Colby Gearhart, an eighteen-year-old from Floyd County, is well on his way to a successful career in the cattle industry.  He credits three F’s for his early eminence in agriculture: Family, Floyd County, and Farm Credit.
Colby is a third-generation farmer and knew from the time he was old enough to understand his family’s beef cattle business that he wanted to be involved.  Colby’s parents, Randall and Anne Gearhart, told us, “Colby has been farming since he was three years old with little tractors.  It seemed like he skipped being a kid and went straight to being an adult.  He has always wanted this, and we are proud to see him doing what he loves, day in and day out.”
Throughout the season, the Gearharts hold a weekly buying station at their Floyd-based farm, RG Cattle.  Cow and calf farmers from fifty miles around bring their steer and heifer calves, weighing between 300 and 700 pounds, to sell at the station.  Colby and crew sort, sex, weigh, and buy the locally sourced calves, providing convenience and increased support of other area farmers.  Once the calves are purchased, they are then backgrounded.
RG Cattle is responsible for backgrounding approximately 10,000 cattle each year.  Backgrounding is the period of time in which a producer works to grow and maintain the health of the weaned calf prior to the next sale.  The Gearhart’s pre-conditioning program lasts four-to-five months.  They feed and care for the calves until they weigh between 800 and 900 pounds and are ready for their next home, typically a feedlot out west.
At RG Cattle, there are a lot of moving parts that keep Colby on his toes, and his day-to-day responsibilities can change by the minute.  As he finishes up his final year of high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, Colby spends less time in the classroom and more time on the farm.  He often starts his mornings by feeding a handful of calves that he is backgrounding for himself, monitoring their health and growth.  Following the morning routine, he is frequently called out to haul cattle, which can be for a neighbor in need, as well as for RG Cattle.  Most of his day is spent riding around RG Cattle lots, keeping watch for distressed or sick calves in need of attention.
Looking past graduation and into the future, Colby plans to continue farming.  He has dreams of expansion for both his personal herd and for RG Cattle.  He will continue to work alongside his family, not only helping to increase their customer base, but to also become more efficient in raising healthy and happy cattle.
Colby is cognizant of how the success of his operation and continued growth is attributed to the Floyd County community.  Generations of his family created business partnerships which turned into friendships that have lasted to this day.  “It feels like we’re doing business with our friends instead of strangers off the street,” says Colby.  “It’s easier to do business with our neighbors and friends because we can trust people.  In our experience, everyone is honest.  Floyd County farmers are a reliable and trust-worthy bunch, making it a great place to not only live, but also conduct business.”
Customer relationships and family support aren’t the only steppingstones to Colby’s success, or to his involvement in agriculture.  Colby learned early on that the importance of working closely with a trusted lender and financial partner cannot be overstated.  Colby has been a participant in Farm Credit of the Virginia’s Youth Agricultural Loan Program since he was sixteen.  The program requires teen participants to apply for a loan, talk to a lender, fill out and provide eligibility documentation, and sign loan papers.  This provided Colby a wealth of valuable, hands-on experience by the age of eighteen!  His involvement in the program also helped Colby to expand his personal operation and pay more attention to the financial side of the industry; making sure his cattle make enough money to pay back accrued interest.
“I think it is valuable when you have to prove to your loan officer that you will pay the money back and that your livestock will turn a profit,” says Colby.  “The industry entails more than just buying cattle and keeping your fingers crossed, and the Youth Ag (Youth Agricultural Loan Program) loan helped me see that.”
Another benefit of the Youth Agricultural Loan Program that Colby experienced was the aspect of relationship-building.  Colby is only eighteen years old and already has an established relationship with a lender he trusts, which will come in handy as he seeks to grow his operation.
There is no doubt that the agriculture industry is a tough field, and recent COVID-19 disruptions to the supply chain and market volatility have not eased the plight of the American farmer.  Colby summed it up best when he shared his motivation for continuing in such a challenging industry.  “Every day presents a new challenge – the weather, market prices, you name it – there is always something thrown in the mix to slow you down.  But for me, knowing that I’m a part of feeding the world and that I can show my passion for that every day – I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

RG Cattle • Colby Gearhart • (540) 651-8626
1296 Stonewall Rd NE, Check, VA, US 24072
www.facebook.com/RGCattleCo1/ 

Farm Credit of the Virginia • 1-800-919-3276
www.farmcreditofvirginias.com