A conversation with everyday Stockmen,
Featuring Jason Upchurch, Ingram Angus of Pulaski, Tenn.
About the Stockman.
"My name is Jason Upchurch. I grew up in Lineville, Alabama on a commercial beef and poultry farm. I’ve been in or around the cattle business my entire life. As a young person, I was very active in showing Angus cattle. This led to more than just showing cattle as I got older, I started a small herd of Angus of my own. As time passed, my family and I were marketing cattle through various sales and sold bulls to commercial breeders.
In 2002, I attended college at Auburn University where I studied agricultural business and economics. After college, I immediately began a career with a major AI company and managed sales and sales people in two and a half states. In 2006 my wife, BriAnna, and I got married and continued our small herd of Angus cattle.
In 2015, I met Orrin Ingram. I worked with Orrin to help him locate and purchase bulls for his Florida ranch at Escape Ranches. After working together, we came up with a plan to build Ingram Angus. Knowing we had high expectations for Ingram Angus, we felt we needed not only to find the best cattle we could find to build a herd around, but we also needed more help to manage a herd of this size and scale.
In the later portion of 2015, Orrin and I discussed our plan with David Cagle about building one of the premier herds of Angus cattle in the country. The three of us soon realized that not only did we all have similar taste in high quality cattle, but also agreed on the management practices of keeping our herd very functional and practical. So, in late 2015 we formed a partnership and formally broke ground to begin what’s now known as Ingram Angus.
We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Orrin in building this herd from the ground up. This allows both David and I to be able to have our families involved in Ingram Angus."
What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?
"Anymore what excites me the most about the cattle industry is being able to teach my sons, Camden and Bryson, about the business. Seeing them eager to learn and work hard is what gives me the most enjoyment of anything around the cattle business."
What is your least favorite job on the farm?
"My least favorite job on the farm is proofreading our sale catalogs. It just seems like no matter how many times you go through it there’s still something that gets missed and that drives me crazy. Lol!"
What is the most used tool on your farm? How old is it?
"The most used tool on our farms is probably our ATV’s. The terrain in South Central Tennessee is pretty steep and rough in places. We use them all day every day and find that it’s easiest for us and our employees to use them because some of our pastures are not the most pleasant places to raise cattle. We feel raising cattle in these conditions helps us provide cattle that can work and thrive in any environment."
What is your go-to sorting apparatus?
"We mainly sort cattle in our working facilities and sort them by gate to reduce stress on the cattle. One of our main goals is to provide calm, easy-going cattle that are fun to be around. We feel the easier we work around the cattle the more docile they are when they are sold and go to our customers."
Describe your best day.
"The best day for me on the farm is sale day. At Ingram Angus, we have been blessed with a lot of customers nationwide and even internationally. Seeing people travel and bring their families to our sale is one of the most humbling feelings I have ever experienced."
Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time?
"My favorite non-farm activity is bass fishing. I don’t have a lot of time to go, but it’s my way to clear my head and spend time with family and friends."
The most important lesson you’ve learned in this business?
"One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in this business is that you need to purchase cattle from people that intend for you to be successful with your purchases. At Ingram Angus, we strive to produce cattle that can go out and work for our customers. We are not satisfied until we know that our customers’ purchases have made a positive impact for them and their breeding goals."
Which animal (any species) has left the greatest impact on you?
"One of the most impactful animals in my life would have been a heifer I was showing in 1996. I was a young teenager at the time with a lot to learn, but that heifer fortunately was pretty good. I was able to have a little success that year with that heifer, but what I didn’t realize at the time was by that heifer giving me confidence I attended more shows. By attending more shows, I met more people. Some of the people I met showing Angus cattle have been some of the most influential people in my life."
Upcoming Sale:
Ingram Angus Fall Production Sale
November 10, 2023 - Pulaski, Tenn.
Photos courtesy Ingram Angus
learn more www.ingramangus.com
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