Charles Wesley Herbster (born 1954) is an American agribusiness executive, cattle producer, political donor, and politician. He was an agriculture advisor and chairman of Donald Trump's agriculture and rural advisory committee during Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. Herbster also ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Nebraska in 2014 and 2022.
Early life and education
Charles Wesley Herbster was born in Falls City, Nebraska, in 1954 as the only child of Donald Eugene Herbster and Dorothy M. Herbster (nee Carico). Herbster graduated from Falls City High School. He attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for two years but dropped out and returned home after the death of his mother.
Career
Agriculture
Herbster is a cattle producer and owns Herbster Angus Farms in Falls City. Herbster's farm in Falls City began as a homestead in 1847 owned by William McKendry Maddox, Herbster's great-great-grandfather. The ranch passed through Maddox's granddaughter, Leta Meyers Carico, who was Herbster's maternal grandmother and whom Herbster credits as his first teacher and mentor. Herbster stated his farming practice was inspired in part by champion grower Francis Childs, known for his heavy use of chemicals and deep plowing methods.
He also owns Conklin Co., a Kansas City, Missouri-based manufacturing company, which is structured as a multi-level marketing (MLM) business, which he purchased from Bob Conklin with his wife, Judith, in 1992. Conklin sells agricultural products including pesticide additives, farm fertilizers, probiotics for livestock, industrial roof coatings, and motor oils.
Herbster also owns the cattle breeding firm North American Breeders, which is located in Berryville, Virginia. Herbster bought North American Breeders in 2015. As a breeder, Herbster purchased multiple cows for over $100,000 and multiple bulls for over $600,000 from Schaff's Angus Valley. In February 2019, Herbster purchased the highest-priced bull in auction history, paying $1.5 million for a bull called SAV America (SAV stand for Schaff's Angus Valley), which would be used as breeding stock on Herbster's Virginia farm. He later bought a one-year-old Angus bull for $2.14 million at a North Dakota auction. Livestock show magazine, The Showtimes, noted Herbster Angus Farms for the adherence of its cattle to Angus breed standards and along with high value breeders, Herster frequently purchases winning cattle at youth cattle shows as a way to support youth in the industry. This, along with Herbster's activity in high cost cattle breeding operations led to his being inducted into The Showtimes Magazine Hall of Fame in November 2017.
Political involvement
Herbster donated $500 to the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2004 and $2,300 to a Republican candidate in the 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana. In 2012, Herbster donated $91,600 to a PAC supporting the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign, $10,000 towards the Nebraska Republican Party, and $2,500 for Deb Fischer's campaign. From 2013 to 2015, Herbster contributed nearly $100,000 towards the Republican National Committee and $10,000 to Robert Aderholt. In 2014, Herbster created the Republican-leaning Ag American super-PAC and contributed $100,000 between 2014 and 2015.
Herbster met Donald Trump in 2013 at Mar-a-Lago.
For six weeks, Herbster was a candidate in 2014 Nebraska gubernatorial election. He withdrew from the race after concerns were raised about his Nebraska residency. He later invested $2.7 million into then-Nebraska state senator Beau McCoy's campaign. Herbster also hinted to the Omaha World-Herald that he funded dark money ads promoting McCoy and attacking other candidates. McCoy placed third in the Republican primary.
Herbster was listed as a possible pick for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in November 2016, days after Trump's election. Sonny Perdue was announced to that position in January 2017, after which the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska and 13 other trade groups requested that U.S. president Donald Trump select Herbster as the United States deputy secretary of agriculture. In 2019, Herbster served as the chairman of Trump's agriculture and rural advisory committee. He served as an agricultural advisor in the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign.