Justin Maxey comes from a long line of cattle farmers and has had every intention of continuing that legacy since he was a young boy. Now working in partnership with his father, this fourth-generation farmer owns 90 cows and 115 acres, and he hopes to continue growing.
“I grew up farming with my father and showing livestock as a kid,” said Maxey. “I love farming and have tended to my own cows since I was 12 years old.”
In 2006, he was able to purchase 45 cows and a home with 115 acres, in his hometown of Nowata, Okla., using both a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Direct Operating Loan (DOL) and Ownership Loan. Since then, Maxey has wanted to double his herd to increase his yearly profit margin. He applied for a second DOL but was told it could take a few months to be approved and funded. That all changed with the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) – Maxey received a phone call in March 2009 only days after applying with news that his loan was approved and he would receive the funding in less than five days.
This DOL for $50,000 not only helped Maxey purchase 45 additional cows from a private seller, but it also allowed him to buy the hydraulic truck bed he desperately needed from a local equipment dealer. With the funds, Maxey can now continue making necessary feed purchases from his local feed supply store. His intent for expanding is to increase his yearly profits from selling calves to fund further investment in land and more farm equipment and cattle feed as needed.
Maxey looks to the future in making capital improvements to his home and acreage. His herd is made up of crossbred commercial cows, half of which are on pasture on his purchased land and the rest on leased land he shares with his father. He would like to see his business continue to grow and knows that financial resources are critical in making this happen.
“I would not have been able to buy these new cows and needed supplies without this loan,” added Maxey. “FSA’s loan programs are great and without them I would not be able to keep growing my cattle business.”
Maxey takes his cattle business very seriously even though it is only part-time, sharing his time operating the financial services contracting firm he owns, performing data collection and chattel appraisals for his clients. He earned a bachelors degree in agriculture business and finance from Oklahoma State University and is married with a newborn son. Maxey is part Cherokee Indian and qualifies to participate in FSA’s Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Program.
