RANCHING Business


A Boost Into Business


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) strives to help passionate beginning farmers and ranchers overcome some barriers to entering the agriculture industry.


By Maggie Malson W ITH LAND PRICES HIGH AND


the cost of operating a farm or ranch on the


rise, young and beginning ranch- ers often struggle with getting into or growing an agriculture business. One Texas rancher has used the FSA Farm Loan Program to help him continue his family’s ranch- ing legacy. Chad Halfmann, Miles, has


cattle-raising in his blood — for nearly 140 years, in fact. His fam- ily’s ranching operation dates back to 1880 in the U.S. and back to 1725 in Germany. Halfmann helps operate Half-


mann Red Angus with his dad, Glen, and his brother, Cody. The Halfmanns have been raising Red Angus cattle since 1964, after re- placing their Hereford herd with a breed that they felt better fi t their needs. After a health scare with Glen


in 2011, Chad and Cody were chal- lenged to think about the future of the ranch and their family. “Working on succession plan-


ning is very important to every farm or ranch,” Chad Halfmann says. “We understand it is an emotional thing, but it has to be done.” As the family talked about the


future together, Chad and Cody both decided to come back to the opera- tion and start taking over the reins. “My brother and I brought two


Chad and Tami Halfmann and their daughter.


families to the business,” Halfmann says. “We had to expand to support all 3 families, which meant increas-


70 The Cattleman November 2016


ing the ranch size and cow numbers. We needed to increase our cash fl ow.”


thecattlemanmagazine.com


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