Dr. Issac “Nealy” Barrett, Jr.
Alabama Farmer of the Year 2025
Bar Neal Farms in Wetumpka is a fifth-generation farming and ranching operation with deep roots in central Alabama. Nealy Barrett Jr. started his own cow herd at the age of thirteen with twelve stocker calves. He continued to farm while earning a degree in veterinary medicine from Auburn University. After graduation he established a private large animal practice, traveling widely across the state to help fellow cattlemen improve herd health. He later became associate state veterinarian and director of meat inspection for the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, a position from which he retired in 2024.
Nealy works alongside his son, Justin, who is a biosystems engineer in Wetumpka. Together they established Bar Neal Farms in 2015, which laid the groundwork for a totally integrated family operation. Today it includes Bar Neal Farms, LLC; B&B Cattle Company, LLC and JNB Livestock LLC; and River Bend Beef, LLC.
Nealy said, “My grandmother sold her farm to my father, Nealy, Sr., who founded our current operation in 1961 with 40 acres and a few cattle. It now covers 2600 acres, 900 of which are dedicated to hay and haylage. It includes 400 adult cows under the Bar Neal banner; 3500–4000 stockers a year through B&B Cattle; 1500–2000 head in retained ownership with feedlots and grazing partners through JNB Livestock; and 60–100 head of custom beef sales a year through River Bend Beef.”
Nealy’s wife, Jennie, manages all accounting and record-keeping responsibilities for Bar Neal Farms and B&B Cattle Company. With a teaching background, she brings an eye for detail to any task and is always ready to help with cattle work, running errands, moving equipment, and providing meals. Justin’s wife, Jordan, oversees the accounting for JNB Livestock and River Bend Beef, manages the custom meat sales and distribution, and homeschools their three children.
Proud grandfather Nealy said, “Although the fifth generation are the ‘smallest farmhands,’ they’re already active participants who herd cattle on horseback, punch up cows in the alley, fix fences, deliver calves, and spend countless hours on tractors. Their participation means they are an essential part of the farm and their contributions matter.”
Nealy, Justin, Jennie, and Jordan discuss farm responsibilities and decisions collectively, with Nealy’s primary responsibility being herd health. He noted, “Those family meetings rely on shared spreadsheets, records, and notes to ensure continuity and long-range planning. We want to maintain a strong, sustainable operation while proactively reducing risk.”
Bar Neal Farms calves are marketed annually at the Producers Feeder Calf Sale. Detailed cow/calf records are maintained using CattleMax. Nealy said, “In our backgrounding and stocker operations through B&B Cattle and JNB Livestock, the majority of cattle are sourced locally. Justin and I collaborate with these producers to enhance herd genetics through careful sire selection and promote herd health by encouraging proper vaccination protocols and management practices.” He added, “We manage risk through diversification and use Livestock Risk Protection Services to guide hedging strategies based on current and projected market trends.”
Their River Bend Beef operation focuses on locally grown, grain-finished cattle, finished and are marketed locally as custom meat to approximately 300 customers annually, using a direct-to-consumer or “farm-to-table” model.
The location of the farm near the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers and the origin of the Alabama River has heightened the family’s sense of environmental stewardship and conservation. “For us,” Nealy said, “conservation begins with soil fertility and forage management. We use rotational grazing, cross fencing, grid sampling, and targeted fertilization to maximize forage yield and quality while protecting the land.”
He added, “We’ve also availed ourselves of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to install four water wells and 21 troughs to provide clean water for our cattle. We’ve added goldfish to prevent algae buildup. Backup generator connections ensure cattle can be cared for during any long-term power outages. We’ve fenced rivers and tributaries where access is limited and/or excluded. Drainage ditches have been installed to control runoff and reduce erosion.”
Diversification over the various corporate entities has allowed the Barretts to respond positively to fluctuating market conditions and manage risk. Future plans include expanding cross-fencing to support rotational grazing, evaluating and upgrading infrastructure, and building additional paddocks to optimize forage utilization.
The Barrett family is also keen on local educational outreach. Through the years they’ve welcomed to the farm Alabama agriscience educators, FFA advisors, the 4-H Horse Club, NRCS staff, local homeschool groups, and representatives from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Nealy said, “To ensure our operation remains relevant and profitable, we look beyond our farm gate to our larger community, the public policy arena, and the global marketplace as we make long- and short-term decisions.”
The Barretts are members of the Brush Poppers Cowboy Church in Wetumpka. Occasional leisure time is spent deer hunting and duck hunting in Arkansas in the fall and traveling out West with friends. Nealy commented, “We enjoy visiting Wyoming and Montana and like to see what other ranching and feedlot operations are doing in parts of Oklahoma and Texas.”
Reflecting on his long, varied career, Nealy observed, “I’m still learning patience with the volatility of the cattle market. And knowing when to go out on a limb and risk expansion. Even if you’re not a gambler—and I’m not—every day the sun comes up, you’re taking a gamble. But it’s been worth it.”
Dr. Nealy Barrett, Jr. was nominated Alabama Farmer of the Year by David Heflin, Alabama Nominator Area 5 Organization Director, ALFA. He said, “Bar Neal Farms and the Barrett family have been a constant and growing influence in the local area. They’ve made outstanding progress, even in challenging times, and are innovative, and family-oriented. By generously working with other herd owners, they contribute to the long-term sustainability and success of our region’s livestock industry.”
A distinguished panel of judges will visit Dr. Nealy Barrett Jr., along with the farms of the other six state finalists, the week of August 5–8. The judges include John McKissick, retired Ag Economist UGA; and Charles Ed Snipes, retired Weed Scientist Mississippi State University; and Kevin Morgan, retired Executive Assistant to the President Florida Farm Bureau. Judges typically serve for three years before rotating off the team.