Tosh Farms grew from a family operation in Henry, Tennessee, into a major pork producer by building its own sow capacity while contracting with neighboring farms to raise pigs. Its roots reach back to 1913, but the swine business took shape decades later under Jimmy Tosh, who took over the family business in 1972.
From a local farm to a swine business
The Tosh family’s farming history in Henry predates its pork operation. The company’s account says A.L. and Ida Tosh moved there in 1913. A.L. farmed, shipped sweet potatoes and sold coal and ice. In the postwar decades, Jimmy’s father, J.G. Tosh, farmed 123 acres and operated a feed mill and grain station. He and Sue Tosh also ran a dairy and a local restaurant; a 2025 profile additionally mentions a motel. Successful Farming and Tosh Farms’ history describe these earlier ventures.
Jimmy Tosh began raising feeder pigs as a 4-H and FFA member, continuing while he attended the University of Tennessee at Martin. The company history dates the family’s first pig barn to 1970; the Successful Farming profile says Jimmy had built two finishing barns by the time he took over the business in 1972. Those milestones may describe different stages, so the sources should not be collapsed into a single barn-opening date.
After taking the reins, Tosh expanded the crop and livestock operation, including acreage acquired from a neighbor in 1978, according to the company history. The feeder-pig business grew alongside the crops and feed operation, giving the family a base to expand into a more specialized pork business.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- PREMIUM QUALITY T-POST PULLER: Our T-Post Puller Plate is designed to make T-Post removal easy and hassle-free. With its innovative design, it can be used as a stump puller, pile puller, and chain puller, greatly reducing strain on your back and arms.
- Make work light: say goodbye to strenuous back and arm workouts with our designed T-post puller; the T-post puller helps to remove T-posts from the ground quickly and safely, taking the strain off your back and arms; it's a lifesaver for the beginner, farmer or gardener, as it greatly simplifies the T-post removal process!
- Adapts to all sizes: T-post pullers are cleverly designed to fit all sizes of metal posts and chain gauges, ensuring a perfect fit to simplify your work.
- EASY TO USE FOR EVERYONE: Even if you are a beginner, using our T-post puller is very simple. Its user-friendly design is easy to handle and suitable for everyone. Whether you are a professional farmer or a gardening enthusiast, this tool will greatly simplify your T-post removal process.
- Increase Efficiency: By using our T-post puller, you can significantly increase efficiency and reduce labor intensity. With its efficient pulling mechanism, you can accomplish T-post removal tasks more easily and in less time!
Contracts became the engine of growth
In the 1990s, the business combined its own production with relationships with nearby growers. Successful Farming says Tosh began contracting with local pork producers in 1994. The company history separately dates a Bryan Foods contract to 1994 and says a commercial-scale feed mill followed. This approach let Tosh expand pig production without relying solely on building and operating every growing facility itself.
Jimmy Tosh described the pressure behind the decision: the industry was putting more emphasis on efficiency, and he felt he had to “either get in the pig business or get out.” Contracting became a way to stay in and grow. As he put it, “Contracting has been good for us to allow our business to grow.”
How the production model fit together
- Crop production: Land and row crops formed part of the operation’s agricultural base.
- Feed milling: The company’s feed operation supported the livestock business and grew to commercial scale, according to its history.
- Owned sow capacity: Tosh bought sow units in the late 1990s and in 2000, then built another in 2005, according to Successful Farming.
- Partner farms: Contract growers handled nursery and wean-to-finish production, extending the network beyond company-owned facilities.
The mix mattered: Tosh could expand the sow herd while relying on contract partners for much of the work of raising pigs through later stages. The profile says the Tosh family and more than 90 contract farm families raise the majority of hogs in Tennessee and a large share in Kentucky. Those regional descriptions are from the 2025 profile, not a state census.
What the reported scale says—and what it does not
Tosh Farms describes a substantial operation, but its published counts use different terms and do not reconcile into one definitive facility total. The figures below retain each source’s wording rather than treating farms, units and sites as interchangeable.
| Source | Reported scale |
|---|---|
| Tosh Farms history page | 18,000 acres; nine sow farms; more than one million market hogs per year; more than 500 employees; over 95 contract growing partners. Company history |
| Jimmy Tosh company biography | 18,000 acres; 38,000 sows; about 70% of wean-to-finish production contracted. Company biography |
| Successful Farming profile, updated June 2, 2025 | 38,000 sows in seven company-owned sow units and 90 wean-to-finish sites. Profile |
The company history’s nine sow farms and the profile’s seven company-owned sow units are not the same measure on their face. The sources do not explain the difference, and the counts may reflect differing definitions or reporting dates. The company history says “over 95” contract growing partners, while the profile reports more than 90 contract farm families; those descriptions also should not be assumed to be identical counts.
The business choices behind the expansion
Pairing owned capacity with contracted growing
Owning sow capacity gave Tosh Farms control over a key part of pig production, while contracts extended the growing network. This structure supported expansion without requiring the company to own every site. The sources describe the model’s role in the company’s growth but do not provide comparable cost, productivity or profitability figures for owned and contracted facilities.
