June 18, 2025 • 25 mins
Jay Dee Graber sits at a fascinating intersection in the poultry industry as president of Michiana Equipment. Serving northern Indiana's substantial Amish farming community, he bridges traditional agricultural practices with modern poultry production requirements while navigating his own journey from reluctant family business participant to determined second-generation leader.
Growing up on his father's broiler farm, Jay Dee initially swore he'd never join the family equipment business. Yet by 2018, he found himself taking on leadership responsibilities, learning crucial lessons about financial management and people leadership. When COVID hit in 2020, his father stepped back, leaving Jay Dee fully at the helm of a business that provides essential feed, water, ventilation, and electrical systems to poultry producers.
What makes Jay Dee's perspective particularly valuable is his deep understanding of Amish farming operations. Contrary to common stereotypes, he reveals that Amish farmers generally embrace technology that improves efficiency while maintaining their family-centered approach to agriculture. The typical 20,000-bird operation fits perfectly with both their farm size (usually 40-60 acres) and practical considerations like feed delivery and egg pickup schedules.
Perhaps most remarkable are Jay Dee's insights into what he calls "unconscious sustainability" - practices that have been standard in Amish communities for generations but are now trending in modern agriculture. From solar power adoption to maintaining diverse farm operations with gardens and multiple animal species, these methods reflect a long tradition of self-sufficiency. Equally impressive is the community response when disaster strikes, as recently demonstrated when neighbors immediately stepped in to run a farm after its owner was hospitalized following an accident.
For emerging leaders, Jay Dee offers straightforward advice: build relationships, help others (even competitors), and stay adaptable. As the poultry industry faces increasing challenges from biosecurity threats to market volatility, this willingness to collaborate and innovate becomes essential for success.
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Hosted by Brandon Mulnix - Director of Commercial Accounts - Prism Controls
The Poultry Leadership Podcast is only possible because of its sponsor, Prism Controls
Find out more about them at www.prismcontrols.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brandon Mulnix (00:27):
Welcome to the Poultry Leadership Podcast.
I'm your host, Brandon Mulnix,and on today's episode I am
interviewing Jay Dee Graber.
Jay Dee is the president ofMichiana Equipment and what's
interesting about MichianaEquipment is who they service.
They're in northern Indiana andthey service a ton of different
growers and I was reallycurious, as I got to know Jay
(00:49):
Dee, of what makes his customersunique from other customers
across the industry and as aleader, I also wanted to hear
his story because he's a youngerguy.
He's kind of done some reallycool things.
So with that, Jay Dee, welcometo the Poultry Leadership
Podcast.
Jay Dee Graber (01:08):
Yeah, thank you, Brandon.
Thanks for bringing me on.
Like Brandon said, I'm fromnorthern Indiana.
I'm a farmer at heart, so mydad had two broiler barns when I
was growing up and my dad hadstarted this business when I was
two years old, so I would dosome chicken chores and also
help dad on the equipmentinstallation.
(01:28):
I'd go to school during thewinter and summers I would help
dad.
I'd mainly be the skid steerdriver on the job site At
Michiana.
Right now, what we focus on isbeing that connection between
the farmers and the integratorsand just helping them find
solutions to everyday problemsand also basically finding
(01:49):
solutions to make your farm cashflow.
Brandon Mulnix (01:51):
Well, that's really important in the industry
that we're in cash flow.
So when you talk aboutequipment, what type of
equipment do you provide?
Jay Dee Graber (01:59):
Basically, when the building is there, we're
providing feed water ventilation.
The building is there, we'reproviding feed water ventilation
, electrical, I would say 90poultry industry and also about
10 on the hog side.
Brandon Mulnix (02:10):
And when you say poultry, it's not just broilers
, you're you're big in the eggspace as well, correct?
Jay Dee Graber (02:16):
that's right.
Market swings, we're doing upsand downs, right.
So right now it's hard andheavy on commercial layer stuff
and then usually the broiler,the protein market swings and
we're also providing broiler andbroiler breeders and pullets
and so on.
Brandon Mulnix (02:32):
So, Jay Dee, you are second generation in the
business.
How did you come to be thepresident?
You know?
Jay Dee Graber (02:39):
when dad was running the business.
It was funny because growing uphe was very much wrapped up in
everyday work and it would takea lot of his time and I would
always joke that I'll never havea part of that business.
But you know, as you grow olderand I guess, so to speak, wiser
, I hope so I saw that there wasa real, a real connection for
me in the industry.
(03:00):
In 2018 I was young, marriedand lower 20s and 2018 was kind
of my turning point of dad.
Let me take over someleadership responsibilities and
by 2020, covid hit.
We had a shutdown and dadreally never came back after
that.
So I guess that's that Familybusiness and I'm hoping to carry
(03:22):
it on from dad.
Brandon Mulnix (03:23):
You've started in 2018 taking over some
leadership responsibilities.
What were some of the firstthings you learned as you became
a leader?
Jay Dee Graber (03:32):
Financials that was my thing.
Financials and people I meanyou can be a one man show and
drive that bus if you reallywant to.
That was actually kind of howmy dad was geared.
But if you want to grow andexpand, you have you got to have
your people.
And then the financial.
I have a funny story on thefinancials.
Dad had everything in his headand I kind of brought in more
(03:53):
systems and you know, about sixmonths in he asked me so how,
how did you do on that specificjob?
You know, on a, maybe a, apoultry, I don't remember what
it was, but and I'm like we didgood.
He's like how'd you know?
I'm like, well, I quoted.
You know, here's my cost that Iquoted with and my margin or
(04:13):
whatever.
And he's like what was youractual cost?
I'm like, well, right here,it's on the quote.
He's like, no, what was yourcost?
You're fixed, what was yourcost?
So I had a kind of a hard knockthere where he was.
He taught me right there thatjust because you quote it one
way doesn't mean that's whereyou're going to end up with.
