It’s not just nostalgia that keeps beef in the forefront of life in Texas. Texas is home to more cows than any other state — it has about 15% of beef cattle in the nation. For many, it's both big business and the fabric of family life. But it comes at a cost. No food is harder on the environment than beef. In Texas, where beef is a way of life, rancher Meredith Ellis now calls the shots for her 3,000-acre family-run operation. For her, finding ways to raise beef better is not just good business