June 04, 2026 04:17 PM UTC

Evans Again Promotes Himself As a ‘Beef Producer.’ But He Still Sells Little or No Beef

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• by: Jason Salzman

(Gabe Evans is America’s Fakest Farmer — Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Originally posted at the Colorado Times Recorder

“As a beef rancher, I know that agriculture isn’t just an industry — it’s a way of life,” U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) tweeted on X last month. Two minutes later he edited his tweet, changing “rancher” to “producer.”

But an ongoing investigation by the Colorado Times Recorder into Evans’ bovine promotions, regardless of which term he uses to describe himself, has arrived at the literal and figurative conclusion of, “where’s the beef?”

In his 2025 form, filed as a congressman, he claimed $1,709 in earned income from “livestock and beef sales.”

His 2026 form, filed last month, lists the exact same figure, $1,709, meaning he’s really good at raising and selling identical Longhorns — or, more likely, he’s made a mistake on his form. All the figures in the “earned income” section of his 2026 form were identical to the numbers on the 2025 form. He lists, for example, on both his 2025 and 2026 forms, his salary as Colorado state representative, even though he was no longer a Colorado representative in 2025, only in 2024; he was a U.S. representative in 2025.

An email to Evans’ office asking to clarify my beef with his PFD figures was not answered; neither was my question of whether Evans sold beef last year — and whether his cows are still being cared for by a neighbor. Also unanswered was my broader question of why he thinks it’s proper to call himself a “beef producer,” even though he appears not to be producing beef, and when he does, he acknowledges that it’s just a hobby involving a “few cows.”

Evans’ scant cattle prompted former U.S. Rep. John Salazar, who had about 500 head of cattle when he was elected to Congress in 2004, to tell Colorado Times Recorder last year, “He’s probably a hobby rancher. He doesn’t use that to make a living. All hat and no cattle.”

Financial disclosures aside, there’s evidence that Evans is not producing any beef now. Last March, Chuck Hughes, who runs Cwm Ceffyl Ranch near Evans’ house, posted a photo of Longhorn Cattle on Facebook with the comment to Evans, “Here’s a peaceful scene of your cattle. I am enjoying them. They’re doing well.” He later confirmed that he was “boarding” three animals for Evans — a cow, heifer, and a young bull calf — while Evans was in Washington.

Hughes did not return a phone call seeking to know if Evans’ cows were returned to Evans — or if any were sold.

On the other hand, Evans recently posted video of himself and his family with a handful of cows, possibly at Evans’ Weld County home. It’s not clear when the video, which was posted by his campaign, was taken.

Evans, who receives an agricultural tax break on his land where he resides in Weld County, promotes himself in his rural district as a “rancher” and “beef producer,” posting — for example — photos of himself in a cowboy hat, picturing his kid petting a cow in campaign photos, posting photos of himself in cow fields.

Evans’ latest claim to be a beef producer came after he was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Colorado Livestock Association, saying in his latest newsletter that “this means a lot to me.”

A review of the different versions of his tweet about the Legislator of the Year honor reveals that he changed his characterization of himself from “beef rancher” to “beef producer.”

Critics say Evans’ claim to be a “beef producer,” which he also makes on his congressional website, is out of step with his support of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which are widely acknowldged as hurting farmers and ranchers, and inconsistent with his votes against subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which is where 27% of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers get their health insurance, according to a KFF study. Evans’ support for the Iraq war, which he’s called “some of best foreign policy that we’ve seen in decades,” is also driving up costs for deisel and fertilizer used by farmers and beef producers.

RELATED: ‘All Hat No Cattle’? Congressman Raises a ‘Few Cows’ As a Hobby, And Says It’s Legitimate To Promote Himself in Politics As a ‘Rancher’