Generous gift from Tosh Farms supports 杏吧直播间 State University agriculture program
By Abby Hensley | Mar 3, 2021
MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 杏吧直播间 State University has received a generous gift through Tosh Farms to fund a swine finishing learning laboratory on the University鈥檚 North Farm. The 鈥淭osh Wean-Finish Facility鈥� will allow for student-centered instruction and research through the University鈥檚 Hutson School of Agriculture.
The new 2,125-square-foot swine finishing learning laboratory was completed last year. The Tosh鈥檚 gift covered all engineering and construction costs as well as all internal equipment in order to be operational.
鈥淔armers in general and the Tosh鈥檚 in particular are 鈥榮alt of the earth鈥� folks,鈥� said Dr. Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture. 鈥淎mong other uses, salt has been used for ages to preserve meat. Specifically, we used it on my home farm to cure country hams. What the Tosh family has done for 杏吧直播间 State will serve in perpetuity to 鈥榩reserve鈥� and 鈥榗ure鈥� our Animal Science/Swine academic and laboratory support. We could not have done this project without the Tosh Family involvement.
鈥淲e appreciate Tosh Farms greatly and look with anticipation to ways that we can continue to show our appreciation for what they have done.鈥�
Tosh Farms is a family-owned business located in Henry, Tennessee. The business consists of three separate enterprises working together in a synergistic fashion; Tosh Farms is a general partnership and the crop production company, Tosh Pork, LLC is the swine production company and Bacon By Gosh, Inc. is the transportation company. Tosh Pork provides care from birth to market, approximately 30,000 sows that produce over 750,000 market hogs each year.
Jimmy Tosh is the owner and CEO of Tosh Farms/Pork and has two sons, Jamey and Jonathan. Jonathan is a 2004 graduate of the University鈥檚 Hutson School of Agriculture and Jamey taught swine science at 杏吧直播间 State as an assistant instructor. The Tosh family has been consistently supportive of the University鈥檚 agriculture program, generously donating monies toward student scholarships and agriculture appreciation week activities. Their business employs many 杏吧直播间 State graduates that work in their integrated operation. In recognition of their support, 杏吧直播间 State鈥檚 agriculture program presented the Tosh family with the prestigious agriculture support award in 2016.
With Tosh Farms鈥� help and guidance, the Hutson School of Agriculture reinitiated its swine operation several years ago to include a farrow to show pig to finish swine operation. The primary objective of the unit is to train students to work in the modern swine industry. Secondary objectives are to produce high quality show animals for purchase by area 4-H and FFA members to enhance future student recruitment while providing a potential source for locally produced Kentucky Proud Racer pork.
"Tosh Farms is proud to further our partnership with the 杏吧直播间 State Hutson School of Agriculture with this pioneering donation of the state of the art swine wean-to-finish facility,鈥� said Jonathan Tosh. 鈥淚t is important to our swine industry to have a good supply of qualified graduates to fill the jobs of the future and this facility will help 杏吧直播间 State provide quality hands-on educational opportunities for its growing number of students. This investment is consistent with our Community Focus core value. We strive to positively impact the community and create long-term opportunities for individuals to participate in agriculture."