(Brant) Our roles have evolved over time. I always liked and excelled at the cattle side, so I focus on that. Blake preferred the farming part of the business, so he has taken the lead on that part of the business. We just gravitated that way over time.

(Brant) They understand what we’re doing, and they provide us products that have the flexibility we need. If something comes up and we need to adjust one of our lines of credit so it matches up better with our cash flow, for example, they’re really nice to talk to and they understand why we need to do what we’re doing. That understanding is a very positive aspect of the relationship.

(Brant) It’s getting to be a very competitive world out there in agriculture, and it’s important to build relationships with financial partners, landowners and other important partners in managing an operation. We will continue to work hard to build relationships so when opportunities come along, we’re always prepared to capitalize on them through those relationships.

(Brant) I enjoy working with my family. The relationships and personalities within our family make us work well together. I put pressure on myself, and I always want to do the best I can - it’s the way we were raised. We have great parents who taught us how to work hard and work together.

(Brant) It’s never too early to start building key relationships – with FCSAmerica, landowners, and people like that. It’s getting to be a very competitive environment out here, and it’s difficult to get started now. Building the right relationships with people who understand how all of this works is important.