How Emma Coffman Is Changing the Conversation Around Beef

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Rancher Profiles

When it comes to advocating for agriculture, few voices are as passionate and impactful as Emma Coffman of Double E Ranch Advocacy, based out of Lubbock, Texas. A first-generation agriculturalist, Emma’s journey from 4-H livestock shows in Temple, Texas, to becoming the 2024 Beef Advocate of the Year is rooted in purpose, grit, and a deep love for the beef industry.

Today, through her platform Double E Ranch Advocacy (which includes social media and a podcast), Emma is on a mission to close the gap between rural and urban communities by educating both producers and consumers. Whether she’s speaking at a conference, creating engaging content online, or managing pasture-focused educational programs through her work with USDA and Texas A&M’s Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, Emma is helping people understand where their food comes from—and why it matters.

Finding Her Footing in Agriculture

Emma’s career began in a nontraditional way. Coming from a military and finance family, her entry into agriculture was self-driven. “Everyone in my high school 4-H was showing livestock, and I wanted in,” she laughs.  She worked hard to afford her first show lambs, and quickly fell in love with livestock and agricultural science. Through Texas 4-H’s Livestock Ambassador Program, Emma got a crash course in animal science, realized instantly it was her calling, and eventually attended Texas A&M University to pursue the field as a degree.

From there, her path twisted through hands-on cattle breeding work in Australia (cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic), nutrition consulting with Purina in Virginia, and managing livestock data systems for feedyards with Zoetis in Texas and beyond. She even served “boots-on-ground” as a ranch manager for a short time. Each role in the beef industry deepened her knowledge, but something was missing.

“I felt a calling,” she says. “God had been putting advocacy on my heart for a while. I was speaking on podcasts and getting questions from both consumers and producers who wanted to understand more about how agriculture works. That’s how Double E Ranch Advocacy was born.”

A Platform with Purpose

In 2024, Emma made the leap and took Double E Ranch Advocacy full time. With an ever-growing audience on social media and a role as host of “RanchWorthy,” a USDA-funded pasture management series, Emma’s influence now spans state lines and even international borders.

Her content doesn’t rely on fear or hype. Instead, she aims to provide clear, digestible information about agricultural practices, economic pressures, and the realities of food production. “I was once a consumer who didn’t know where food came from,” she says. “I just expected it to be there, to be good, and to be affordable. Now I help others make that connection—with empathy and facts.”

One of Emma’s biggest goals? Helping new producers and the next generation of ranchers. “I get so many questions from people just starting out in ag,” she says. “It’s overwhelming. My job is to take what feels like a fire hydrant of information and turn it into a garden hose—something manageable, something useful.”

Beef at the Heart of Home

For Emma, beef isn’t just a career—it’s part of her family’s foundation and a source of cherished memories.

“I was incredibly lucky,” she says. “My dad cooked every single meal growing up. And we ate beef almost every day. Even chicken recipes—he’d tweak them for beef. We were that family.”

Among all the dishes that came from her dad’s kitchen, pot roast reigned supreme. “There’s something very nostalgic about a good pot roast,” Emma says. “My dad made his own version of the one his mom made for him, and it’s been passed down to me. On those crisp hoodie-weather days, it’s just what my soul needs.”

Her go-to cut these days? The Flat Iron Steak. “I discovered it at a beef symposium, and it totally changed the way I eat steak,” she says. “It’s tender, flavorful, underrated and affordable. I’m a flat iron fan through and through.”

When it comes to cooking, Emma’s all about making it work—regardless of the setup. “I’ve moved so many times, I’ve basically given up on having a fancy grill,” she laughs. “Right now, I use a tiny charcoal grill with a broken thermometer. But you don’t need fancy to eat well. I also love cast iron, slow cookers, air fryers—all the everyday tools that help people make delicious beef at home.”

Championing Women in Agriculture

Emma doesn’t shy away from talking about the unique challenges and strengths women bring to agriculture. “It’s not easy being a woman in any industry,” she says. “But ag is still a relationship-based world. Who you know is the cake. But. WHAT you know is the icing.”

Her advice to young women? “Invest in the industry—volunteer, advocate, show up. This community will be there for you if you’re there for it.”

Emma leads by example, showing that knowledge, authenticity, and compassion can spark real change in how people view agriculture—and the people behind it.

Today, Emma is juggling several roles—running Double E Ranch Advocacy, educating on grazing practices through “RanchWorthy,” and working as an independent auditing contractor with IMI Global. But no matter the hat she wears, her message stays the same: agriculture matters.

With her voice rising across podcasts, classrooms, ranches, and social media feeds, Emma stresses, “I want to be the bridge between people and the plate. Between misinformation and understanding. Between fear and facts.”

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