Beau Neal is a beginning farmer from Woodford County, Kentucky. 

He has worked closely with Central Kentucky Ag Credit to start out in agriculture and grow his operation.

Diversified income 
Beau’s commercial cow/calf operation is home to nearly 70 cows throughout the year. Beau also raises crops on nearly 300 acres of leased ground and produces an additional 100 acres of hay. In addition to these more traditional parts of the business, Beau wanted to try something new. To satisfy his curiosity, he established a contract with the University of Kentucky to grow a small acreage of tobacco. 

Getting into the business  
As a beginning farmer, Beau learns on the job everyday, including how to manage the business side, while deepening his knowledge of agriculture. Throughout his learning process, Beau has turned to Central Kentucky Ag Credit for support. 

“Since day one, Ag Credit has been very helpful for my operation,” Beau said. “We’re still getting onto our feet from an operational standpoint. And working with Ag Credit allowed us to expand at more of a rapid pace.”

When looking for a lender, it was important to Beau to find someone who would truly understand his business, someone who would help him grow, and Ag Credit was a perfect fit. “They understand the ups and downs of the farming industry, and they understand what it takes to make it as a farmer,” he said. 

Next generation of leaders 
What impressed Beau most was Ag Credit’s support, even though he didn’t have the same resources as his more established peers. “Farm Credit understood that I was a young farmer and didn’t have as much capital or assets as some other farmers might have,” Beau said. 

Farm Credit understands that, with the proper support and education, beginners like Beau, will one day become the next generation of ag leaders, regardless of how they started.