A dream built from the ground up

A first-generation American farmer, but his passion to agriculture runs deep. Zemua Baptista’s parents came to Nebraska from Angola in southern Africa, where farming wasn’t just a livelihood. It was a way of life. Zemua wasn’t raised on a farm, yet his earliest memories are filled with dusty boots, tractor rides, and quiet moments tagging along with his father, a local pastor serving rural communities.

“Most of Dad’s congregation were farm families,” Zemua says. “He’d go out to visit them, and I’d ride along. I wasn’t born into farming, but I was drawn to it. It felt like home.”

That early spark never left him. As he grew older, Zemua realized farming wasn’t so far out of reach. Passion for the farm became a reality. Not just for himself, but for his family, his community, and generations to come.

But starting from scratch in agriculture isn’t easy. It takes more than passion. It takes grit, faith, and people willing to give you a seat at the table.

“The biggest challenge was access,” Zemua says. “No land. No equipment. No blueprint handed down. Just a vision, and a belief that somehow, we could build it.”

With guidance from a family friend and father, Zemua was able to take the first steps into the life changing industry. Zemua asked questions, made mistakes, learned, and kept going. Along the way, he discovered what farming really meant. The industry that not only about feeding the world, but the industry where raising a family with the values it teaches. 

Today, Zemua and his wife Bella run a diverse operation with broilers, row crops, and a cow-calf herd. Their boys, Benton and Kelly, are still small, but they’re already part of the family farm. In the pickup. In the barn. Watching and learning, just like their dad once did.

“There’s something powerful about raising your kids on a farm,” Zemua says. “They get to see what hard work looks like. What resilience means. They grow up knowing that this life we’re building wasn’t handed to us. We built it together.”

But even with the long hours and steep learning curves, Zemua hasn’t done it alone. Support has made the impossible feel possible.
“Having people who invest in you, who see your potential and want to help, that changes everything,” he says. “You don’t get far in agriculture without community.”

Central Valley Ag has room at the table. For Zemua, CVA isn’t just a business partner, it’s a reminder that there’s room for everyone in agriculture, regardless of where you start. The Baptista farm has been able to grow and thrive because of the support within the industry. 

“CVA has always made me feel like I belong,” Zemua says. “Like there’s space at the table for someone like me. A first-generation farmer, a newcomer, someone who didn’t inherit land but is still committed to the land. That matters.”

With resources, advice, and local support, CVA has helped Zemua’s operation grow in ways that reflect both modern innovation and timeless values. It’s the combination of high-technology tools and real human connection that makes all the difference. Because farming isn’t just about yields. It’s about legacy.

“There are so many people out there dreaming of a life like this,” Zemua says. “They just need someone to open the door. To say, ‘You’re welcome here. Let’s figure this out together.’”

The challenges haven’t gone away. Land prices are high. The work is constant. The balance between family and farm is delicate. But through it all, Zemua’s growing family continues to plant their faith in industry that surrounds them. It will be proof that you don’t have to come from generations of farmers to be one.

“Whether our boys decide to farm or not, I hope they grow up knowing the value of hard work, the strength in starting from nothing, and the importance of helping others up the ladder,” Zemua says. “Because someone did that for me.”

And with each passing season, the table grows longer. More room and more stories beyond the surface. 

“There’s a place for everyone in agriculture,” Zemua says. “You don’t need a perfect background. You just need a heart for the work, and people willing to meet you where you are.”

This story, and yours is the foundation of growth for years to come. The cooperative table is strong with every sacrifice and every win. 

The table is set, we are saving you a seat. 

Our planet is hungry. Together, we feed it.