishing can improve both the quality and value of the beef they raise.

Michael Bierig is a generational South Jersey meat processor with extensive experience in livestock processing and the operational side of bringing locally raised meat from the farm to market.

Michael provides an important processor perspective, helping the Cooperative develop a practical pathway from producer to processor to market while working to strengthen the local processing infrastructure needed to support a growing South Jersey beef industry.

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Daniel Timmerman brings a valuable combination of local government experience, legal knowledge, and regional economic development insight to the South Jersey Cattlemen’s Cooperative.

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​Daniel helps connect the initiative with local government, businesses, community organizations, and potential regional partners, supporting the long-term goal of building a stronger and more sustainable cattle and beef industry in South Jersey.

Jennifer Kugler is the Director of South Jersey Preservation and helps guide the strategy, growth, and execution of the South Jersey Cattlemen’s Cooperative. Having grown up on a farm, Jennifer brings a personal understanding of agriculture together with a professional background in compliance and risk management, project management, strategy, and program execution.

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Jennifer focuses on keeping the initiative moving from ideas to action - helping organize efforts, build partnerships, identify opportunities, manage priorities, and provide the structure needed to support the Cooperative’s long-term growth and success.