The father and son duo of Jeff and Cameron Parrish are the heartbeat of Parrish Farms, located near Montevallo, Missouri, in #Agri-Ready Vernon County. The Parrish men have faced more than their share of adversity in the last two decades but have not let it slow them down.

Hose Parrish, Jeff’s great-grandfather, founded Parrish Farms over 100 years ago near rural Montevallo, Missouri. Today, Parrish Farms is comprised of row crops, forage, and commercial cattle production. This multi-generational operation has continued to grow, even after over a century of farming. Like the generations before him, Jeff has done his part to lay a foundation that Cameron can build his future upon. Cameron wants to follow his father’s example and keep building the operation for the next generation to prosper.

Vernon County, home to the Parrish family, is one of 70 counties granted Agri-Ready Designation by Missouri Farmers Care, a coalition of Missouri’s agricultural groups. Through Agri-Ready Designation, the Missouri agriculture industry partners with county leaders to create new opportunities, enhance agricultural literacy and promote the county as a wonderful place to live, work and do business. According to a 2021 study by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Vernon County agriculture, food, feed, and forestry generates $909 million in economic output each year. Positioned in west central Missouri, Vernon County agriculture has economic advantages in processing crops, manufacturing animal and pet food, cattle production, and agricultural support businesses. 

While farmers worry about drought or the markets crashing, these challenges pale compared to the tough times that Jeff and Cameron have faced. It started on March 12, 2006, when a tornado swept a substantial portion of their farm infrastructure away. The tornado left only a few buildings, while their home and numerous other structures needed to be rebuilt. Through the decade following the storm, they rebuilt from that devastating day, while keeping the family operation running. 

However, during rebuilding, more devastation visited the family. Over the course of five years, they experienced the devastating loss of four family members. Jeff lost his parents, Cap and Anna, his cousin Kevin, as well as his wife and Cameron’s mother, Kim. These losses took the Parrish men to rock bottom. They chose to move forward and persevere. 

As they say, “Strong men rise from the ashes of difficult times.” Jeff and Cameron made the best of the tough circumstances they were dealt. It took both men to keep their chins up and heads down to work, to thrive out of such challenging times. Cameron, who was in middle school at the time, had to step up to the plate and be Jeff’s right-hand man. He learned to do a multitude of farm tasks at an early age to help his father with anything and everything.

Today, Cameron is making a name for himself in the show cattle world and sees the integration of registered show stock in the farm’s future. Since his start, he has amassed many accomplishments in the show ring. Cameron’s most notable accomplishments are 2023 Cattlemen’s Congress Supreme Black Hereford Female and 2022 Missouri State Fair Purebred Grand Champion Female with DCD BCC MARK ME HIGH J260 ET owned by Rancho Moreno. He also had the 2023 Red Angus Junior Nationals 3^rd Overall Percentage Female and Grand Champion Percentage Red Angus Female with ALT 1116K. He hopes to continue the successes in the ring and utilize the connections that he has made there to produce quality cattle and grow the operation to a household name in the industry. 

Cameron is excited for the future and stepping up to lead the farm. He wants to honor his family legacy and grow the century-long farming tradition that the family has built. He has big ideas for the future of Parrish Farms. 

Jeff is an active member of the Missouri Young Farmers and Ranchers organization and has not missed the group’s summer tour since 2001. Cameron and Jeff are members of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, a partner of Missouri Farmers Care. Cameron served multiple years on the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association junior board, volunteering at numerous MCA events. Cameron and Jeff were both active 4-H and FFA members and both men speak highly of their time in these organizations and how much they helped shape their youth, helping them become the producers they are today.

By- Landon Hutchison, Duke Marketing Agency for Missouri Farmers Care