Brandon Mulnix (04:34):
And very important to know where your
costs are yeah, as a projectmanager early in my career here,
I quickly learned that whatgets quoted doesn't always mean
that it's profitable or thatyou've covered all of your costs
especially the last.
What eight years those uhchanging government like
politics stuff, man we've had acrazy roller coaster yeah, I
(04:57):
could see between covid and nowtariffs and your supply chain.
At prism controls we've justrecently started to see the
effects of those 125% tariffs,and it's not necessarily on our
suppliers' supply chain.
The things that they buy thenincreases the cost and then we
have to pass that on tobasically through our customers
and, wow, that changes things.
(05:18):
So how have you been able tomanage through that?
How do you communicate thischange to your customers?
Just communication.
Jay Dee Graber (05:25):
I feel like that's the main part of business
too is just communication, andas soon as we heard about it we
just let our customers know andthere's really nothing you and I
can do about it.
We have to pass it on, or wecouldn't keep going so just
hoping they can makearrangements on their end.
And we're tracking it per job,and at the end of the job you'll
have to pass it along.
(05:46):
So but it's, it's creating aaccounting challenge, that's for
sure.
Brandon Mulnix (05:51):
Finance is one of those things that you know.
I try to get my head wrappedaround and every time I think I
have at least maybe 50%.
I don't have a clue about it,but it is a challenge for
upcoming leaders.
They step into a position likeyours, president of a company
that, as you said, it was mostlyin your dad's head and I'm sure
that that's hard to pass on,but sounds like you've been
(06:15):
doing a pretty good job over thelast seven years since you're
in that driver's seat now.
Jay Dee Graber (06:19):
Well, I've got this saying first generation
builds it, second generationuses it and the third generation
loses it.
So I am bound and determinednot just to use it, I'm going to
keep building it.
Brandon Mulnix (06:37):
Well, you're doing a pretty good job.
There Sounds like you're in aninteresting role, being the
person or the company thatstands between the integrator
and the producer.
So, as a business that helpsthe integrator as well as your
growers, how do you support yourgrowers so that they can
(06:57):
provide the product for theintegrators?
Jay Dee Graber (07:01):
for the integrators.
Okay, so one of the challengesis sometimes what the integrator
wants or needs, or what theythink they want or need, doesn't
resonate with that grower, andso I try to be that person that
finds a happy medium, so tospeak.
Other than that, you know it'spretty straightforward Everyday
problems we provide the solution.
Brandon Mulnix (07:22):
Now one thing about the northern Indiana area,
where a lot of your growers are, is there's a unique community
there, the Amish community.
What are some of thedifferences you see between an
Amish farm and a non-Amish farm?
Jay Dee Graber (07:38):
Yeah, so the biggest thing is family-oriented
.
That's what the Amish are kindof built around.
That plays a big role in whenthey're making a decision what
they need or what they want ontheir farm I'm talking a poultry
barn.
I call it a poultry businessbecause it's really what it is.
You have to invest a lot ofmoney, so it's very much based
(07:59):
around that family.
Most of these guys I'd say 90%of them the other 10% are also
just running it as a businessand having hired help, but that
90% they want it for theirfamily, something where they can
go out and chore with theirkids and their wife.
So you got to keep that in mindwhen you're communicating that
with them.
Brandon Mulnix (08:17):
So when it comes to technology usage, there's a
lot of stereotypes out thereregarding different communities.
Can you share with me what youknow, what your growers
typically, how they relate totechnology?
Jay Dee Graber (08:30):
I would say they're very open to technology.
I would say they're all aboutmaking chores and life easier as
well.
What kind of the pushback youget a little bit on technology
is they don't necessarily wantthat connection, that internet
connection.
I'm specifically talking abouta Google search connection where
you can get kind of browsingand things like that.
(08:51):
But other than that, I wouldsay it depends a little bit.
Just like you say, there's alot of different opinions and
scenarios, but for the most partthey're very open to technology
.
Brandon Mulnix (09:02):
What would you say?
The average size farm or barnor flock that your typical
grower manages?
Jay Dee Graber (09:09):
I would say 20,000.
20,000 birds On the hogs barns.
You're looking at smaller 2,000to 2,000 hogs.
Brandon Mulnix (09:17):
Why 20,000?
That number seems to be acrossthe board, no matter which state
it is.
20,000 seems to be that magicnumber.
Jay Dee Graber (09:24):
So a lot of these barns, when they started
doing the 20,000s, was alsogeared around pasture, I would
say.
A typical farm setting isbetween 80 to 100 acres and some
of those acreage got sold overthe years.
A lot of these farms aresitting at about 40 to 50 to 60
acres.
It works good for the farmerthat way.
And then the integrator the20,000 bird number works good
(09:47):
for feed delivery, egg pickupabout once a week on those and
that's probably where it landed.
I mean right now.
The last couple years thatnumber had started to climb a
little bit, just to make it cashflow.
Brandon Mulnix (09:58):
But yeah, that's interesting because you know,
as the farm started across theUS, you know from Texas that
20,000 number and it makes sense.
If that's the size of the loadof feed or the pickup of eggs
that makes sense, then you know,usually that number falls
because of something that wasdeveloped that really nobody
even thinks about, but it's thekind of what causes the
(10:20):
bottleneck in the in the flow,whether that's feed or egg
deliveries or pickups or stufflike that.
That's really interesting andso that makes sense that one
size of the farm is based on theacreage and a 20,000 birdhouse
probably fits it really wellbecause they're not just raising
chickens.
Most of these farms I see haveother species of animals on them
to keep them sustainable.
(10:40):
Now, when it comes to topicslike sustainability, it's my
understanding that the Amishreally take sustainability to
heart.
Can you explain that to me?
Jay Dee Graber (10:50):
I think it's just a natural thing.
I don't think they're.
Sometimes it's like anunconscious way of doing
something and it's.
It just turns out that it'ssustainable, right, but, for an
example, a lot of them aren'thooked up to the grid on power,
so the alternative is agenerator, and in the last 10
years it's been solar power.
