King Ranch has long been known as an innovator. In 1940, the USDA recognized the ranch’s Santa Gertrudis as the first beef breed to be developed in the US. This legacy of innovation continues to this day. In August 2023, the Department of Energy announced that the Birthplace of American Ranching was selected as the site of its SOUTH TEXAS DIRECT AIR CAPTURE HUB. The Energy Department selected 1PointFive, a wholly owned subsidiary of Occidental, to receive a grant to develop the hub on King Ranch. Direct air capture is a process that separates CO2 from the air and thus helps to reduce legacy CO2 in the atmosphere. Such a process is in keeping with the tradition of land stewardship on King Ranch that dates back 170 years to Captain King himself.