Growing up in Burlington, Colorado, 13 miles west of the Kansas border, sophomore Jhoany Juarez was not born into an agricultural family. But a chance connection set him on the path toward agriculture in high school, which eventually brought him to Colorado State University.
In eighth grade, Juarez was introduced to his local Burlington FFA advisor, Gaston Hornung, who opened his eyes to the many opportunities in agriculture.
“He taught me a lot about the seed stock side of the industry,” Juarez said. “And he just told me what agriculture is truly about, why we do it, and why it’s such a great thing.”
Seedstock is the practice of selectively raising and breeding cattle with sought-after genes or traits like structure and balance. This methodical, deep-rooted care for both animals and industry, reflected in Hornung’s passion, pushed Juarez’s goals as he moved on to his next educational chapter.
Entering high school, Juarez moved into showing steers, livestock judging, and attending seedstock competitions throughout his high school career. Alongside these activities, he participated in career development events (CDEs) like extemporaneous speaking.
While he enjoyed all events in FFA, Juarez credits livestock judging for his love of the cattle industry. The discipline requires careful analysis of an animal’s physical characteristics while they are compared against the breed’s ideal standards.
“I love it. I love analyzing cattle,” Juarez said. “I like determining how good they’re going to be when they finish.”
Aside from participating in FFA, Juarez also ran two businesses with his brother while still in high school: an automotive detailing company and a freshly-formed tinting operation. At their peak, the team covered 13 cars a day, making the businesses profitable.
While he hadn’t initially considered college, Juarez was named a Boettcher Scholar in 2023, a distinction given to students who demonstrate superior scholastic ability, intellectual curiosity, leadership and great character.
“I didn’t believe it. When I got the paper and didn’t know what I was going to do, because I was originally just going to stay in town and try and grow my business,” Juarez said. “When the opportunity came, I learned that CSU was a big ag college. So, I was like, this is where I got to be.”
Juarez’s combined interest in agricultural business and finance brought him to CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences where he is a sophomore majoring in Agricultural Business with a minor in finance and real estate.
Outside of the classroom, Juarez’s involvement doesn’t stop, as he is an active member of the Seedstock Merchandising Team, a program focused on the breeding, managing, and marketability of purebred beef cattle.
“I consider the seed stock merchandising team my second family,” Juarez said. “Now I spend countless hours on it. I love it. It’s a great time.”
When he looks toward his future, Juarez hopes to combine his passion for seedstock production, agricultural business, and finance together to alleviate the frontloaded costs of starting an agricultural operation off newcomers, like himself, who want to get a start in the industry.
“The reason I want to do credit loans is because I love being able to help other people. I love being able to help farmers,” he says. “I was once that person that needed a loan, and it was super hard to get, so I want to be the person that makes a change, making it super easy to get one.”
From creating his own businesses to expanding his knowledge of agricultural industries and finance, Juarez’s bold tenacity and work ethic has gotten him to the successful ground he finds himself on now. His dedication is fueled by advice he wishes to pass on to others.
“Just do it. Put your foot in the door. Start talking to people,” he said. “Don’t be scared. It’s a great industry to be in, and everyone will accept you no matter who you are.”