Growing Together
Levi and Jesse Berry have owned and operated their family cattle business in Happy, Texas since 2009. Over the years, their operation has continued to grow and so has their need for strong financial backing and risk mitigation tools. The Berrys have partnered with their lender AgTexas Farm Credit Services since 2015.
Levi never forgot what their loan officer said in that first meeting: “If you want to grow, let’s grow together.” This marked the beginning of a relationship that has spanned the better part of a decade.
Farm Credit Understands
In 2013, Levi and Jesse buckled down and created a plan to accomplish their growth goals for the future of Berry Cattle. A couple years later, the Berrys’ operating needs had outgrown their local bank’s lending capacity. Levi and Jesse knew they wanted to continue expanding their operation in both cattle numbers and staff.
This led them to search for a new financial institution that could provide exceptional customer service, including timely communication and agricultural expertise. It was not long into their search that AgTexas rose to the top. AgTexas supports the Berry Cattle operation with both lending services and insurance products.
This relationship has lasted nearly ten years and now consists of multiple deals. Just as the Berrys are committed to providing quality beef to the food supply, AgTexas remains committed to supporting them with reliable credit and risk management solutions.
Continuing the Legacy
One of the most recent examples of growth in the Berry Cattle relationship is the extension of credit to Berry Sisters Cattle, LLC. Levi and Jesse’s daughters – Daisy, Emily, and Jane – started Berry Sisters Cattle in 2017 under the guidance of their parents. At that time, the two oldest girls were in junior high and Jane, the youngest, was in elementary school.
Today, the Berry Sisters entity owns a small percentage of various lots that Berry Cattle feeds out. As part owners of the cattle, the girls have experienced the daily grind of running a feedyard. By helping their daughters get a start in the cattle feeding business, Levi and Jesse have also been able to instill and constantly reinforce the strong work ethic and responsibility necessary to be successful in agriculture. The sisters are now involved in the entire process from cattle arrival, to shipping day, and everything in-between. Additionally, their parents have taught them how to calculate margins and remain consistent in profitability.
The youngest sister, Jane, said it best, “Getting to do what we love, with the people we love.” That statement is evident throughout the entire Berry Cattle operation. AgTexas is proud to play a small part in the Berrys’ operation as they continue to grow and build their legacy.
This story was published by AgTexas Farm Credit Services
