In 1931, Tennessee Farm Bureau announced plans to organize what is known today as Tennessee Livestock Producers, making it the oldest service company operated by the organization. Organized as a commission firm at Nashville Union Stockyards, by 1949 Tennessee Livestock Producers Marketing Association reported handling $4.3 million worth of livestock. In 1964, the company began to operate the livestock auction market in Fayetteville. In 1972, TFBF board of directors voted to purchase the marketing association, and on March 12, 1972, Tennessee Livestock Producers became a fully owned affiliate of Tennessee Farm Bureau. Over the course of it’s history the company would operate stockyards in Fayetteville, Thompson’s Station, Union City and Somerville, selling cattle, hogs, sheep and goats as well as holding the second oldest (by one day) video sale in the state for 37 years beginning in 1984.
Today the livestock marketing services are managed and operated by United Producers, Inc. (UPI), the Midwest’s largest livestock marketing cooperative. UPI is proud to provide livestock marketing, credit services and risk management services with the same high-quality standards that Tennessee producers have known and trusted for decades. UPI oversees select sales, auctions and livestock marketing services, as well as an expanded offering to Tennessee producers with risk management and credit services. For more information, visit uproducers.com or follow United Producers on Facebook.
Heifer Development Program
Although TLP no longer operates their livestock markets, the company is still serving farmers today. TLP’s Heifer Development Program began about 25 years ago. The program gives farmers the opportunity to buy quality replacement females for their beef cow herd. Today the Heifer Development Program is a partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Lone Oaks Farm in Middleton. Each year approximately 100 bred heifers are being developed at Lone Oaks Farm. The heifers are currently being offered for sale to farmers by private treaty. For more information on the bred heifers, please call Richard Brown at 931-239-9785.
