Meet Kirk and Amy Cecil

For Kirk and Amy Cecil, farming is a dream they have chased for years, a passion that binds their family together, and a way of life that they hope to pass on to future generations – including their son, Luke.

“I love that we are able to farm together as a family. We can go out there and work all day, and at the end of the day see what we’ve accomplished together. It’s something that we were both raised in, and we hope to continue to raise our family that way,” Amy said.

For Kirk, it’s his love of the land that drives his daily actions. “It makes you feel good when you’re taking care of the land, keeping it in production and keeping it healthy for the next generation,” he added.

Finding Their Place in the Industry

Kirk and Amy are no strangers to the agricultural industry. Amy grew up on her family’s farm. Kirk helped his dad and uncle on their operation, eventually taking on a significant portion of the responsibilities. However, after graduating high school, they both pursued full-time jobs outside of the industry.

Even though they had careers outside of agriculture, they kept their connection to it by raising cattle on land they rented. After moving to south central Kentucky, Kirk decided he wanted to farm with his wife and son. In 2011, they took the plunge to expand their cattle business and purchase their own land.

“I’ve always wanted to farm. We’re not afraid of hard work, and it’s rewarding to put in the time and see a plan come together,” said Kirk.

Through diversifying their operation they’ve been able to find success. With custom beef and pork, along with direct-to-consumer produce sales, they have built consumer trust and earned a reputation of producing and selling high-quality products.

A Small Farm, but a Big Part of the Community

Nestled in the small, rural town of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, Kirk and Amy – along with Cecil Farms – have become an integral part of the community. The Cecils are engaged in numerous local events and involved at their son’s school.

“We donate beef and pork to local events to get our name out there, but also to help the community,” said Amy.

In addition, because of a relationship they cultivated with the owner of a local pizza shop, they now supply all of the beef and pork for the pizzas at that location. In the future, Kirk and Amy look forward to growing their partnership and eventually providing locally grown produce for the shop.

Finding Value in a Unified Voice

Both Kirk and Amy are involved in cattlemen organizations in Kentucky on the county and state level. In fact, Kirk has served as a member of the Kentucky Cattlemen Board of Directors for the past three years. As a result of their involvement in Kentucky Cattlemen’s, they both felt it was a natural step to become NCBA members.

“It used to be that everyone had family members in agriculture, but we’re so far removed from those generations that know or have been involved, I think it’s so important for cattlemen associations – and specifically NCBA – to tell our story,” said Amy.

Although the challenges they face may be different than the challenges faced by producers in other parts of the country, they see value in being part of an organization that brings different perspectives in the industry together to fight for a better future.

“We can’t always be in Washington, D.C., but when cattle producers from across the country are part of NCBA, the team there can help us,” said Kirk.

Amy believes the industry is stronger when people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives band together.

“On a larger scale, it doesn’t matter if you’re a farmer in Kentucky or a rancher in Montana – if we’re all in the same boat, it helps to unify us and make sure our voice is being heard,” she said.