Levi and his wife, Jesse, have owned and operated their family cattle business in Happy, Texas, since 2009. Over the years, their operation has continued to grow and so has their need for strong financial backing and risk mitigation tools. The Berrys met their current lender, Colton Long, in 2015. Colton was in the early stages of his career at AgTexas when he met Levi to discuss lending options for Berry Cattle. Levi never forgot what Colton said in that first meeting: “If you want to grow, let’s grow together.” This marked the beginning of a relationship that has spanned the better part of a decade.
It all started when Levi and Jesse met in the fall of 1994. They were both on the livestock judging team at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, and it’s safe to say the animals weren’t the only thing the two had eyes for. By 1999, they had graduated and gotten married and were living in Levi’s hometown of Texhoma, Oklahoma. They farmed irrigated corn and wheat and raised a small herd of stocker cattle. A few years later, Levi and Jesse were affected by low commodity prices due to the mad cow epidemic of 2003. That prompted the young couple to sellout and become partners with friends on a beef-grading ultrasound company.
Levi spent the next four years traveling to perform ultrasound services at feedyards across multiple states. As a result, he was offered a management position at a feedyard in Gruver, Texas. With the hope of settling down to raise their young family, this transition felt right for the couple, and off to Gruver they went. Shortly after, with the help of an industry mentor, Levi was given the opportunity to become part owner of some of the cattle he was managing. This arrangement prompted the Berrys’ relocation to their current hometown of Happy in 2009.
At this point, Levi and Jesse began leasing a small grow yard and focused on raising their three daughters, Daisy, Emily, and Jane. They made their living marketing cattle to larger corporate feedyards in the area. Over time and through hard work, mentorship, and sacrifice, the Berrys were able to purchase the grow yard they had been leasing, along with some additional acreage, in 2013. Levi and Jesse buckled down and created a plan to accomplish their growth goals for the future of Berry Cattle.
A couple years later, the Berrys’ operating needs had outgrown their local bank’s lending capacity. Levi and Jesse knew they wanted to continue expanding their operation in both cattle numbers and staff. This led them to search for a new financial institution that could provide exceptional customer service, including timely communication and agricultural expertise. It was not long into their search that one association rose to the top. In 2015, the Berrys partnered with AgTexas for both lending services and insurance products. This relationship has lasted nearly a decade and now consists of multiple deals. One of the most recent of these is the extension of credit to Berry Sisters Cattle, LLC.
The Berry sisters – Daisy, Emily, and Jane – started Berry Sisters Cattle in 2017 under the guidance of their parents. At that time, the two oldest girls were in junior high and Jane, the youngest, was in elementary school. Today, the Berry Sisters entity owns a small percentage of various lots that Berry Cattle feeds out. As part owners of the cattle, the girls have experienced the daily grind of running a feedyard. By helping their daughters get a start in the cattle feeding business, Levi and Jesse have also been able to instill and constantly reinforce the strong work ethic and responsibility necessary to be successful in agriculture. These young ladies have been involved in the entire process from cattle arrival to shipping day and everything in-between. Additionally, their parents have taught them how to calculate margins and remain consistent in profitability. Daisy, Emily, and Jane agree that Berry Sisters Cattle has given them business wisdom and an irreplaceable appreciation for the cattle industry, not to mention all the bonding and memories that come with co-owning an operation with your sisters.
Berry Cattle has always been a family-run operation. In fact, the oldest daughter, Daisy, recently returned home to work full time for her parents. Currently, Daisy is boots-on-the-ground, learning and doing the manual work required to run their operation. She ultimately plans to work alongside her mother in the office learning the bookkeeping side of the business. One of their cousins, Layton Berry, is also a full-time employee at Berry Cattle, working with long-time friend Todd Holstein, a fellow employee of the Berrys. Levi has shifted from the role of mentee to mentor by giving Layton and Todd the same opportunity he was given early in his career: to be involved as part owners of the cattle they care for and fee out.
The youngest Berry sister, Jane, said it best, “Getting to do what we love, with the people we love.” That statement is evident throughout the entire Berry Cattle operation. It is through genuine hard work, resounding faith, and family involvement that the Berrys achieve their success. AgTexas is proud to play a small part in the Berrys’ operation as they continue to grow and build their legacy. Almost a decade down and several more to go partnering with Levi, Jesse, Daisy, Emily, and Jane.
“Getting to do what we love, with the people we love.”
We’re excited to witness what’s in store for the future of Berry Cattle. Just as the Berrys are committed to providing quality beef to the food supply, AgTexas remains committed to supporting them with reliable credit and insurance products.
The Berrys were our 2023 Annual Report feature story. Mentioned dates and ages would reflect differences as related to current date/year (printed in 2023 & posted in 2026).
