Ranchers helping ranchers Cammack Ranch Supply uses first-hand experience to advise customers

Published on Jan. 18, 2020

In the early 1970s, newlyweds Gary and Amy Cammack had the opportunity to purchase the general store in Union Center, S.D. The store consisted of a post office and gas pumps and sold everything from beer to livestock salt.  

            In 1979, the local feed mill came up for sale and the couple purchased it. 

            “The mill had very few merchandise items, but we took it over in 1979 and have been moving forward ever since,” says Gary. “From the time we opened our business to now, our inventory has grown 100 times over.” 

            Cammack Ranch Supply’s primary trade area includes North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.  

            “We are about solving problems with our customers,” says Gary. “Our business lives and dies with the livestock industry, they are our friends and loyal customers.”

Best sellers

            Some of the most common issues customers come to Cammack’s with include water issues and windbreaks. 

            “We have a lot of customers who want to get water out to pastures and have better placement so they can more evenly graze their pastures,” says Gary. 

            The store also specializes in windbreaks, which stems from needs they had on their own cow/calf operation. 

            “Twenty years ago, we looked at our own operation and realized the serious implications winter weather could have on our cattle,” says Gary. “We teamed up with a researcher from University of Wyoming to figure out which structures would work best for us and our customers.” 

            He continues, “The breaks are made from a product we innovated called super steel. This has changed the way folks can ranch by providing advanced protection from the elements for their cattle.”

            “These are problems we deal with on our own ranch. We are always looking for solutions for livestock producers,” says Gary. 

Ranching centered

            Gary notes their family has a cow/calf operation near Union Center, S.D.

            “We run in the neighborhood of 700 cows and when we come up with a new product this is the first place we test it,” says Cammack. “We have also received the Leopold Award for conservation, which is something we are really proud of.” 

            He explains each of their employees, from the janitor to the managers, has some sort of ranching or agriculture background.

            “This gives us a leg up because anytime someone calls the store, they are going to be speaking to someone with a relatable experience in agriculture,” says Gary. “Our employees have a working knowledge of agriculture and can make good recommendations on cost-effective solutions. If we don’t have what a customer needs in store, we can at least get them pointed in the right direction.”

            “We learn a lot from our customers from everyday conversations in the store,” says Gary. “The day the coffee pot goes dry, we will lock the doors and call it quits.” 

            For more information visit cammackranchsupply.com.

Callie Hanson is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.