Meet the Participants Selected for the 2025 Grow Your Future Forum
We’re thrilled to announce the participants chosen to attend the 2025 Grow Your Future Forum, taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from February 26-28. This event, organized by the Farm Credit Associations in the CoBank District, is designed to help young and beginning farmers and ranchers enhance their business skills, build valuable relationships, and learn from fellow producers nationwide. Farm Credit of Southern Colorado will sponsor three customer groups (two members from each group) to attend, covering all expenses.
Brandon Davis
Brandon helps manage a 12,000-acre operation alongside his father, running a small cow-calf herd of 50 head. He oversees cattle care, mechanical work on equipment, and plays a key role in planting, harvesting, and managing seasonal help.
Schafer Thompson
Schafer works alongside family at Thompson Farms, focusing on stocker cattle, Angus cows, and dryland farming. In addition to managing 30 head of stockers and 14 cows, he also trains horses.
Lane & Carly Olkjer
Lane manages a cow/calf operation and hay sales with his family. Carly, pursuing her veterinary technician license, manages the cattle books, helps with feeding and doctoring, and plays an integral role on the ranch.
Barten Mulch
Barten, a partner in Mulch Farms, co-manages irrigated and dryland farms producing corn and wheat. He is also the president of the Plains Ground Water Management District, focusing on rural water conservation. He and his wife, Taren, are raising their three children in Burlington.
These individuals will gain valuable insights at the forum to help grow their operations, enhance financial and risk management skills, and strengthen leadership abilities. They will also have the opportunity to connect with industry experts and fellow producers, fostering relationships that can support their long-term success in agriculture. Through this experience, they will bring back new strategies and innovative ideas to their farms and ranches, helping to ensure a strong future for their operations and their communities.
This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Any information contained in this post is subject to change without notice and should not be relied upon without seeking the advice of a qualified professional. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our Association. The author and Association are not responsible for any errors or omissions and are not liable for any losses or damages arising from the use of the information contained in this post.