Drew Cox: Empowered By Perspective
By: Emma Alexander –
As a seventh-generation farmer, Drew Cox knows the time isn’t right for him to return to his family’s farm full-time and raise cattle, corn, and soybeans in #Agri-Ready Designated Mercer County near Princeton. He accepts the challenge that many farm families face: a farm cannot always support multiple households. Drew serves agriculture as a Loan Officer with FCS Financial, but he remains committed to the family farm. His clarity of perspective brings him career success and allows him the flexibility to stay engaged on the farm.
A Farmer’s Fear
Drew and his wife, Tori, grew up on family farms. “Our biggest fear is how our kids are going to get the same experience we had growing up. How can we keep our kids engaged on the family farm while having careers we need?” says Drew, a timely question as he and Tori welcomed their first-born daughter in June.
“We have found a way to be active with our family’s crops and maintain ownership of cattle. We love going home to the farm,” Drew describes. The couple farms with their families in Mercer County and #Agri-Ready Designated Carroll County.
“I also love working for Farm Credit. It gives me flexibility to support my family and meet the demands of staying involved on the farm,” Drew shares. “I think being a farmer makes me a better lender. And I know that being a lender will make me a better farmer as well.”
Lessons from A Lender
At an early age, Drew found interest in numbers alongside his dad who was a community banker. Drew’s collegiate internship with FCS Financial gave him perspective to know joining the team full-time in 2020 was the right fit for him. He serves as a Commercial Crop Lender in Higginsville in #Agri-Ready Designated Lafayette County. He provides financial services for livestock and grain producers in West Central Missouri.
“Farmers need strong advisors that allow them more time to do what they do best-farm. My background allows me to have crucial conversations when needed,” Drew says. “Farmers can persevere through agriculture’s volatility. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping families navigate financial decisions that help keep their next generations on the farm.”
FCS Financial is Missouri’s largest agricultural lender. The financial cooperative provides credit and related services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, and other agricultural businesses in Missouri as part of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions. As a partner of Missouri Farmers Care (MFC), FCS Financial is proud to support Agriculture Education on the Move™ (Ag Moves), Drive to Feed Kids, the Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award, and other MFC programming that promotes the success of Missouri agriculture.
Advice on Advocacy
Drew is a recent graduate of the Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow (ALOT) Class XX. “I was excited to visit and understand parts of rural Missouri that I hadn’t experienced before. I wanted to explore challenges and opportunities faced by all rural counties across Missouri,” Drew recalls.
He continues, “ALOT provided opportunities to engage with and learn from different perspectives. Those perspectives weren’t meant to change minds, but to promote the importance of understanding all sides of the issues, preparing me for future discussions and advocacy. I look forward to my continued growth in leadership thanks to my ALOT experience.”
The Key to an Empowered Perspective
“The most important part of communication is listening,” Drew recognizes. “Clear communication is the foundation that builds relationship equity for the long term. Conversations with understanding answer ‘why’.”
More About Drew
Drew was a member of Missouri FFA and 4-H and continues to serve youth in agriculture as a member of the American Royal Livestock Committee. He is a member of Missouri Farm Bureau. Missouri Farm Bureau and FCS Financial are partners of Missouri Farmers Care.
What is ALOT? Missouri Agricultural Leadership of Tomorrow (ALOT) is a two-year, advanced adult leadership experience. Since 1983, this program has made a positive impact on the future of agriculture and agribusiness in Missouri and beyond. Class members are selected from applications submitted by agricultural producers and rural leaders who have a passion to promote Missouri agriculture and strengthen their communities. Class curriculum exposes participants to the dynamics of politics, economics, social norms, communication, and agriculture.
#Agri-Ready Designated Mercer County. In #Agri-Ready Designated Mercer County, agriculture, food and forestry contributes $22.1 million in total value-added products, supports more than 600 jobs, and adds $21.6 million annually to household incomes according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study. Mercer County agriculture represents crops and livestock equally according to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture.
What Is #Agri-Ready Designation? Agri-Ready Designation is a voluntary partnership between county governments and MFC to protect, promote, and encourage future development of agriculture as a thriving component in Missouri’s economy.