And then on the farming sideitself, I would say it's very
(11:12):
much geared toward having yourown garden, having your own
animals, and now, in today'sworld, we'd call that
sustainable, yet it's what we'vedone for generations.
So I think it's kind of anunconscious act and you know
what we're getting away fromthat.
As far as a lot of the Amishfarms or lifestyle is actually
kind of gearing towards citylife, and that's another thing
(11:34):
that we do at MichianiaEquipment Some of these Amish
farmers are not necessarily upto speed, and that's where we
can help them understanding howto take care of their animals.
Brandon Mulnix (11:45):
Well, with the vast diversity of farms and
equipment.
I mean you get to see howeverything's run.
Plus, you're talking with theintegrators, which is key.
I mean that relationship withthe integrators is pivotal to
making sure that your growershave something that's a product
that they can sell.
You know where to get thatproduct to.
That is really interestingthere and, as you said, they're
(12:07):
starting to kind of acceptmodernization more and more as
the generations go on, which ispretty typical across the United
States from the differentcommunities, similar to the
Amish, that I've been able tomeet and greet with over the
years.
So I want to get back to youand your growth.
What's a challenge that you'refacing today that maybe you
(12:28):
didn't face in 2020 or 2018?
Jay Dee Graber (12:31):
Being a business leader.
It's like playing whack-a-moleyou know the game whack-a-mole,
I do.
Like you hit the one problemdown or you quench that one fire
and something else pops up.
I guess I'm numb at this point,right?
I don't know if you call itthat way, but all I'm saying is
(12:51):
I don't know that there's reallysomething major.
You know, there's alwaysuncontrolled threats, but to say
that there's a bigger challengenow than it was in 2018,
nothing resonates with me rightnow.
Brandon Mulnix (13:02):
I get the whack-a-mole principle.
There's days where I have aperfectly open schedule that I
have all planned out for stuffto catch up on and it's
inevitable that meeting shows up.
This email comes in, this phonecall comes in, this team member
reaches out for support.
(13:22):
Family stuff jumps in andyou're like where did the day go
?
Or family stuff jumps in andyou're like where did the day go
?
And no matter how much I wantto control my schedule and my
life, I realize that the moreresponsibility you're given is
more opportunities fordistractions and other things to
come in.
How do you prioritize it?
Jay Dee Graber (13:43):
I start my week on Monday mornings and basically
kind of organize my thoughtswith Outlook calendar and I've
learned over the years don'tschedule too tight and the thing
about it is I like to take timefor the people.
It doesn't come naturally forme.
I'm more geared towards gettingthings done.
I consciously need to set timeaside to connect with my people
(14:08):
the employees, the integratorsand I just try to start each
week out kind of getting mybrain sorted out.
I'll comment a little bit on achallenge that, as you were
talking, Brandon, somethingpopped in my head Biosecurity,
right, avian influenza.
That is certainly a biggerchallenge now than it was back
then.
Brandon Mulnix (14:28):
How does it affect you as a person in the
middle between the integratorand the producer?
How does it affect you?
Jay Dee Graber (14:37):
Well, we're going out to farm visits right,
that's what we do.
I mean, there's a lot of phonesupport but at the end of the
day, we're doing a lot of farmvisits and over the years we've
just learned to.
We communicate with theintegrator before making a farm
visit because ultimately it'stheir birds, their asset, and it
(14:58):
eliminates some of those farmvisits.
Right, it eliminates a farmvisit.
It will eliminate a revenuestream, you, we have to be okay
with that and we are okay withthat because there's a bigger
picture than just making a farmvisit.
Brandon Mulnix (15:13):
So as you said that I'm.
I'm so intrigued because Istarted in 2019 here.
Covid was coming on projectmanagement, my responsibility to
get to projects.
People were still at theheightened levels of biosecurity
from avian influenza in 2015.
And I had to adapt very, veryquickly.
How do I connect with thiscustomer?
(15:35):
And I have the advantage ofmost of my customers are used to
doing Zoom meets, Google meets,and here your customers may not
always even have a phone onsite or one phone for everybody
to use, only in case of workemergencies and things like that
.
Man, that coordination has gotto be a much bigger challenge
than it is for me to say, hey,let's just jump on Google Meet
(15:56):
and talk about this.
Jay Dee Graber (15:58):
The one thing, though, is you need to
understand is a lot of these,you know, if you're working with
an Amish guy is he'll go towork in the morning and he'll be
home by one, two o'clock in theafternoon, so usually, if you
want to connect, you can catchit about that time.
So you kind of get used todoing that.
But I would also say that afterthe plans are kind of laid out
(16:19):
on what's happening on theproject, they kind of put their
trust in us to make it happen,and there doesn't take a lot of,
so to speak, connections.
Yeah, you do connect throughoutthe project, or you sure try to
, but I think you know what I'mtrying to say.
Brandon Mulnix (16:33):
Yeah, absolutely no.
I mean it's interesting to bein your role.
I mean you're in a very nichespot that in the layer market
there's less integrators andproducer relationship.
A lot of the farms that I seehave their own vertical
integration where they'reliterally their own feed mills,
their own houses.
But you're in that sweet spotwhere actually providing a
(16:54):
service, that there's not toomany people doing what you're
able to do, especially in thatarea.
So kudos to you for helping andbeing part of that, because
you're obviously being verysuccessful in helping your
community out as well, because alot of these folks they're
family to your family.
I mean they started doingbusiness with your dad and I'm
assuming they're still doingbusiness with you.
Jay Dee Graber (17:13):
That's right.
Brandon Mulnix (17:14):
That's the other thing about the Amish community
I've learned over the years iswhen something happens, the
entire community reacts andresponds.
Am I right on that?
You're right.
Give me an example of somethingyou've seen.
Have you been witness acatastrophe on a farm where
everybody came together and justjumped in and made you know?
