Brad Matlock
In Town: Brad is Vice President and Branch Manager with Farm Credit Services in Harrison, Ark. His coverage area covers six counties and he oversees the Harrison branch and staff and the everyday duties in that branch. He also works in the Green Forest branch. Brad says he does loan work most often, and the majority of the loans on his books are poultry operations.
In the Country: Brad was raised around Missouri Foxtrotters, noting his dad showed Foxtrotters even before he was born. “I ride and train Foxtrotters, but my big focus is cattle,” Brad said. Brad runs around 100 momma cows and custom bales hay for himself and a few other people, at his farm in Omaha, Ark. He bales and sells square bales to his contacts in the horse industry. “For us, it’s a lot of hay and a lot of cattle, my dad runs a lot of cattle too,” Brad said.
Family: Wife, Ellen; children, Garrett, 10 years old and Peyton, 2 years old.
How do you balance everything?
“It starts at seven in the morning and ends at 11 in the evening. Saturday, all day and Sunday half the day. I go to church Sunday, put that first, and put business after that. It’s a lot of work. I’m never home.”
How does your job compliment your work at the farm?
“I love what I do. At Farm Credit I get to associate with people like me. God knew what he wanted me doing; this is what I was cut out to do. I see so many operations on so many farms, and I try and use the best ideas and take the best I see out of these individual operations, and apply them to my farm. It’s done me a lot of good.”
What's one thing you'd like to improve at your farm?
“I’d probably add fencing and try to do more rotational grazing.”
How is business for the farmer right now?
“We’re doing a lot of refinancing and a lot of people are looking at restructuring. It’s a really good time for people to consolidate, reconsider their options and try to get the best interest rate possible.”
By OFN Staff
