TFC Training & Education

03/11/2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWEST GROUP OF COOPERATIVE TRAINEE GRADUATES!

Good 'ole country boys. This group was one of our most level-headed, laid back group of guys that you just want to hang out with! It's crazy some of the things you all have been through, but your stories have kept the group entertained this year, and we will miss having you with our group! With each of them, what you saw is what you got. And we got a lot of passion, grit, determination, hard work, and genuine relationships. Two of these guys have stepped into management positions, and the other two are key players in meeting local agronomy needs, but all of them will achieve anything they set their mind to because that's just who they are!

Please, help us congratulate and wish the best of luck to our graduates (from left to right):

Isaiah Eller, Smoky Mtn Farmers Co-op - Mountain City
Dalton Morris, Obion Farmers Co-op - Union City
Grant Mayfield, United Co-op - Alamo
Josh Deaton, First Farmers Co-op - Henderson

03/11/2026

We would like to welcome Jewel Tollison, a graduate of our Cooperative Trainee program, back to the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative system! Jewel has been named the Location Manager of the Monterey location of White County Farmers Co-op.

Jewel is from Sparta, TN, where she grew up on primarily a cattle farm, but has experience with many types of livestock. Jewel is an alumnus of Tennessee Tech, where she majored in Agricultural Engineering Technology. Jewel has 5+ years of experience working with White County Farmers Co-op and brings a wealth of knowledge of local farming and business operations, along with keen attention to detail. We are excited to see her step into this leadership role and are confident that she will continue to be a strong contributor to the system and a valuable asset to White County Farmers Co-op and its community.

Please help us recognize Jewel for her leadership, commitment to the farming community, and her accomplishments in our system. We wish her the best of luck as she continues to grow in her Co-op career!

03/11/2026

We would like to welcome Malachi Sandefur, a graduate of our Cooperative Trainee program, back to the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative system! Malachi has been named the Location Manager of the Asheville Hwy location of Knox Farmers Co-op.

Malachi is from Harrogate, TN, where he was raised as a fifth-generation farmer. Their operation includes hay and raising Angus cattle as a master beef producer. Malachi graduated from East Tennessee State University and has experience working with two of our member cooperatives, Claiborne Farmers Co-op and Washington Farmers Co-op. During his stint in the training program, Malachi set a goal of becoming a manager one day. We are excited to see him step into this role and are confident that he will continue to be a strong contributor to the system and a valuable asset to Knox Farmers Co-op and its community.

Please help us recognize Malachi for his leadership, concern for the community, and his accomplishments in our system. We wish him the best of luck as he continues growing his Co-op career!

03/02/2026

Thinking about fencing projects this spring? 🚜🌾 If you applied for TAEP, now’s the time to start planning. We’ve got TAEP-eligible fencing supplies right here at Hawkins Farmers Co-op!

Stop by and let’s talk through your project. We’re happy to help you make the most of your TAEP Dollars!💪

02/26/2026

We are pleased to announce the addition of Jolie Bell to the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Trainee Program. She is new to our cooperative system and will be working with ProTrition, one of TFC’s joint ventures, as a Customer Service Representative. We are excited for her to learn all about how our system operates.

Jolie, ProTrition’s newest team member, is from Lascassas, Tenn. She is a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where she majored in Agribusiness with a minor in Business Administration. During her time in college, she worked for MTSU Farm Laboratories, including the dairy, beef, and swine units. She participated in various tasks ranging from milking cows and feeding to fencing and processing. Her hobbies and interests include CrossFit, reading, spending time outdoors, and attending New Vision Baptist Church.

To learn more about the Cooperative Trainee program, visit:
https://www.ourcoop.com/careers-en

02/24/2026

We are pleased to announce the addition of Madison Judkins to the Cooperative Trainee Program. She recently joined Ag1 Farmers Cooperative as the branch manager for their Cookeville location. We are excited to have her as part of our program!