Someone got hurt, someone gotsick, and I'm assuming you've.
(17:36):
You've seen lots of stories.
Jay Dee Graber (17:38):
Yeah, just happened.
Just happened.
Last month we had a guy thatgot birds.
This was a 20,000 bird layerfacility.
He got birds, I want to say,first of March, and so I'm going
to point out a little bit of aweakness in us, right, because
we're not perfect.
He had ordered a packer tocollect his eggs with, and lead
(18:01):
times are sometimes a challenge,so he was there gathering eggs
for a month without a packer.
In the meantime he had a farmaccident where his team of
horses and the equipmentliterally ran over him.
So he was in the hospital andat that point the neighbors and
(18:23):
whoever I guess family neighborsjust came together and packed
his eggs for him.
And that's kind of what we dowhen something happens.
And I'm not saying this tosound like Amish is better or
anything like that, I'm justsaying it's kind of a culture
thing where when something likethat happens, people jump in and
just make it happen.
Brandon Mulnix (18:43):
Yeah, my experience from a situation that
happened back when I was aparamedic.
It was a tragic, tragicaccident that I had to manage
and the community support wasamazing.
I followed up for quite a whilewith the family and was part of
(19:03):
many, you know, invited in asone of the first responders.
They, you know, they reallyinvited me in as cause.
They realized what I wasdealing with in the aftermath of
the event.
But it was interesting how longpeople stayed and ran their
farm for them While mom and dadrecovered and their kids
(19:26):
recovered from their injuries.
And going through the entireevent I was just mesmerized
because to this day I know Icould step back on their farm
and they would welcome me inlike family because of just how
caring and supportive they areof farms that step up.
Believe me, I've seen it withfarming accidents, where you
know crops need to go in and allthe farmers get together and
(19:56):
they plant the crops, hay to bebaled and corn to be harvested.
But what's interesting is yousee Amish buggies come from
everywhere.
You know people that you, youknow you didn't even know there
was that many folks in the areaand man, they're everywhere and
it's awesome because they justdrop everything and they do it,
and they still get their choresdone and and they come together.
And so that's amazing.
(20:16):
That's a testament to thecommunity and it's always a
blessing to hear how it respondsin the event of a tragedy.
You know, we hear barn buildings, barn burns down one day and
two weeks later it's alreadyrebuilt.
Things like that that justdon't can't happen with normal
construction, with everythingelse that goes on.
That's testament there.
So, Jay Dee, as we continue onhere, you're a young leader.
(20:39):
I want you to step back andthink of someone else just
getting into the industry, someyoung leader that you get to
take under your arm for just amoment, and say, man, I wish
somebody would have told me thiswhen I started being a leader.
What would you say to that newleader just getting started?
Jay Dee Graber (20:58):
Oh, just relationships, Keep building
relationships and then also helppeople, just help people, and
sometimes it almost doesn't makesense, like it might even be a
competitor or whatever.
But you know what, if you helpthem somewhere down the road,
you're going to need help too Ifyou can build relationships
(21:19):
with your vendors, customers,integrators, just basically the
poultry industry as a whole.
Like, take time to go toAtlanta and Minneapolis.
Connect with the industry.
To me that's key.
Brandon Mulnix (21:35):
How do you build those relationships without
going to Atlanta and Minneapolis, because there's not as many
producers going to those bigevents Between HPAI, the cost
we're just not seeing thenumbers attend that event.
From at least my perspective,there isn't.
So how do you, how do you buildrelationships outside of those
(21:55):
two key events?
Jay Dee Graber (21:57):
you know I'm not I'm not big on cold calling, I
don't do a lot of cold calling,but I think if you are out there
people will find you take everychance you get is.
What I'm trying to say is likesometimes it might take shoot.
I don't have a schedule like.
Some days I can take off rightand spend the time with the
(22:18):
family, but other days I workfrom four o'clock in the morning
to eight o'clock in the night.
So there's going to beopportunities to connect is what
I'm trying to say.
And just don't let them pass byand I'm assuming you're not-
always connecting about yourwork.
Brandon Mulnix (22:31):
You're connecting, always connecting
about your work.
You're connecting on a personallevel, so they're going to talk
to you.
Go fishing, go fishing.
There's no better place.
I think golf is close, but thenyou get distracted between
holes on conversations.
I think it's really broken up.
But fishing, you want to get acustomer fishing and then you
(22:54):
have all of this time in a boatand if the fish aren't biting
you've got a lot more time totalk than probably any other any
other thing, Cause hunting youreally can't talk much.
All right, so as we kind ofstart to come to a close here,
Jay Dee, is there any advice,anything that you would like to
(23:16):
share and leave with the PoultryLeadership Podcast audience?
Jay Dee Graber (23:21):
I think we just need to keep working together.
You know, let's not be stuck inour ways, and I'm speaking to
myself let's be adaptable tochange, because that's what
really I'm sure it's in in everyindustry, but also especially
in the poultry industry, likethere's just we think we've got
it figured out, but man, if wework together, we can keep keep
(23:44):
getting better well.
Brandon Mulnix (23:45):
Thank you, Jay Dee.
I really appreciate yourwillingness to be on the podcast
.
I know I was stretching yourlimits a little bit by asking
you to be a guest, but I justthought and I saw your limits a
little bit by asking you to be aguest but I just thought and I
saw you as a leader, a youngleader, coming up in an industry
that needs more leaders likeyou that are adaptable, that
change with the times, that knowhow good business needs to work
(24:07):
, especially as a secondgeneration farm business as well
, and then as a family man andhow to adapt and do all that.
So I just want to thank you forbeing on the show.
Jay Dee Graber (24:17):
Yeah, I thank you too, Brandon.
This definitely stretched me alittle bit, but it was
interesting.
Brandon Mulnix (24:23):
Poultry Leadership Podcast listeners, I
want you to please do me a favor.
Please share this episode.
