From College Grad to Commercial Producer of the Year in Under Five Years

Trevor Maiers’ family tree is full of farmers. But while he is a fifth-generation farmer, he is also a first-generation cattle feeder and beef backgrounder.

The Maiers family’s MAC Cattle Company started as a cow-calf operation nearly 20 years ago, but in recent years it became apparent there was opportunity in the cattle backgrounding business. Fresh out of college, Trevor became a full-time farmer and began putting his mark on his family’s rich farming history.

Just a few years later, the family farm developed into a productive and efficient backgrounding operation that has earned recognition from its peers within the beef industry. As result of a member-nomination award process, Illinois Beef Association (IBA) named MAC Cattle Company the 2024 Commercial Producer of the Year.

Trevor and his family reflect on how their farm got to where it is today, and what that honor means to him and his family.

OUR FAMILY OPERATION

I manage our cattle while my father, along with his uncles, run our grain and contract hog operation. My grandfather grows crops and helps with the cattle.

We background roughly 800 calves a year. We start with calves that weigh 400 to 500 pounds and feed them to 800-to-900-pound feeder cattle that we sell to feedlots around the Upper Midwest.

We work to do that as efficiently as possible, which means investing in our barns and focusing on animal health. Our customers are typically extremely happy with health and performance of the cattle we supply. While every day is different, see what a day in Trevor’s life on the farm often looks like.

ANIMAL HEALTH MATTERS TO US

As backgrounders, our main goal is to keep calves healthy. We take animal well-being seriously. That is what makes us successful as animal caretakers.

When calves grow and thrive under your watch, it is a reflection of the time and effort that goes into making them as comfortable as possible. That is something my family is really proud of.

WE ARE ALWAYS IMPROVING

Our farm is a work in progress. We are only a few years into backgrounding. There have been bumps along the way, a LOT of questions, and some hard lessons – especially early on.

We are incredibly thankful to the team supporting our family. They have taught us so much and have been an immense help getting us to where we are today. With their support, we are working to better our operation and position it for the future.

We are humbled to be honored by our fellow cattlemen and selected as the 2024 IBA Commercial Producer of the Year. We look forward to representing our industry and operation as we continue to tackle challenges and adapt to this ever-changing beef industry!