Madison is from Smithville, Tenn. She went to help some distant family on their farming operation in Watertown, TN, during Covid. During that time, she worked cattle, assisted in the goat operation, worked in the hayfields, and spent plenty of time in the sale barn. As a nursing student at Tennessee Tech, she decided to switch and graduated with a B.S. in Agricultural Science and Management. Madison was involved in Sigma Alpha, a professional agriculture sorority, Block and Bridle, Poultry Science Club, and TN Tech’s Ag Council. She is also an active member of the Young Farmers and Ranchers. Her hobbies include spending time with family/friends, being a dog mom, hunting and fishing with her fiancé, traveling, and going to concerts.

To learn more about the Cooperative Trainee program, visit:
https://www.ourcoop.com/careers-en

02/23/2026

A great time with our group at the 2026 Tennessee Young Leaders Conference!

This conference brings together young professionals from across the state to grow in leadership, learn more about agriculture, and strengthen their connection to the cooperative model. We were proud to see such a strong group from Tennessee Farmers Co-op represented — including current and past trainees, members of our MarComm team, and Keith Fowler from the TFC Board.

The future of Tennessee agriculture is in good hands. 🌱

02/23/2026

Always excited to be a part of the Tennessee Young Leaders Conference!

Thanks to Scott Bohanon, Mary Beth Shackelford, Seth Roberts, and Dan Strasser for being on our coop panel discussion.

01/27/2026

Now that he has officially graduated from the Cooperative Trainee program, we would like to recognize Grant Mayfield, who has been named the Location Manager of the Alamo location of United Co-op.

Grant is a native of Alamo and brings a strong agricultural background to the Co-op system. He grew up working on his family’s farm. This hands-on experience has given him a solid foundation in farming and a clear understanding of the values that drive our cooperative system and our local farmers. As he begins this new chapter, we are confident Grant will be a strong contributor to the cooperative system and a valuable asset to United Co-op and its community.

Please help us recognize Grant for his leadership, concern for the community, and his accomplishments with United Co-op. Grant is one of the hardest-working employees we’ve seen and is truly 'Driven to Serve' his community. We wish him the best of luck in his Co-op career!

01/27/2026

We are pleased to announce the addition of Bobby Ogg III to the Cooperative Trainee Program. He is no stranger to our cooperative system, with family ties and participation in our internship program, Bobby has been working with Robertson Cheatham Farmers Co-op for about three years. We are excited to have him as a Cooperative Trainee.

Bobby is from Adams, Tenn., where he was born and raised on a 300-acre black angus and to***co farm. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2024 with a B.S. in Agricultural Business. During his time at MTSU, Bobby was an officer of the agribusiness club, a member of the Order of Omega honors society, and extremely active in his fraternity’s, Alpha Tau Omega, activities. Since college, Bobby has been working with the agronomy teams at Robertson Cheatham Farmers Co-op. In his spare time, he enjoys farming, technology, sports (specifically golf), spending time with his family, and refereeing middle/high school sporting events.

To learn more about the Cooperative Trainee program, visit:
https://www.ourcoop.com/careers-en

01/27/2026

We are pleased to announce the addition of Hannah Brown to the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Trainee Program. She has been working with Washington Farmers Co-op as a Sales Associate while obtaining her degree online since 2023 and will now continue her career as a Cooperative Trainee at Washington Farmers Co-op.

Hannah is from Fall Branch, Tenn., where she grew up on a dairy farm. It has since been converted into an all-beef cow/calf operation, but she also has experience with other types of livestock and has shown her own registered cattle. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, obtaining a degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, and was a member of various honors societies. Hannah is also a member of her local cattlemen’s association, soil conservation, and YF&R chapter. She enjoys staying active in church, taking classes to obtain certifications, traveling, spending time with friends/family, and helping out with demolition derbies. Help us welcome her to the program!

To learn more about the Cooperative Trainee program, visit:
https://www.ourcoop.com/careers-en