“Cattle are as much a part of the American landscape as the people who raise them.” — President Lyndon B. Johnson
Our Beyond the Fields series highlights farmers like Steve Borgstadt — whose experiences embody the resilience, heart, and community spirit that have defined CFM’s promise to rural Missouri since 1869.
For more than a century, the Borgstadt family farm in Concordia, Missouri, has stood as a fixture of faith, devotion, and perseverance. Today, Steve Borgstadt, a third-generation farmer, husband, father of four, and proud grandfather, continues that legacy, raising grain and cattle on the same land his family has tended for over 100 years.
“I’ve wanted to farm ever since I was little,” Steve shared. “I grew up around it, and it’s been a passion ever since.”
For Steve, farming is more than a livelihood — it’s a bridge back to his roots and the generations before him. Each season brings its own challenges and rewards, but the rhythm of farm life, passed down through his family, continues to ground him. On that storied stretch of land, every sunrise serves as a reminder of why he chose this life in the first place.
The Pulse of the Fields
Steve’s day-to-day is a balancing act. He works a full-time job while also running the farm, often before dawn and long after sunset.
“During calving season, I’m up before work checking on cows,” he said. “After work, I’m back at it again, feeding and checking them. Weekends are when I can fit in working cattle: sorting heifers from bulls, moving them to different pastures, updating shots, and tagging.”
It’s a demanding schedule, but Steve embraces it. The work is hard, but the reward is found in the life and purpose it brings.
Leaning on Community
Farming has always been a community effort, and that hasn’t changed, even as the industry has evolved. Studies show that over 80% of small farmers exchange labor, equipment, or advice with neighbors each season. For Steve, those connections are what make the long days worth it.
“Word of mouth between farmers is everything,” he explained. “Whether it’s helping each other sell cattle or providing silage and hay, we all step in where we can. It’s just what you do.”
Hard Lessons in Resilience
The 1990s were a defining decade for American agriculture — a time when low commodity prices, rising interest rates, and shifting markets pushed thousands of family farms to the edge. For Steve, that struggle hit home.
“I almost went bankrupt. I thought I’d have to sell everything and start over with basically nothing,” he recalled.
Many farmers across the Midwest faced similar crossroads during that period, as more than 250,000 U.S. farms closed between 1987 and 1997. But where others saw an ending, Steve saw a test of faith.
Through determination, hard work, and prayer, he held on: one day, one season, one decision at a time. Today, he’s not just surviving; he’s thriving. From nearly losing everything to becoming one of the top growers in his area, Steve’s story is proof that true resilience is forged in the hardest years.
A highlight of that journey came full circle when his daughter showed one of their own bulls at the Missouri State Fair — the same one that went on to be named Show Bull of the Year in Missouri.
“That was a proud moment — not just for me — but for my whole family.”
The Heart of Farming
Ask Steve what makes this life meaningful, and he won’t talk about yields or acres, profits or production. His answer is quieter, simpler, but it says everything about why farmers keep showing up, season after season.
“Seeing new life being brought into the world from your own herd of cattle: there’s no feeling quite like it,” he said.
It’s in those moments — when the barn is still and a newborn calf takes its first shaky steps, when the first green shoots push through spring soil — that the heart of farming reveals itself. It’s not about what you gain, but what you nurture.
Investing in Tomorrow
For Steve, farming has never been about short-term gains. It’s about ensuring the land and herd stay strong long after he’s gone. With fewer family farms surviving each decade and the average farmer now over 57 years old, the next generation’s future in agriculture depends on innovation and foresight.
“I study the genetics of the cattle I buy before I put them with the herd,” he said. “That’s how you make sure you’re building something stable for the future.”
It’s a forward-thinking approach grounded in tradition, balancing technology with timeless wisdom. And while the numbers tell one story, Steve’s determination tells another: that the spirit of farming, when nurtured with care, can endure for generations.
“I’d love to see it stay in the family — to keep what we’ve built going,” he said.
A Message for the Next Generation
When asked what advice he’d share with young or up-and-coming farmers, Steve didn’t hesitate.
“Faith and perseverance,” he said. “Farmers have to be the most optimistic people. You take the good and the bad in hopes that the next year will be better.”
For Steve, farming is more than a livelihood. It’s a legacy, a calling, and a story of faith lived out in the fields of Concordia, Missouri — one that stretches far beyond the rows of crops and the herds of cattle.
