SMITH FAMILY SELECTED AS 2021 DISTRICT ARKANSAS FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR

Kaleb, Chrisie, Paden (7) and Paxton (5) Smith, long time Brangus breeders and members from Northeast Arkansas recently were honored with their county, and later district, farm family of the year award. They have been selected to represent Benton County at the state level as the 2021 Benton County Farm Family of the Year.

The Smith family operates one of the premier beef operations in Benton County. They farm a total of 1,015 acres. Their operation includes a registered Brangus herd and a commercial cow/calf herd. Many of the cows in the commercial operation are Brangus influenced or are bred to Brangus bulls. They retain ownership of their own calves and purchase outside calves for their backgrounding operation. The calves from the backgrounding operation are shipped to feedlots in Oklahoma or Kansas. The Smiths also retain ownership of these calves, as they are being fed and sold to Tyson or Cargill on a carcass grid basis.

The Smiths market their purebred Brangus through private treaty sales. These cattle are selected for disposition, soundness, quality and fertility. Paden and Paxton also show registered Brangus. The commercial cattle focus is on production. They are selected for reproductive traits, growth, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics. Their goal is to have calves that will finish at around 1,300 pounds, who can grow on grass while they are on the ranch and then gain well after they have reached the feedlot.

The Smiths are very progressive in their use of technology in their reproduction program and selecting registered replacements. They also sell finished beef to local customers and are working to increase this market.

The Smiths also partner on a feed manufacturing business known as Cattlemen’s Feed. This business processes and mixes over 18,000,000 pounds of feed per year. The business helps offset feeding costs for the Smith cattle and cattle owned by the other partners. They also sell feed to other local ranchers. The business has a customer base of nearly 800 other local ranchers.

Families are selected based on their innovative and progressive agricultural production practices, the family involvement in the farming operation, their involvement in their local communities, and their overall character. The Smiths and their boys are very deserving of this year’s recognition.

The Smiths state that their biggest challenge is also their biggest blessing. Schwerin Farms, Inc., Chrisie’s family operation, is a family business with no other employees. That means the family is responsible for all the day-to-day chores and farm work. Their family enjoys working together every day, all with the understanding that vacations are brief or non-existent, but the opportunities and blessings that come with working together on the ranch are irreplaceable.

Article courtesy of University of Arkansas Extension Service.