This podcast continues to growits audience because you simply
share this with your friends andfamily and make sure that
others know that there's aresource out there to help them
develop in the poultry industry.
This is free.
They can tune in, listen Someepisodes, maybe they learn
(24:46):
something.
But as we continue to bring youamazing guests like Jay Dee, I
just want you to make sure thatyou continue to share this with
your friends and family, eitheron social media or just by in
the podcast leaving a review.
So I can't end this podcastwithout talking about our
sponsor, Prism Controls.
As we continue to evolve andadjust to the industry, this is
(25:08):
an opportunity, with thissponsorship, to just continue to
help the industry grow andadapt and respond.
We're in a time where avianinfluenza has really made the
industry adapt and so we'readapting with it.
As a company, Prism Controlscontinues to modify its products
and adjust.
But please, if you're alistener to this podcast, reach
(25:29):
out to Prism Controls, say thankyou for the podcast, tell them
you're a listener.
That way they know that they'redoing the right thing by
sponsoring this podcast.
So listeners look forward tohaving you listen next time.
Welcome to the Poultry Leadership Podcast.
I'm your host, Brandon Mulnix,and on today's episode I am
interviewing Jay Dee Graber.
Jay Dee is the president ofMichiana Equipment and what's
interesting about MichianaEquipment is who they service.
They're in northern Indiana andthey service a ton of different
growers and I was reallycurious, as I got to know Jay
(00:49):
Dee, of what makes his customersunique from other customers
across the industry and as aleader, I also wanted to hear
his story because he's a youngerguy.
He's kind of done some reallycool things.
So with that, Jay Dee, welcometo the Poultry Leadership
Podcast.
Jay Dee Graber (01:08):
Yeah, thank you, Brandon.
Thanks for bringing me on.
Like Brandon said, I'm fromnorthern Indiana.
I'm a farmer at heart, so mydad had two broiler barns when I
was growing up and my dad hadstarted this business when I was
two years old, so I would dosome chicken chores and also
help dad on the equipmentinstallation.
(01:28):
I'd go to school during thewinter and summers I would help
dad.
I'd mainly be the skid steerdriver on the job site At
Michiana.
Right now, what we focus on isbeing that connection between
the farmers and the integratorsand just helping them find
solutions to everyday problemsand also basically finding
(01:49):
solutions to make your farm cashflow.
Brandon Mulnix (01:51):
Well, that's really important in the industry
that we're in cash flow.
So when you talk aboutequipment, what type of
equipment do you provide?
Jay Dee Graber (01:59):
Basically, when the building is there, we're
providing feed water ventilation.
The building is there, we'reproviding feed water ventilation
, electrical, I would say 90poultry industry and also about
10 on the hog side.
Brandon Mulnix (02:10):
And when you say poultry, it's not just broilers
, you're you're big in the eggspace as well, correct?
Jay Dee Graber (02:16):
that's right.
Market swings, we're doing upsand downs, right.
So right now it's hard andheavy on commercial layer stuff
and then usually the broiler,the protein market swings and
we're also providing broiler andbroiler breeders and pullets
and so on.
Brandon Mulnix (02:32):
So, Jay Dee, you are second generation in the
business.
How did you come to be thepresident?
You know?
Jay Dee Graber (02:39):
when dad was running the business.
It was funny because growing uphe was very much wrapped up in
everyday work and it would takea lot of his time and I would
always joke that I'll never havea part of that business.
But you know, as you grow olderand I guess, so to speak, wiser
, I hope so I saw that there wasa real, a real connection for
me in the industry.
(03:00):
In 2018 I was young, marriedand lower 20s and 2018 was kind
of my turning point of dad.
Let me take over someleadership responsibilities and
by 2020, covid hit.
We had a shutdown and dadreally never came back after
that.
So I guess that's that Familybusiness and I'm hoping to carry
(03:22):
it on from dad.
Brandon Mulnix (03:23):
You've started in 2018 taking over some
leadership responsibilities.
What were some of the firstthings you learned as you became
a leader?
Jay Dee Graber (03:32):
Financials that was my thing.
Financials and people I meanyou can be a one man show and
drive that bus if you reallywant to.
That was actually kind of howmy dad was geared.
But if you want to grow andexpand, you have you got to have
your people.
And then the financial.
I have a funny story on thefinancials.
Dad had everything in his headand I kind of brought in more
(03:53):
systems and you know, about sixmonths in he asked me so how,
how did you do on that specificjob?
You know, on a, maybe a, apoultry, I don't remember what
it was, but and I'm like we didgood.
He's like how'd you know?
I'm like, well, I quoted.
You know, here's my cost that Iquoted with and my margin or
(04:13):
whatever.
And he's like what was youractual cost?
I'm like, well, right here,it's on the quote.
He's like, no, what was yourcost?
You're fixed, what was yourcost?
So I had a kind of a hard knockthere where he was.
He taught me right there thatjust because you quote it one
way doesn't mean that's whereyou're going to end up with.
Brandon Mulnix (04:34):
And very important to know where your
costs are yeah, as a projectmanager early in my career here,
I quickly learned that whatgets quoted doesn't always mean
that it's profitable or thatyou've covered all of your costs
especially the last.
What eight years those uhchanging government like
politics stuff, man we've had acrazy roller coaster yeah, I
(04:57):
could see between covid and nowtariffs and your supply chain.
At prism controls we've justrecently started to see the
effects of those 125% tariffs,and it's not necessarily on our
suppliers' supply chain.
The things that they buy thenincreases the cost and then we
have to pass that on tobasically through our customers
and, wow, that changes things.
(05:18):
So how have you been able tomanage through that?
How do you communicate thischange to your customers?
Just communication.
Jay Dee Graber (05:25):
I feel like that's the main part of business
too is just communication, andas soon as we heard about it we
just let our customers know andthere's really nothing you and I
can do about it.
We have to pass it on, or wecouldn't keep going so just
hoping they can makearrangements on their end.
