The Big Leagues for a Marine
As a kid, farming was never part of the plan for Caleb Duty. Growing up in the Waco area, Duty worked at his dad’s pizza place with a love for the outdoors.
The first ideas of farming were planted after spending time pulling-up fence for his grandparents in high school.
“I enjoyed the work and the lifestyle my grandparents had,” recalled Duty.
The concepts of becoming a farmer were still far in the future for Duty following high school.
"In 2005 after high school, I enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Camp Pendleton, California and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina,” said Duty. “After returning home from the Marine Corps, I went and worked in the oil fields in West, Texas.”
“After working in the oil fields, I moved back to Robinson, Texas, bought a food truck and some cattle, and got a job driving a truck for the county. I started farming by leasing my grandmother’s place. I was green as a melon when I first started farming,” said Duty. “I learned the hard way.”
"I would work my county job during the day, work my food truck in Waco at night, and check cows on my weekends.”
A New Career
A twist in his career would occur with the help of Capital Farm Credit’s AgVista Loan Program | Capital Farm Credit. The AgVista loan program is one of CFC’s young, beginning, and small lending products designed to help the next generation get their operation off the ground.
“I had no experience with any ag banks until I met Shawna Ranly from CFC’s Waco office at a turn-row meeting in McLennan County,” said Duty. “My mentor had recommended CFC and when I saw them at the meeting, I asked about loans.”
Up until 2023, Duty had been farming out of his own pocket, paying for seed, fuel, and fertilizer with cash on-hand. Capital Farm Credit changed the game.
“One of the biggest hurdles in beginning farming is access to capital. I didn’t believe I could get an agricultural loan without having several years of experience or having deeded acres.”
“Programs for young, beginning, and small (YBS) lending are helpful because without them, I would still be frugal on inputs and trying to overwork old equipment.”
YBS Lending with Team CFC
Capital Farm Credit’s YBS loan programs are specifically designed to provide agricultural financing and financial resources to the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Supporting Texas’ YBS agricultural producers is an important part of our mission at Capital Farm Credit.
Duty currently farms corn and wheat in addition to running cattle.
“The AgVista program means I made it,” said Duty. “I’m a farmer now.”
“To most folks that might not seem like much, but I have been dreaming of farming for years and with the help form CFC, I’m in the big leagues now.”
Are you a young, beginning or small producer with big dreams? Capital Farm Credit could be the partner that fits your goals.
Learn more about YBS opportunities and loan programs here: YBS Loan Programs | Capital Farm Credit