Twenty years ago, Greg Bennett’s mind took him back to memories of a childhood spent around agriculture. His grandparents had cattle, but the Georgia native didn’t have a direct means to get back in the business. No matter the obstacles, a dream was born. 

Friends with ties to the show ring in the cattle industry encouraged Bennett’s interest, and he says the path became pretty clear moving forward. 

“It didn’t take me long to figure out that we wanted to be in Angus,” he explains. 

That October, he took a leap and purchased his first registered heifer and established Katie Colin Farm, named after his two children. Looking back on the humble beginnings, Bennett admits there’s an earned sense of pride in his journey as a cattleman. 

“I’ve always had a passion for livestock, but never had the means with property and whatnot to follow that passion,” he says. “But God’s blessed us with talents that have blessed us with resources, allowed us to acquire the property and start to build on the passion we had.”

He is quick, however, to clarify that the farm has moved past the point of being a hobby. Today, the love for livestock has turned into a thriving business, as the Bennett family started to explore new marketing options for their genetics in 2021. Today, bulls are sold to commercial buyers in partnership with Mark Rohr at Lazy H in Kansas, and females are offered at an annual production sale in April. 

A servant’s heart

When expanding his breeding program, Bennett bought a bull from Knoll Crest Farm in Virginia. That same year, Paul Bennett of Knoll Crest donated the Foundation Heifer Package sold at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo.

“I was there when the heifer was auctioned, and it really made me start thinking about the Angus Foundation and … what it does,” Bennett says. “I thought, ‘Well, this is a great way to give back to a breed that’s so good to me — to donate and give back, that hopefully will go and help other youths through education and really help our breed to continue to advance.’”

Despite raising his hand a few times on other Foundation Heifer Packages, Bennett hasn’t yet managed to get the winning bid, but has put forth offerings in three of his past sales as Fund the Future lots. 

The Fund the Future donation lots provide unrestricted dollars needed to support the Angus Foundation’s pillars of education, youth and research while underwriting programs like youth leadership conferences, educational sessions, resources for the membership and breed advancement through research projects. 

Bennett says the choice to participate like this is twofold. He’s investing in a foundation that helps build better tools for him to use as a breeder. Better tools mean better breeding decisions, which hopefully result in better cattle to sell to commercial buyers — a cycle that ultimately leads to better beef for the consumer. 

With each donation, however, Bennett also sees a chance to secure the next generation of passionate cattle producers.

Bennett adds, “The Angus Foundation is a great way to [give back] because the youth is what got me into this business. We just need something that will allow and encourage the youth to continue operations that they’ve grown up in.” 

The choice to donate is a move that showcases the servant leadership that grounds both Bennett and his wife, Tammy.  

“Even in giving, not that there’s a return you’re looking for, but I think it gives you a little sense of purpose,” he says. “It’s gratifying to know that hopefully you’ll make a difference or help somebody along the way.”

And while that somewhat comes from a soft spot he has because of his own story as a first-generation breeder, Bennett sees the bigger picture, too. 

“We don’t see the generations continue,” he says of the current state of the ag industry. “I just hope that there’s a way somehow in the near future that we can provide mechanisms and opportunities that will allow those to continue.” 

Ultimately, it’s a hope he and Tammy share as grandparents. With the third generation already running around the farm, Bennett hopes that he’s a small part of a larger, shared goal of ensuring the future of the beef industry — and the Angus breed — continues to shine brightly. 

“Our family has a passion for seeing others do better … we just want the best for all that come after us,” Bennett says. “I think the mission and vision of the Angus Foundation really sets that up for a lot of youth today.”