And we're tracking it per job,and at the end of the job you'll
have to pass it along.
(05:46):
So but it's, it's creating aaccounting challenge, that's for
sure.
Brandon Mulnix (05:51):
Finance is one of those things that you know.
I try to get my head wrappedaround and every time I think I
have at least maybe 50%.
I don't have a clue about it,but it is a challenge for
upcoming leaders.
They step into a position likeyours, president of a company
that, as you said, it was mostlyin your dad's head and I'm sure
that that's hard to pass on,but sounds like you've been
(06:15):
doing a pretty good job over thelast seven years since you're
in that driver's seat now.
Jay Dee Graber (06:19):
Well, I've got this saying first generation
builds it, second generationuses it and the third generation
loses it.
So I am bound and determinednot just to use it, I'm going to
keep building it.
Brandon Mulnix (06:37):
Well, you're doing a pretty good job.
There Sounds like you're in aninteresting role, being the
person or the company thatstands between the integrator
and the producer.
So, as a business that helpsthe integrator as well as your
growers, how do you support yourgrowers so that they can
(06:57):
provide the product for theintegrators?
Jay Dee Graber (07:01):
for the integrators.
Okay, so one of the challengesis sometimes what the integrator
wants or needs, or what theythink they want or need, doesn't
resonate with that grower, andso I try to be that person that
finds a happy medium, so tospeak.
Other than that, you know it'spretty straightforward Everyday
problems we provide the solution.
Brandon Mulnix (07:22):
Now one thing about the northern Indiana area,
where a lot of your growers are, is there's a unique community
there, the Amish community.
What are some of thedifferences you see between an
Amish farm and a non-Amish farm?
Jay Dee Graber (07:38):
Yeah, so the biggest thing is family-oriented
.
That's what the Amish are kindof built around.
That plays a big role in whenthey're making a decision what
they need or what they want ontheir farm I'm talking a poultry
barn.
I call it a poultry businessbecause it's really what it is.
You have to invest a lot ofmoney, so it's very much based
(07:59):
around that family.
Most of these guys I'd say 90%of them the other 10% are also
just running it as a businessand having hired help, but that
90% they want it for theirfamily, something where they can
go out and chore with theirkids and their wife.
So you got to keep that in mindwhen you're communicating that
with them.
Brandon Mulnix (08:17):
So when it comes to technology usage, there's a
lot of stereotypes out thereregarding different communities.
Can you share with me what youknow, what your growers
typically, how they relate totechnology?
Jay Dee Graber (08:30):
I would say they're very open to technology.
I would say they're all aboutmaking chores and life easier as
well.
What kind of the pushback youget a little bit on technology
is they don't necessarily wantthat connection, that internet
connection.
I'm specifically talking abouta Google search connection where
you can get kind of browsingand things like that.
(08:51):
But other than that, I wouldsay it depends a little bit.
Just like you say, there's alot of different opinions and
scenarios, but for the most partthey're very open to technology
.
Brandon Mulnix (09:02):
What would you say?
The average size farm or barnor flock that your typical
grower manages?
Jay Dee Graber (09:09):
I would say 20,000.
20,000 birds On the hogs barns.
You're looking at smaller 2,000to 2,000 hogs.
Brandon Mulnix (09:17):
Why 20,000?
That number seems to be acrossthe board, no matter which state
it is.
20,000 seems to be that magicnumber.
Jay Dee Graber (09:24):
So a lot of these barns, when they started
doing the 20,000s, was alsogeared around pasture, I would
say.
A typical farm setting isbetween 80 to 100 acres and some
of those acreage got sold overthe years.
A lot of these farms aresitting at about 40 to 50 to 60
acres.
It works good for the farmerthat way.
And then the integrator the20,000 bird number works good
(09:47):
for feed delivery, egg pickupabout once a week on those and
that's probably where it landed.
I mean right now.
The last couple years thatnumber had started to climb a
little bit, just to make it cashflow.
Brandon Mulnix (09:58):
But yeah, that's interesting because you know,
as the farm started across theUS, you know from Texas that
20,000 number and it makes sense.
If that's the size of the loadof feed or the pickup of eggs
that makes sense, then you know,usually that number falls
because of something that wasdeveloped that really nobody
even thinks about, but it's thekind of what causes the
(10:20):
bottleneck in the in the flow,whether that's feed or egg
deliveries or pickups or stufflike that.
That's really interesting andso that makes sense that one
size of the farm is based on theacreage and a 20,000 birdhouse
probably fits it really wellbecause they're not just raising
chickens.
Most of these farms I see haveother species of animals on them
to keep them sustainable.
(10:40):
Now, when it comes to topicslike sustainability, it's my
understanding that the Amishreally take sustainability to
heart.
Can you explain that to me?
Jay Dee Graber (10:50):
I think it's just a natural thing.
I don't think they're.
Sometimes it's like anunconscious way of doing
something and it's.
It just turns out that it'ssustainable, right, but, for an
example, a lot of them aren'thooked up to the grid on power,
so the alternative is agenerator, and in the last 10
years it's been solar power.
And then on the farming sideitself, I would say it's very
(11:12):
much geared toward having yourown garden, having your own
animals, and now, in today'sworld, we'd call that
sustainable, yet it's what we'vedone for generations.
So I think it's kind of anunconscious act and you know
what we're getting away fromthat.
As far as a lot of the Amishfarms or lifestyle is actually
kind of gearing towards citylife, and that's another thing
(11:34):
that we do at MichianiaEquipment Some of these Amish
farmers are not necessarily upto speed, and that's where we
can help them understanding howto take care of their animals.
Brandon Mulnix (11:45):
Well, with the vast diversity of farms and
equipment.
I mean you get to see howeverything's run.
Plus, you're talking with theintegrators, which is key.
I mean that relationship withthe integrators is pivotal to
making sure that your growershave something that's a product
that they can sell.
You know where to get thatproduct to.
