David Mock

I am a fourth-generation beef cattle producer from LaFayette, Illinois, where our family operation currently runs about 60 cows. I grew up helping my dad with our cow-calf herd, and that work taught me the values of hard work, independence, and responsibility.

I earned my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I am now completing a master’s degree in futures markets and risk management. My wife, Molly, and I live in Minonk, Illinois, about an hour from the family farm. I continue to farm alongside my family, and once I finish my graduate degree, we will move closer and carry the operation forward for the next generation.

I joined R-CALF USA because I want younger producers like me to continue to have the chance to enter and succeed in the cattle industry. I aim to represent independent cattle producers and be part of an organization that advocates for the best interests of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, regardless of their operation’s size.