Although he did not grow up on a farm or ranch, Clayton Cowart has always had a great passion for agriculture.

Some of his fondest childhood memories were spent visiting various family members’ farming operations throughout Northeast Georgia or discussing horticulture with his grandmother. Memories like seeing bear tracks around a great uncle’s commercial catfish ponds in Suches, GA or watching the tricks another great uncle could get a mule to perform in Cleveland, GA are what ultimately sparked a drive for the agricultural industry that Clayton will carry all of his life.

In high school and throughout college, Clayton began to focus on the ranching side of agriculture.

He was fortunate enough to have family and friends with cattle operations in various parts of the Southeast that allowed him to expand his understanding of the business and begin cultivating his dream.

A few years after college, Clayton saved enough money to buy a few cows of his own. On a Sunday in the summer of 2015, he bought three bred, commercial cows and put them in a small pasture he was leasing just outside of Kershaw, SC. By Monday morning, all three cows had broken through a weak spot in the fence, and it ended up taking three days and multiple good friends to get the cows back in the pasture.

Many stories and experiences, both difficult and rewarding, have continued to solidify Clayton’s passion for cattle.

Given the multitude of constraints that come with being a first-generation rancher, Clayton knew he would have to get creative with ways to develop a sustainable business. He’d seen multiple direct-to-consumer beef operations insulate themselves from the volatility of the commercial beef industry and began developing a similar, yet nuanced business model.

In the spring of 2019, the Cowart Cattle Company was born - a fully integrated, full-blood, Wagyu beef operation headquartered in Gainesville, GA seeking to produce the highest quality beef in our region and beyond.

Previous Generations

  • Arch Seabolt (Cleveland, GA)

  • PJ Wehunt (Cleveland, GA)

  • Arch and Clayton Seabolt (Cleveland, GA)

  • Fletcher Wilkins (Suches, GA)

Clayton’s wife, Taylor, and their two sons, Fletcher and Arch, are heavily involved with the day-to-day operations of the ranch.

Clayton plans to continue to innovate where possible to grow and expand the business, while also maintaining a strong level of tradition through practices that have allowed cattle operations to succeed for many generations.

Ultimately, Clayton hopes to leave a legacy for his family that sustains the same level of passion and pride he has felt through his experiences in the cattle industry.