That is really interestingthere and, as you said, they're
(12:07):
starting to kind of acceptmodernization more and more as
the generations go on, which ispretty typical across the United
States from the differentcommunities, similar to the
Amish, that I've been able tomeet and greet with over the
years.
So I want to get back to youand your growth.
What's a challenge that you'refacing today that maybe you
(12:28):
didn't face in 2020 or 2018?
Jay Dee Graber (12:31):
Being a business leader.
It's like playing whack-a-moleyou know the game whack-a-mole,
I do.
Like you hit the one problemdown or you quench that one fire
and something else pops up.
I guess I'm numb at this point,right?
I don't know if you call itthat way, but all I'm saying is
(12:51):
I don't know that there's reallysomething major.
You know, there's alwaysuncontrolled threats, but to say
that there's a bigger challengenow than it was in 2018,
nothing resonates with me rightnow.
Brandon Mulnix (13:02):
I get the whack-a-mole principle.
There's days where I have aperfectly open schedule that I
have all planned out for stuffto catch up on and it's
inevitable that meeting shows up.
This email comes in, this phonecall comes in, this team member
reaches out for support.
(13:22):
Family stuff jumps in andyou're like where did the day go
?
Or family stuff jumps in andyou're like where did the day go
?
And no matter how much I wantto control my schedule and my
life, I realize that the moreresponsibility you're given is
more opportunities fordistractions and other things to
come in.
How do you prioritize it?
Jay Dee Graber (13:43):
I start my week on Monday mornings and basically
kind of organize my thoughtswith Outlook calendar and I've
learned over the years don'tschedule too tight and the thing
about it is I like to take timefor the people.
It doesn't come naturally forme.
I'm more geared towards gettingthings done.
I consciously need to set timeaside to connect with my people
(14:08):
the employees, the integratorsand I just try to start each
week out kind of getting mybrain sorted out.
I'll comment a little bit on achallenge that, as you were
talking, Brandon, somethingpopped in my head Biosecurity,
right, avian influenza.
That is certainly a biggerchallenge now than it was back
then.
Brandon Mulnix (14:28):
How does it affect you as a person in the
middle between the integratorand the producer?
How does it affect you?
Jay Dee Graber (14:37):
Well, we're going out to farm visits right,
that's what we do.
I mean, there's a lot of phonesupport but at the end of the
day, we're doing a lot of farmvisits and over the years we've
just learned to.
We communicate with theintegrator before making a farm
visit because ultimately it'stheir birds, their asset, and it
(14:58):
eliminates some of those farmvisits.
Right, it eliminates a farmvisit.
It will eliminate a revenuestream, you, we have to be okay
with that and we are okay withthat because there's a bigger
picture than just making a farmvisit.
Brandon Mulnix (15:13):
So as you said that I'm.
I'm so intrigued because Istarted in 2019 here.
Covid was coming on projectmanagement, my responsibility to
get to projects.
People were still at theheightened levels of biosecurity
from avian influenza in 2015.
And I had to adapt very, veryquickly.
How do I connect with thiscustomer?
(15:35):
And I have the advantage ofmost of my customers are used to
doing Zoom meets, Google meets,and here your customers may not
always even have a phone onsite or one phone for everybody
to use, only in case of workemergencies and things like that
.
Man, that coordination has gotto be a much bigger challenge
than it is for me to say, hey,let's just jump on Google Meet
(15:56):
and talk about this.
Jay Dee Graber (15:58):
The one thing, though, is you need to
understand is a lot of these,you know, if you're working with
an Amish guy is he'll go towork in the morning and he'll be
home by one, two o'clock in theafternoon, so usually, if you
want to connect, you can catchit about that time.
So you kind of get used todoing that.
But I would also say that afterthe plans are kind of laid out
(16:19):
on what's happening on theproject, they kind of put their
trust in us to make it happen,and there doesn't take a lot of,
so to speak, connections.
Yeah, you do connect throughoutthe project, or you sure try to
, but I think you know what I'mtrying to say.
Brandon Mulnix (16:33):
Yeah, absolutely no.
I mean it's interesting to bein your role.
I mean you're in a very nichespot that in the layer market
there's less integrators andproducer relationship.
A lot of the farms that I seehave their own vertical
integration where they'reliterally their own feed mills,
their own houses.
But you're in that sweet spotwhere actually providing a
(16:54):
service, that there's not toomany people doing what you're
able to do, especially in thatarea.
So kudos to you for helping andbeing part of that, because
you're obviously being verysuccessful in helping your
community out as well, because alot of these folks they're
family to your family.
I mean they started doingbusiness with your dad and I'm
assuming they're still doingbusiness with you.
Jay Dee Graber (17:13):
That's right.
Brandon Mulnix (17:14):
That's the other thing about the Amish community
I've learned over the years iswhen something happens, the
entire community reacts andresponds.
Am I right on that?
You're right.
Give me an example of somethingyou've seen.
Have you been witness acatastrophe on a farm where
everybody came together and justjumped in and made you know?
Someone got hurt, someone gotsick, and I'm assuming you've.
(17:36):
You've seen lots of stories.
Jay Dee Graber (17:38):
Yeah, just happened.
Just happened.
Last month we had a guy thatgot birds.
This was a 20,000 bird layerfacility.
He got birds, I want to say,first of March, and so I'm going
to point out a little bit of aweakness in us, right, because
we're not perfect.
He had ordered a packer tocollect his eggs with, and lead
(18:01):
times are sometimes a challenge,so he was there gathering eggs
for a month without a packer.
In the meantime he had a farmaccident where his team of
horses and the equipmentliterally ran over him.
So he was in the hospital andat that point the neighbors and
(18:23):
whoever I guess family neighborsjust came together and packed
his eggs for him.
And that's kind of what we dowhen something happens.
And I'm not saying this tosound like Amish is better or
anything like that, I'm justsaying it's kind of a culture
thing where when something likethat happens, people jump in and
just make it happen.
