WHAT IS‘ UNDER THE HAT’?
Ty Koonce learned to love agriculture, specifically cattle production, from his father, Eddy, who taught middle and high school agriculture courses and was the FFA advisor in Elkhart, Kansas. Day trips with his father to local farms and ranches to check on students’ livestock projects, or help when someone needed an extra hand, gave Ty first-hand experience and exposed him to career opportunities.
“ I think one of the coolest things I got to do when I was a sophomore in high school was to become certified through ABS Global to perform artificial insemination in cattle. That helped me get some jobs with local ranchers and was a side gig that helped me make money as a student,” Ty shared.
Ty’ s early exposure to the cattle industry shaped the direction of his career. After finishing college, Ty returned to Elkhart and started his career as an agriculture banker. His appreciation for cattle production found an outlet when he and his parents decided to begin a small cow-calf operation of their own. Not large enough to support him full-time, Ty balanced his ag banking career with raising cattle and learned the hardships, joys and fulfillment that many of his banking clients also faced, giving him a deeper understanding of the people he serves every day. Understanding the roles of both producer and lender drove Ty to participate with the broader cattle industry.
“ As somebody who is partnering with ranchers and farmers to provide funds for them, whether it’ s operating funds or equipment or land, it’ s good to have your thumb on the pulse of the industry. That’ s also one of the reasons why I’ m a member of NCBA, because I can see what’ s going on nationally, in addition to my local area, and be a better partner,” Ty added.
Back L to R: Robin Koonce, Jeremy Raskin, Ty Koonce, CJ Koonce. Front L to R: Colt and Dawnee Raskin
In 2019, Ty and his wife, CJ, moved to the Texas Panhandle to continue their careers, and the distance between Ty and the cattle operation led him and Eddy to decide to liquidate their herd. However, Ty hopes to start one again someday, perhaps a small seedstock operation.
After Ty and CJ’ s move to Texas, as their personal and professional lives evolved, the Koonce family soon encountered an unexpected loss. It came as a great shock to their family when Eddy died of suicide in 2021, at 58 years old. Eddy and his wife, Robin, had been married for more than 35 years, and they worked together at Elkhart High School, where she was the high school counselor. Ty and his sister, Dawnee, were shaped by their father’ s career as an agricultural educator and his love for local producers.
The devastation this tragedy had on the Koonce family cannot be expressed, but, unfortunately, it is understood by many rural families. The Centers for Disease Control( CDC) rates agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting as the fourth highest group for suicide rates. 1 In addition, the CDC found that suicide rates in non-metro areas are 8-10 % higher than in large metros. 1 It’ s not as uncommon as one may believe or hope.
For Ty, these aren’ t just numbers but a reality his family lived through. The loss of his father led him to wonder how he could make an impact in rural communities to promote mental well-being.
“ I don’ t want to focus on the anti-suicide space, I think if it’ s made it that far, then we’ ve failed somewhere else. I want to normalize mental health, get rid of the stigma,” Ty shared.“ The way I see it, we do a lot of things for our physical bodies, like going to the dentist whether we’ ve got a problem or not. I want people to be comfortable saying they are going to an appointment with a therapist, just like they’ d get a dental checkup.”
One experience helped shift Ty from a state of awareness and on to a course of action. During the Opening General Session of CattleCon 2025, Ty listened to keynote speaker Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney. A piece of Rooney’ s story was his perseverance to receive financial backing from a major beverage company to start his non-profit, Folds of Honor, and his mission of giving back to families of veterans who died in service to their country. Through Rooney’ s story, Ty realized he could build a platform to promote mental health resources in rural communities, and he needed to garner support from established businesses and foundations.
Thus begins the story of‘ Under the Hat.’ The name was chosen as a nod to a deeper reflection, looking beyond the exterior to someone’ s well-being underneath. Ty is in the process of establishing Under the Hat as a 501( c)( 3) non-profit, partnering with other organizations like FarmHope for support. 2 After establishing a vision, Ty set three goals for Under the Hat: 1. Establish an annual scholarship for a graduate student pursuing a mental health-related degree.
2. Support and assist rural communities with applying for and earning grant funding for projects. This could include bringing licensed therapists to the area, materials for fundraisers for mental health awareness, and advocacy materials.
3. Break the stigma. Through speaking engagements, sharing resources, and partnering with other organizations, Ty hopes to normalize conversations around proactive mental health.
12 MAY 2026 www. NCBA. org