About Brad… Let me introduce you to Brad Bourg rooted in the greater Phelps County region of rural Nebraska. As Brad puts it… “I have always worked on farms.” He grew up working on a farms near Kenesaw, Nebraska. Kenesaw, 2020 population of 919 located in south central Nebraska in Adams County where Hastings (2020 population of 25,152) is the largest area community. He attended and graduated from Kenesaw High School and attended Central Nebraska Community College in Hasting studying agricultural business.
Brad knows production agriculture from the ground up. Like other farmers, he is practical, and looking for ways to be more efficient. He has learned about agronomy, worked with seed dealers, and then became a commercial aerial applicator. In time Brad became very interested in emerging drone technology and its potential applications in production agriculture. He is married and has a family, and later in this story we share his journey in finding life work balance so important to hard working entrepreneurs.
“Ag Above the Line aims to support the advancement and adoption of regenerative practices in central Nebraska. Rooted on a strong foundation of soil health principles, we are openminded, committed to learning, and proactively seek new solutions for our growers to work with the power of nature.”
His purpose statement is both direct and poetic. It is powerful in its vision of what Ag Above the Line is all about. Brad is a learner and so open to better understanding the challenge in soil health and productivity, and then finding solutions. He understands niche entrepreneurship. Brad admits he is “techy.” His interest in drones was driven by his practical and deep understanding of traditional pesticide application. He attended workshops and mentions the work of the University of Nebraska’s Dirk Charlson, a Statewide Digital Agriculture Extension researcher and educator. He attended demonstrations at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island.
As Brad, being a new business startup, puts it… “I saw an opportunity, ran some numbers, took a leap of faith and launched Ag Above the Line.” He perceived an evolving efficiency opportunity that could reduce field work time and cost, generate more data in less time, and provide powerful digitalized information for farmers. As drone technology and its capacity improved. He is still learning and testing but servicing farms and generating income. Brad is part of what many call “precision” and/or “smart” agriculture.
Helping Hands… When asked the question “who has helped you?” Brad’s face lit up! He was quick to share that his list of helping hands is extensive. He began by mentioning his dad for being an amazing mentor and guide, always there to support, teach, and help him while starting his business. He then notes two farmers, Dan and Steve, who he worked for in his youth. They both “…inspired and educated him…” Dan has continued to be a great support for Brad. Early in this new business venture, he provided shop space for building and setting up the spray trailer. He was also the first in line to sign up acres for Brad to spray. Early on Brad had a solid income and some savings to start his business. He then developed a lending relationship with a local bank, secured some ag innovation grant dollars, and then heard about the Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act (NSBAA). He worked with GROW Nebraska and the Act’s Program. NSBAA provided critical funding supporting additional drone technology purchases and business scale up.
But possibly the most important help came from family and friends. Brad recognizes the support his wife is giving him. Their lives are demanding with three children between four and onehalf years of age. He recognized that hard work and being an entrepreneur could easily mess up his life and work balance. There were challenges and struggles. But a couple of good friends, as really good friends do, encouraged Brad to prioritize his marriage, family, and then his entrepreneurial pursuits. Brad recognized entrepreneurship is the ultimate catalyst for personal growth. He has started individual and couples counseling and realized immense value quickly. He wished he would have started sooner and recommends it to anyone. He connected with Front Row Dads. Front Row Dads is a growth centered brotherhood focusing on being “family men with business, not businessmen with a family.” There is a cost, and he has found this network with its podcasts, virtual seminars, and his small peer group of a “band of guys” has really helped him “strike the balance” between his entrepreneurship and his wife and family.
A Final Thought… Entrepreneurs like Brad often are thinking ahead. They know technology and markets change over time. While he is on the leading edge of drone ag applications, he knows in time there will be competition. When asked about his future plans he shared a powerful thought… “In time I may look to move from being an applicator to becoming a drone representative bringing this technology to other applicators.” Brad understands the business world and market are dynamic and ever changing. He is looking into the future and where he can continue to be competitive and valuable to the agricultural world he so loves. (October 2024)