Brandon Mulnix (18:43):
Yeah, my experience from a situation that
happened back when I was aparamedic.
It was a tragic, tragicaccident that I had to manage
and the community support wasamazing.
I followed up for quite a whilewith the family and was part of
(19:03):
many, you know, invited in asone of the first responders.
They, you know, they reallyinvited me in as cause.
They realized what I wasdealing with in the aftermath of
the event.
But it was interesting how longpeople stayed and ran their
farm for them While mom and dadrecovered and their kids
(19:26):
recovered from their injuries.
And going through the entireevent I was just mesmerized
because to this day I know Icould step back on their farm
and they would welcome me inlike family because of just how
caring and supportive they areof farms that step up.
Believe me, I've seen it withfarming accidents, where you
know crops need to go in and allthe farmers get together and
(19:56):
they plant the crops, hay to bebaled and corn to be harvested.
But what's interesting is yousee Amish buggies come from
everywhere.
You know people that you, youknow you didn't even know there
was that many folks in the areaand man, they're everywhere and
it's awesome because they justdrop everything and they do it,
and they still get their choresdone and and they come together.
And so that's amazing.
(20:16):
That's a testament to thecommunity and it's always a
blessing to hear how it respondsin the event of a tragedy.
You know, we hear barn buildings, barn burns down one day and
two weeks later it's alreadyrebuilt.
Things like that that justdon't can't happen with normal
construction, with everythingelse that goes on.
That's testament there.
So, Jay Dee, as we continue onhere, you're a young leader.
(20:39):
I want you to step back andthink of someone else just
getting into the industry, someyoung leader that you get to
take under your arm for just amoment, and say, man, I wish
somebody would have told me thiswhen I started being a leader.
What would you say to that newleader just getting started?
Jay Dee Graber (20:58):
Oh, just relationships, Keep building
relationships and then also helppeople, just help people, and
sometimes it almost doesn't makesense, like it might even be a
competitor or whatever.
But you know what, if you helpthem somewhere down the road,
you're going to need help too Ifyou can build relationships
(21:19):
with your vendors, customers,integrators, just basically the
poultry industry as a whole.
Like, take time to go toAtlanta and Minneapolis.
Connect with the industry.
To me that's key.
Brandon Mulnix (21:35):
How do you build those relationships without
going to Atlanta and Minneapolis, because there's not as many
producers going to those bigevents Between HPAI, the cost
we're just not seeing thenumbers attend that event.
From at least my perspective,there isn't.
So how do you, how do you buildrelationships outside of those
(21:55):
two key events?
Jay Dee Graber (21:57):
you know I'm not I'm not big on cold calling, I
don't do a lot of cold calling,but I think if you are out there
people will find you take everychance you get is.
What I'm trying to say is likesometimes it might take shoot.
I don't have a schedule like.
Some days I can take off rightand spend the time with the
(22:18):
family, but other days I workfrom four o'clock in the morning
to eight o'clock in the night.
So there's going to beopportunities to connect is what
I'm trying to say.
And just don't let them pass byand I'm assuming you're not-
always connecting about yourwork.
Brandon Mulnix (22:31):
You're connecting, always connecting
about your work.
You're connecting on a personallevel, so they're going to talk
to you.
Go fishing, go fishing.
There's no better place.
I think golf is close, but thenyou get distracted between
holes on conversations.
I think it's really broken up.
But fishing, you want to get acustomer fishing and then you
(22:54):
have all of this time in a boatand if the fish aren't biting
you've got a lot more time totalk than probably any other any
other thing, Cause hunting youreally can't talk much.
All right, so as we kind ofstart to come to a close here,
Jay Dee, is there any advice,anything that you would like to
(23:16):
share and leave with the PoultryLeadership Podcast audience?
Jay Dee Graber (23:21):
I think we just need to keep working together.
You know, let's not be stuck inour ways, and I'm speaking to
myself let's be adaptable tochange, because that's what
really I'm sure it's in in everyindustry, but also especially
in the poultry industry, likethere's just we think we've got
it figured out, but man, if wework together, we can keep keep
(23:44):
getting better well.
Brandon Mulnix (23:45):
Thank you, Jay Dee.
I really appreciate yourwillingness to be on the podcast
.
I know I was stretching yourlimits a little bit by asking
you to be a guest, but I justthought and I saw your limits a
little bit by asking you to be aguest but I just thought and I
saw you as a leader, a youngleader, coming up in an industry
that needs more leaders likeyou that are adaptable, that
change with the times, that knowhow good business needs to work
(24:07):
, especially as a secondgeneration farm business as well
, and then as a family man andhow to adapt and do all that.
So I just want to thank you forbeing on the show.
Jay Dee Graber (24:17):
Yeah, I thank you too, Brandon.
This definitely stretched me alittle bit, but it was
interesting.
Brandon Mulnix (24:23):
Poultry Leadership Podcast listeners, I
want you to please do me a favor.
Please share this episode.
This podcast continues to growits audience because you simply
share this with your friends andfamily and make sure that
others know that there's aresource out there to help them
develop in the poultry industry.
This is free.
They can tune in, listen Someepisodes, maybe they learn
(24:46):
something.
But as we continue to bring youamazing guests like Jay Dee, I
just want you to make sure thatyou continue to share this with
your friends and family, eitheron social media or just by in
the podcast leaving a review.
So I can't end this podcastwithout talking about our
sponsor, Prism Controls.
As we continue to evolve andadjust to the industry, this is
(25:08):
an opportunity, with thissponsorship, to just continue to
help the industry grow andadapt and respond.
We're in a time where avianinfluenza has really made the
industry adapt and so we'readapting with it.
As a company, Prism Controlscontinues to modify its products
and adjust.
But please, if you're alistener to this podcast, reach
(25:29):
out to Prism Controls, say thankyou for the podcast, tell them
you're a listener.
That way they know that they'redoing the right thing by
sponsoring this podcast.
So listeners look forward tohaving you listen next time.
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