R. and D. Farms in Texas: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
R. and D. Farms is the cattle and poultry operation of brothers Robert and David Griffin in Shelby County, East Texas. They run 19 chicken houses as contract growers for Tyson Foods, and Shelby County named them its 2015 Farm Family of the Year.
| Location | Shelby County, East Texas |
|---|---|
| Founded | Brothers began their partnership as students; exact start year not published |
| Sectors | Cattle; contract broiler production |
| Scale | 19 chicken houses; acreage not published |
| Why it is notable | 2015 Shelby County Farm Family of the Year, and an earlier top-poultry-grower award in 2011 |
| Ownership | Robert and David Griffin; Robert's son Blake is getting started in farming |
| Official website | Shelby County Today article on the Griffin brothers |
History of R. and D. Farms
Shelby County Today reports that the brothers started their partnership when Robert was a high school senior and David was a freshman. Before school one day they went to the Production Credit Association to sign the first note for cows. Both grew up in 4-H and FFA.
In 1994 they became part owners of the Center Livestock Auction Barn. The same article says they are helping Robert's son Blake start in farming and are passing the land on to future Griffin family members. Robert serves on the Farm Bureau board and on the Shelby County AgriLife Extension advisory board.
What R. and D. Farms Grows and Raises
The Griffins combine cattle with a poultry business built on 19 chicken houses and a contract with Tyson Foods. Under the usual contract, the company supplies birds and feed while the grower provides labor and housing, a structure Texas Farm Credit describes.
Texas Farm Credit, citing Texas A&M, lists Shelby County among the top-10 counties nationally for poultry and egg output, so the Griffins farm in the heart of the industry.
How R. and D. Farms Makes Money
Contract poultry
The 19 houses produce birds under contract. Payment depends on performance, so house management, bird health and feed conversion drive the check.
Cattle
Cattle share the land and are the first enterprise the brothers financed, starting with that note for cows.
Livestock auction
Part ownership of the Center Livestock Auction Barn since 1994 ties the family to the local cattle market. The brothers do not publish revenue.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from R. and D. Farms
Pair steady and variable income. A contract poultry business gives predictable cash flow while cattle offer upside, and together they can carry a family farm.
Use the whole community. The brothers' work with Farm Bureau, Extension and the auction barn keeps them informed about markets and neighbors.
Nineteen chicken houses is a lot of birds with opinions, and that is perfect farm satire. farm.FM deals in farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and we expect the Shelby County auction barn to supply a few. We say it with respect for two brothers who signed a note for cows before first period.
The outlet behind those laughs, farm.FM, is the nation's first satirical farm site, complete with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers. A farm.FM humorist's archive shows what a week of it looks like.
How to Contact R. and D. Farms
Website: https://scttx.com/node/1834
No official R. and D. Farms website was found in November 2026, so this page points to the Shelby County Today article from 2015. No phone or address was verified; details may have changed.
R. and D. Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Shelby County Today: Griffin brothers - Farm Family of the Year article
- Shelby County Today article page - Alternate page for the same story
- Texas A&M Path to the Plate: poultry - Texas poultry industry overview
- Texas Farm Credit poultry guide - How contract poultry works
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Texas poultry and cattle data
R. and D. Farms FAQ
Where is R. and D. Farms?
Shelby County, in East Texas.
What does it raise?
Cattle and chickens.
How many chicken houses?
19, as contract growers for Tyson Foods.
What honor did it receive?
Shelby County Farm Family of the Year, 2015.
R. and D. Farms shows how two brothers built a diversified East Texas operation over decades. See the Texas state guide on this site and the other profiled operations for related stories.