Dustin and Holli

FCSAmerica and our start in agriculture

Dustin: When I got out of high school I wanted to build a hog barn, so I did some research and contacted FCSAmerica. About six months later, we were breaking ground and everything else kind of fell into place. They helped support the hog building when I was 18 years old. Now they support me in every other way they can.

How our operation has grown

Dustin: About five years after we built our hog building we realized how much the fertilizer was worth. That’s when grain prices were high, so we took the money we made and put it into our cow herd, our genetics, and toward buying a farm. I didn’t think the hog building was going to be that big of a driver, but it helped us save money to grow good crops. Everything kept building up from there.

What success looks like on our farm

Holli: My definition of success would be to build the farm so we can pass it on to the next generation and have it running just like Dustin’s parents did for him.

What we enjoy most about farming

Holli: My favorite part about the farm is calving season. It’s rewarding and stressful, but at the end of the day it’s really relaxing to go for a ride in the pasture to check on the cows.

Building a relationship with FCSAmerica

Dustin: We wouldn’t be where we are today if I wouldn’t have contacted FCSAmerica. I’ve used a lot of their resources from starting out with the hog building loan, to a line of credit, crop insurance and our house loan.