Jacquelyne Leffler’s savings were tied up in five head of steers, slated to be butchered the next day for a local retailer wanting to sell Kansas-raised beef.
It was a handshake deal marking her first major client. Then a sudden phone call changed everything.
Jacquelyne Leffler sat in the booth of an Emporia Pizza Hut across from her father, Bill, stunned by the news. She had returned to the family farm near the small Lyon County town of Americus after graduating from college. She was full of ideas, one of which was to start her own beef business.
The retailer on the other end, however, said the deal was off.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she admitted. “That was all the money I had in my savings account.”
Little did she realize that this pivotal moment would set in motion a sequence of events propelling her toward a lucrative business.
Leffler Farms
Leffler Farms, Inc. sits on the edge of the Kansas Flint Hills. At age 33, Jacquelyne is the fourth generation on the farm, raising crops and cattle alongside her father.
Her return, however, wasn’t meticulously planned. Growing up she did chores and showed 4-H cattle but had no interest in farming or ranching.
“Growing up on the farm and working on the farm are two different things,” Jacquelyne said. “I saw how hard my dad and grandfather worked to make it run effectively and efficiently.”
Instead, her sights were set on a sports career. A track star at Northern Heights High School, several colleges offered scholarships. Eventually, she accepted Kansas State University’s offer and pursued degrees in kinesiology and family studies and human services, with a specialization in sports medicine.
Halfway through college, she became acquainted with leaders at K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She began thinking of the family’s legacy and even considered changing her degree to one in agriculture. Uncertain about her future career path, she took an assistant track and field coaching position at Emporia State University after graduation and moved back to the farm—working on the operation and coaching.
Jacquelyne knew she needed to decide whether to go into coaching full-time or join the operation. About the same time, an opportunity presented itself. Her grandfather, Wayne “Jackie” Leffler, was beginning to slow down. With her parents, Bill and Cindy Leffler, and her sister Natalie, the family began discussions on what coming back to the family farm would look like.
Her mom and her grandfather were excited. Her father was hesitant.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Bill said. “It is a different lifestyle. It takes a lot of time and energy. Sometimes you make money. Sometimes you don’t make a lot of money. It’s a profession you have to have a passion for.”
Since returning after graduation in 2013, Jacquelyne has established her distinctive niche by taking charge of implementing technology, including the data management application FieldView, which allows the farm to better analyze information in real time. She also analyzes crop production through satellite imagery and seeks ways to boost productivity. She also started the retail side of the beef business.
Like her father and grandfather, she is civic and community-minded, getting involved in Kansas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers committee and leadership program, as well as Kansas Livestock Association’s Young Stockman’s Academy.
Jacquelyne is very much part of the operation, Bill said. They bounce ideas off each other, and she helps make decisions—something his father did with him when he was getting started on the farm.
“He is definitely still the head honcho and boss man, but we make a lot of decisions together and consult each other. My dad has always made sure I feel just as important as him,” Jacquelyne said.
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Prime performance
No longer a coach at ESU, Jacquelyne realized she needed additional income flowing in from the farm. Remembering how she sold her 4-H livestock after the county fair, she began developing a home-grown market for the beef they raise. In 2015, she launched Leffler Prime Performance.
When the handshake deal with a local retailer fell through the day before the cattle were to be butchered, she was devastated. But she didn’t dwell on it long.
“I got on Facebook and marketed them,” she said. “And my community bought those five head in a matter of a day or two. And I started building it from there.”
When the pandemic hit, her beef business skyrocketed. Today, she butchers about 175 head, serving 1,500 clients. The family recently invested in a barn with freezer space to help serve more customers.
“I’m going to pick up a prime rib from her next week,” said Kevin Koch, a beef customer and also the family’s seed salesman. “I absolutely love it.”
A decade ago, she was on a different path. Now, Jacquelyne couldn’t imagine another career. She and her husband, Landon Stallbaumer, are expecting the fifth generation on the farm in May.
“I fell in love with it,” she said. “I’m following in the legacy of my father and grandfather.”
Bill said his daughter coming back to the farm has been beyond special.
“It’s hard to put it into words,” he said. “I have someone I can rely on. It makes a difference having your own blood with you and making it work. It is that feeling that comes deep down inside you when you look across the field and see a family member working with the same goals you have. And you can share it with her.”
To learn more about Jacquelyne Leffler or to purchase beef through Leffler Prime Performance visit lefflerprimeperformance.wordpress.com or Facebook page facebook.com/LefflerPrimePerformance.
Amy Bickel can be reached at [email protected].