Rank #3
- Heavy duty pin assortment kit for tractors, trailers, trucks, Towing Mowing, Farm Equipment, Snow Plows, Lawnmowers, Garage, 3 points, PTOs and parts. Kit includes Square PTO pins, Lynch pins and Cotter pins (Hairpin)
- Strong metal with great value.Zinc plated steel pins for rust and corrosion resistance. Suitable for outdoor long-term use
- These pins have a wide range of usage and can be used for all kinds of equipment such as trucks, trailers, tractors, mowers, PTO, farm equipment, cars, camper vans, lawn and garden equipment, and more. They can replace weak trailer ball pins, dolly pins, keeper pins, retainer hitch pins, hand truck pins, tractor cotter pins, trailer pin clips, hand truck pins, and upgrade all your tractor and truck hitches
- Double Side Hardware Organizers with Removable Plastic Dividers, heavy duty, portable and more space. Makes it easy to find correct item quickly, saves your time of running around looking for a particular size hitch pins
- Whenever you need us, please free to contact us, we will give you a professional service
Adding capabilities across the farm business
Crops, feed milling, pig production and partner relationships developed as connected parts of the business rather than as isolated bets. The company history and Jimmy Tosh’s biography report acreage and sow figures, while Successful Farming describes the contracting and facility timeline. Together, they show a business built through multiple operating capabilities, not simply a larger herd.
Managing investment and adoption carefully
Successful Farming reports that Tosh Farms adopted free-access sow housing in 2005 and faced a steep learning curve. Jimmy Tosh also emphasized financial awareness and investigating technology before adopting it. “The most important thing in any business is knowing where you’re at and where you’re going,” he said. His advice on trying new approaches was: “But do your research before you try it, and make sure you think it’s going to work.” Those are his management views, not evidence that the same choices will work for every farm.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Costs, labor and California market access
In its profile updated June 2, 2025, Successful Farming reported that Tosh identified rising production costs and difficulty finding labor for sow units as concerns. The profile also said Tosh Farms had no pigs or pork sold to California at that time because its sow housing had not been adapted to meet California Proposition 12 requirements. These are statements about the operation as described in that dated profile, not confirmation of its position in 2026.
Rank #4
- 14-GALLON (53L) FUEL CADDY: The Scepter Flo 'N Go Fueling Station is a fuel tank on wheels for farm, marine, lawn mowers, home, and recreational use; A large capacity and convenient features make it great for filling vehicles and gas cans
- HEAVY DUTY PORTABLE GAS TANK: The rugged caddy design with 6-inch wheels and heavy-duty top handle allows you to maneuver the gas can over tough terrain; High-density polyethylene construction prevents corrosion and denting
- 2 FUELING MODES: Gravity-Flow Mode provides continuous flow when elevated above the tank being filled; Manual-Pump/Siphon Mode requires continuous use of hand pump when caddy is on the ground or below the tank being filled; Siphon-mode flow rate - 2.0 GPM
- EASY TO USE: Patented pump handle features a gas station-style stop and start pump handle; 10' automotive-grade rubber hose easily reaches equipment; Bolt-on hanger provides easy hose storage; Includes child safety lock
- SAFETY FEATURES: Anti-kinking hose sleeve adds prevents damage to the fuel hose at the connection point; Brass shut-off valve provides safe and quick hose disconnection; Spill-proof shut-off mechanism delivers mess-free fueling
The same profile described Proposition 12 as requiring 24 square feet per sow for covered pork sales and reported that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the measure on May 11, 2023. The article’s account of Tosh Farms’ position does not establish current legal compliance or the present status of its California sales.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Tosh Farms fits into Tennessee pork
Statewide figures provide context, but they are not Tosh Farms figures. The Tennessee Pork Producers Association’s 2023 report attributes 5,249 jobs, $301.74 million in personal income and $413.01 million in gross domestic product to the Tennessee pork industry’s overall economic contribution. It also reports 320,000 hogs in December 2023 and $137.78 million in 2023 cash receipts from hog sales. The association says that cash-receipt estimate was based on a pig crop of 882,000 born in Tennessee and in-shipments of 145,000 feeder pigs. Tennessee Pork Producers Association
The association also reports 1,643 farms raising hogs and an average inventory of 171 hogs per farm in 2022. Its page says 78% of Tennessee hog inventory was on farms with 5,000 or more head, but does not identify a reference year alongside that percentage. These statewide measures show that Tennessee’s hog sector includes farms of very different sizes; they cannot be used to infer Tosh Farms’ share of state production.
Best Value
- Kindly NOTE: This soil tester can not be applied to test pH value of any other liquid. If the soil is too dry the indicator will not move, and water it before testing.
- 3 METERS IN ONE: Soil moisture level, Soil pH value and Sunlight level could be tested easily according to your need by switching the function button of this soil meter.
- NO BATTERY NEEDED: Simply insert the meter into soil, wait few minutes, accurate test results will be displayed on the readout panel. No battery is needed.
- STURDY AND SCIENTIFIC DESIGN: Reliable materials and upgraded technology used for this soil meter make it advanced and high-quality for long-term use.
- MULTIPURPOSE SOIL TEST KIT: Portable and compact design enables you to use this soil meter for house garden, farm, lawn and any other soil & plant analysis. Ideal for indoor and outdoor use.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture likewise describes a sector ranging from small family farms selling local pork to larger operations raising thousands of hogs. Its commodity-receipt figure differs from the association’s more recent figures, so the two sets should not be combined. Tennessee Department of Agriculture pork resources
A family farm at a different scale
Tosh Farms’ growth came from layering a larger swine business onto a family operation with roots in crops, feed and local commerce. The expansion depended on both investment in owned sow capacity and contracts with other producers, supported by a broader operating system of crops, milling, people and technology. Jimmy Tosh’s own summary captures the company’s identity: “We started out as a small family farm. We’re still a family farm, we’re just a larger family farm.” He also credits the people involved: “But the key is you’ve got to have good people.”
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
