In 2019, Facebook unexpectedly shut down Hofschulte Genetics’ business page. In one second, years of audience-building and customer relationships were lost for Chris and Kaitlyn Hofschulte, showpig breeders in Miami, Okla.
“We soon realized we weren’t alone,” Kaitlyn Hofschulte says. “Breeders and farmers across the country were being censored or losing access to their communities due to Facebook’s policies prohibiting the sale of animals, especially live ones, on Marketplace and business pages.”
Instead of giving up on the idea of building community and increasing the reach of their business on a social platform, the Hofschultes developed an ag-friendly alternative app, StockLink, that lets producers sell livestock and genetics without fear of pages or posts being removed.
“The livestock industry needs an app like StockLink because we do not have a social media platform that is safe to market our livestock and products,” she says. “Most platforms are anti-ag and do not want to see us succeed – making it against their rules for us to speak freely on selling livestock and any animal product.”
During The Exposition in Indianapolis on June 9-12, the Hofschultes launched a preview of StockLink for the show pig industry.
“The response was unbelievable at the Exposition,” Hofschulte says. “We had tons of people and businesses reaching out to us asking how they could be one of the first to access the app.”
StockLink will be available in Apple and Google stores mid/late July. While general users of StockLink can browse, buy and connect for free, if you are a breeder, ranch/farm, ag business, etc., Hofschulte says you’ll be able to download and upgrade to a StockLink Pro account for $21.99/a month.
“With the pro account you will be able to have a visible business profile that you can customize, create general and marketplace posts and connect with potential customers,” Hofschulte explains. “If you’re a buyer or interested in the industry you will have a free general account that is hidden that lets you follow businesses, favorite posts to go back to see later, publicly comment and like, and message.”
StockLink is for everyone who is interested in cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and other businesses that help make the stock show industry what it is today, Hofschulte adds.
“This is an app designed for livestock producers, by livestock producers,” she says. “Let’s get away from anti-ag platforms that do not want us to succeed and switch to an app that will link our livestock industry together.”
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