Ron and Christi Lucksinger, both Tarleton State University graduates from the early ‘70’s, now own two of the top Purina feed dealerships in the nation. 

Ron and Christi originally met at Tarleton State University. Ron graduated with a Bachelor of General Agriculture, while Christi graduated with a Bachelor of English with a focus in journalism. 

To pay for his studies at Tarleton, Ron worked at a dairy in Stephenville, leaving him little to no time for extracurricular activities. Christi was often busy with her own activities as well, as she participated in cheerleading, played on the basketball and volleyball teams, was a member of the Student Senate and was even a Purple Poo.

“Soon after I graduated from Tarleton, I managed a Purina feed and grain business in Oklahoma. Purina’s business model, product line and integrity made it the top brand in the industry. At that time, they had more than 5,000 independent dealers across the U.S. I’ve been associated with Purina for nearly 50 years now. The company has always been ahead of its time in the retail agriculture business,” Ron said.

In 1979, Ron and Christi purchased an already established feed store in Belton, TX. Four years later, the couple founded a new establishment in Temple called Temple Feed & Supply. 

In 1984, the couple sold their Belton operation to allow Christi to work as the director of the TSU Alumni Association. 

Two years later, the couple moved back to Belton and repurchased their feedstore, eventually naming it Belton Feed & Supply.

“There are fewer large producers today than there were when we first started. Our customer base has grown significantly to include more hobby farmers and small-acreage ranchers,” Christi said. 

Originally, the feed stores were not a family affair. Adam Lucksinger, Ron and Christi’s son, graduated from Tarleton with his Bachelor and Master of Biology. Their daughter, Lindsey (Lucksinger) Strait, graduated from A&M University with her Bachelor of Business. Both Adam and Lindsey eventually returned to the family feed store businesses.

“When Adam and Lindsey went off to college, we never dreamed either would want to come back and work in our business. It’s a lot of hard, physical work. The stores are open six days a week so our down time is limited. We still can’t believe how blessed we are that they chose to bring their education back home at a time when we needed it most. They have taken our company to the next level,” Christi said.

Adam shared that he appreciates their loyal customer base as they strive to keep agriculture a thriving enterprise. Some of their customers have been supporting the Lucksinger business since the beginning of their feed store journey, nearly 40 years.

“Of course, technology and the internet have changed our industry as it has many others. Consumers are much more educated about products and know what they want when they come into our stores,” Christi said. “However, they still rely on our knowledge and expert advice as the ag industry rapidly changes.”

The agriculture industry is constantly changing. With change comes new practices, new feeds, and new technologies. Prior to big changes in their business, the Lucksinger’s shared that they pray as a family.

“We pray together about big decisions, always recognizing our success comes from God. He has guided every new direction we’ve taken to keep the company growing. We strive to be good stewards of all God has given us,” Ron said. “We are blessed that our stores have consistently earned national honors from Purina.”

With little to no downtime due to a 6 day work week and a job that is constantly busy, the Lucksinger’s still share their gratitude for their business, family, and customers.

“There’s no question we live in a stress-filled world. It’s important to keep priorities straight – faith, family, fun and hard work. If one priority gets out of line, life is chaotic. Kept in order, it’s incredibly rewarding,” Christi said.

For more information regarding the Lucksinger feestores, visit their page at \templebeltonfeed.com/about. You can also find them on facebook at Temple and Belton Feed & Supply.