BOONE CO., Mo. — Brothers Dustin and Austin Stanton own Stanton Brothers, a cage-free, brown egg production business. The brothers manage their flock of 7,200 chickens that lay 500 dozen eggs daily on their family’s generational farm that was started by their great-great-grandfather in 1845 near Centralia in Boone County. In 1999, the Stantons didn’t realize that their first six chickens would become a successful 4-H project, a prosperous FFA endeavor, or a thriving business. Dustin and Austin had no idea that poultry would become a sound investment in their family’s farming legacy.
The Beginning of a Business
“My first grade class hatched and raised six chicks. My name was not drawn to take the birds home,” recalls Dustin. “And when I got home, I cried.” Dustin’s elementary tears fell upon the ears of an amazing uncle who didn’t know that his purchase of six chicks each for Dustin and Austin would become part of the family’s farming legacy. Beginning in 1999, the brothers raised and managed birds as an entrepreneurial 4-H project that expanded into a prosperous FFA Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) in 2007. The brothers saw eggs as an avenue to return to the family farm. Upon adulthood, Dustin and Austin were in partnership with Stanton Brothers, a successful, cage-free, brown egg production business selling direct to consumers.
The Next Generation of Stanton Farmers
“We couldn’t believe it when the boys started selling eggs for $2.50 a dozen at the Farmer’s Market and customers loved it,” shared Andrew Stanton, the brothers’ dad (who, ironically, is allergic to eggs). “Their profitable egg business is the reason Dustin and Austin have been able to return to work as part of the family farm.” Austin focuses on egg production and processing while Dustin focuses on sales, deliveries and customer relations, meeting the wholesale and retail needs for 60 outlets that change seasonally. Stanton Brothers sells eggs to school districts, golf courses, nursing homes, the University of Missouri, grocery stores, restaurants and individuals.
Dustin and Austin are proud that Stanton Brothers works in collaboration with the more traditional model of Stanton Farms, a cattle and row crop business owned by their parents, Andrew and Judy. Together, the two businesses comprise Stanton Family Farms. These family businesses were recently honored as the 2025 recipient of the Missouri Agriculture Stewardship Award which recognizes the voluntary efforts of Missouri farmers to carefully and responsibly manage the land, natural resources, and animals entrusted to their care.
Stewardship on the Farm
“Stewardship and sustainability are very important to our family,” said Dustin. “We feed our chickens milo, or grain sorghum, that is grown here by Stanton Farms. When our poultry barn is cleaned out, the manure is spread here as natural fertilizer across crop fields and pastures. We are extra cognizant of our applications because we want to protect local water quality.” Nestled upon a rolling landscape, the Stanton Farm is in the watershed of several creeks and rivers that flow through suburban and urban communities of Boone County. Stanton Family Farms uses several other strategies to keep inputs and soil on their farm including ponds, cover crops, conservation tillage, and contour planting. Austin often deploys technologies for the family farms including use of GPS and drones as well as data collection and analysis. “Our family farm hasn’t been in existence for nearly 180 years by accident, but by looking to the future,” Dustin said. “It’s not about taking the most from our land so we get the most. It’s about what we can give to the land so that the next generation can live and work here as well.”
Building Customer Trust
Back in 1999, Dustin and Austin sold their eggs to neighbors, family, and members of their church congregation. When Dustin expanded the project to 500 birds for his FFA SAE, he began selling eggs at the Columbia Farmer’s Market. “I now have customers at the Farmer’s Market who have watched me grow up for the past 15 years. We have built trust with people who truly care about what is happening on our farms,” Dustin said. “No one knows the story of agriculture better than farmers. We are a trusted face and source for questions about everything from farm policy to pasta ingredients.” The Stantons share their farm story as often as possible, presenting at elementary schools, hosting field trips, and speaking to civic groups.
A Legacy Mindset
Dustin’s vision is to expand Stanton Brothers to offer more diversified product lines including liquid eggs, recognizing the desires and rising demands of customers. “I love agriculture. I love working with my family,” Dustin shared. “I love running a business and building something. When it is successful, it shows the work we did. If I mess up, I am responsible for fixing it. It’s not really about what I’m doing today for me. It’s about what I’m doing today to pass it on to the next generation.”
“Farming is my heritage and my legacy,” said Austin. “I have wanted to be a farmer my whole life. I hope to make our farm better than it is today so I can give my kids a shot at making a life on the farm.”
More About the Stantons
Dustin and Austin are graduates of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dustin is concluding a term of service on the Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and representing the poultry industry on the Missouri Farm Bureau Commodity Advisory Committee. He is currently the president of the Boone County Extension Council. Austin has served as an officer for the Missouri Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives Association and the family is still active with the organization. The family volunteers for the Centralia FFA Alumni and are members of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Missouri Farm Bureau, University of Missouri Extension, Missouri Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives Association, and the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association are all partners of Missouri Farmers Care.
Agricultural Contributions of Boone County
Food processing is the top agricultural industry in Boone County according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study. The county’s agriculture economy creates $686.5 million in value-added products, supports more than 9,500 jobs, and generates $629.4 million in household income. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 95% of Boone County farms are owned by families.
–Missouri Farmers Care
