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Jack Daniel's ended cow feeder program, now Tennessee farmers forced to sell cattle

Decades-long agreement that provided cheap cattle feed from Lynchburg distillery ends, pushing Moore County farmers out of business
Tennessee farmers selling cattle herds as Jack Daniel's ends cow feeder program
Cow herds going to auction
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FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Jack Daniel's is ending its decades-long cow feeder program, forcing farmers in Moore County and surrounding areas to sell their cattle herds as feed costs skyrocket.

The program allowed farmers to pick up slop, a corn byproduct from the Lynchburg distillery, for little to no cost to feed their livestock. Without this affordable feed source, many farmers are getting out of the cattle business altogether.

At the United Producers' auction house, farmers have been lining up since early morning to sell their cattle. The number of farmers exchanging their cattle for checks has been climbing over the past month.

"We are at the highest point cattle have ever been," one auction official said.

"Farmers for the past three or four weeks have been selling a lot of cattle that normally they may keep a little while," another official noted.

The loss of the feeding program is having a significant impact on the local agricultural community.

"To lose that in a community like this, it's detrimental to the future of our country," one farmer said. "We have to supply our own food. It's important to keep those folks around."

The auction house has seen an unprecedented number of cattle for sale. Organizers anticipated the auction would stretch for more than eight to nine hours due to the volume.

"They have more slaughter cows every week than anywhere I go, just because there's so many farmers feeding slop to these cows," an auction participant said.

While the increased cattle sales may be good business for auction houses in the short term, industry experts fear long-term consequences for Tennessee's agriculture sector and food prices.

"It's really gonna affect this part of the world where the slop is," one expert said. "There will be a lot of them who quit."

Farmers describe the uncertainty facing their industry.

"We put corn in the ground, pray for rain, hoping it grows. Cattle's the same thing," one farmer said. "There are 50 trailers in this parking lot, and that's where their food is coming from."

Jack Daniel's says they are contracted to provide a nearby energy company, Three Rivers Energy, nearly all the slop they produce. Three Rivers said they will turn it into fertilizer and a source of green energy.

Are you seeing similar changes affecting Tennessee farmers in your area? Email me your story tips and experiences at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com

This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.