Our History

A. L. and Ida Tosh

In 1913, Jimmy Tosh’s grandparents, A. L. and Ida Tosh (pictured above), moved across the county line to Henry, Tennessee. A. L. farmed and was also a merchant, shipping sweet potatoes and selling coal and ice. 

He and Ida raised four children, one of whom was James Garland (J. G.) Tosh, Jimmy’s father.

James Garland (J. G.) & Sue Tosh

J.G. stayed in the family business, farmed 123 acres of land, and even built and operated a feed mill and grain station.

He and his wife, Sue, milked dairy cattle and ran a local restaurant.

First Pig Barn

In the mid-1950s, J.G. became disabled. At that time, he decided to sell his dairy cattle and, with help, began raising beef cattle. J. G. and Sue’s son, Jimmy, was also drawn to agriculture and in the sixties he acquired a small number of sows and began purchasing local feeder pigs. 

In 1970, Jimmy built the family’s first pig barn on the site where Tosh Farms’ current feed mill sits today. (Jimmy pictured above with sow)

Jimmy Takes Over Family Business

After graduating with a degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1972, Jimmy returned home and officially took over the family business. 

Jimmy purchased his brother Randall’s share of the family farm, expanding his land ownership to 315 acres, 123 acres on the current site and the original 192 acres from his grandparent’s estate. 

Farming Operation Expansion

In 1978, he purchased a neighbor’s farming operation, adding 800 more acres of rented land to the total. Jimmy also married his wife, Alonna, in August of 1978. Within the next few years, he and Alonna had two sons, Jamey and Jonathan. (pictured above)

Swine Industry Focus

During the eighties, Jimmy continued to grow the farming operation and expand the feeder pig side of the business. 

In the early nineties, Jimmy recognized that the swine industry was changing and knew that he needed to follow suit and make changes within his own operation.  He established contracts with area pig producers and built his first nursery. 

Bryan Foods Contract

Expansion of the business continued when he signed a contract with Bryan Foods in 1994.  Shortly after, the construction of a commercial-sized feed mill began. 

Jimmy continued to purchase sow sites and Jimmy, Jamey, and Jonathan establish partnerships with other pig producers during the late nineties and early 2000s. 

Grow & Thrive

Under Jimmy’s leadership, Tosh Farms has continued to grow and thrive, and presently consists of 18,000 acres of farmed land, 9 sow farms that produce over 1 million market hogs each year, over 500 employees, and over 95 contract growing partners.