United Producers

What United Producers does

United Producers, Inc. (UPI) is a farmer-owned and farmer-governed livestock marketing cooperative, formed in 1999 through the consolidation of Producers Livestock Association (Ohio/Indiana) and MFA Livestock (Missouri) and expanded in subsequent years to absorb the Interstate Producers Livestock Association, the Michigan Livestock Exchange, and in 2020 the Tennessee Livestock Producers operations from the Tennessee Farm Bureau. The cooperative serves approximately 35,000 members across seven states — Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee — through approximately 35 weekly auction facilities and collection points, handling roughly 3 million head of livestock annually across cattle, swine, and sheep/goat categories. UPI employs nearly 300 staff and operates a democratic governance model with a producer-elected board of directors.

The cooperative's core product is livestock marketing, delivered through on-site competitive auctions, farm-to-farm and farm-to-packer livestock movements, and online/video auction channels (LMTCA Video Board Sale via LMA Auctions, LiveAg Online Auctions). This marketing capability is bundled with two adjacent revenue lines: Credit Services, a full-service agricultural lender (operating since 1932) offering lines of credit, real estate loans, equipment and livestock financing, operating loans, and flexible ag leasing, served by regional loan officers; and Risk Management Services, encompassing feeder preference futures agreements using CME and CBOT contracts, put and call options, forward contracting, packer contracts, and brokerage of federally reinsured Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Rainfall Index (RI-PRF) insurance through USDA RMA. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on livestock sales, interest income on the lending portfolio, and service fees/brokerage on risk management products.

UPI's underlying technology stack is conventional and integration-led rather than proprietary: real-time commodity market data is delivered via DTN (covering CME live/feeder cattle and lean hog futures and CBOT grain futures including corn, soybeans, wheat, and soybean meal); credit and member workflows use DocuSign for e-signature, Microsoft 365 for employee systems, and online calculators (feedlot budget, feed cost, loan) for member self-service. The cooperative distributes through weekly physical auctions as the primary channel, supplemented by direct field sales for credit services, online/video auctions, and a multi-channel marketing footprint (website, email/text alerts, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram). No external private equity, venture capital, or parent ownership is indicated.

Name

United Producers

Legal name

United Producers, Inc.

Website

https://uproducers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United Producers is a farmer-owned livestock marketing cooperative serving approximately 35,000 members across seven Midwestern and Southern states, operating roughly 35 weekly auction facilities that handle about 3 million head of livestock annually, with bundled credit services and risk management offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Livestock Marketing Cooperative Services

NAICS

Livestock Merchant Wholesalers (42452), Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (424590), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Livestock Contract Growing & Farm Labor Services (AFAEALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA), Livestock Showing, Training & Performance Support Services (Non-veterinary) (AFAEALAM)

Keywords

• Livestock marketing
• Agricultural lending
• Livestock auctions
• Farmer cooperative
• Risk management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Livestock Marketing Services: One of the largest livestock marketing cooperatives in the United States, handling approximately 3 million head of livestock annually through auction facilities and direct marketing. Revenue generated from transaction fees on livestock sales.
2. Credit Services / Agricultural Lending: Full-service agricultural lender providing lines of credit, real estate loans, equipment financing, livestock financing, and operating loans. Interest income from loans extended to members.
3. Risk Management Services: Provides futures hedge contracts, put and call options, forward contracting, packer contracts, and livestock insurance (LRP) and rainfall index insurance. Revenue from service fees and brokerage arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Producers, Inc. is a farmer-owned livestock marketing cooperative that operates approximately 35 weekly auction facilities and collection points across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee, handling approximately 3 million head of livestock annually. The cooperative provides livestock marketing (cattle, swine, sheep and goat), full-service agricultural credit services (operating since 1932), and risk management services including futures hedging, options, packer contracts, and federally reinsured Livestock Risk Protection and Rainfall Index insurance.

Product overview

United Producers, Inc. is a farmer-owned livestock marketing cooperative offering a unified platform of services centered on livestock marketing, agricultural credit, and risk management. The core offering is Livestock Marketing (cattle, swine, and sheep/goat) through approximately 35 weekly auction facilities handling 3 million head annually, supplemented by Credit Services (ag lending since 1932), Risk Management Services (futures hedging, options, insurance), and digital tools (DTN market data, online auctions, calculators). Products are offered as an integrated cooperative with a la carte modules including Swine Marketing, Cattle Marketing, Sheep & Goat Marketing, Feeders Preferences, Put and Call Options, Livestock Risk Protection Insurance, Rainfall Index Insurance, Online Auctions, Direct Deposit, and various calculators (Feedlot Budget, Feed Costs, Loan). The company operates across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Livestock Marketing One of the largest livestock marketing cooperatives in the United States handling approximately 3 million head of livestock annually. Operates approximately 35 weekly auction facilities and collection points in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee, coordinating farm-to-farm and farm-to-packer movements for cattle, swine, and small ruminant producers.
• Cattle Marketing Customized marketing solutions for cattle producers of all sizes, including LiveAg Online Auctions, Internet Auctions, Collection Points, Direct Accounts, TN Beef Alliance, Breakeven Calculator, Beef-on-Dairy, and Tennessee Hereford Program.
• Swine Marketing Comprehensive hog marketing services including Advanced Hog Marketing (sorting, marking, barn management, contracting, transportation, logistics, record keeping, consulting, vaccination programs, breeding stock procurement), feeder pig procurement and marketing (SEW and 40-80lb feeder pigs), and finished hog marketing for swine producers.
• Sheep and Goat Marketing Specialized sheep and goat marketing services including weekly lamb and sheep sales at Ohio and Michigan markets, bi-monthly lamb and goat sales in Kentucky and Tennessee, monthly lamb pools in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, breeding ewe and feeder lamb procurement, and forward contracting of fed lambs.
• Credit Services Full-service agricultural lender offering lines of credit, real estate loans, livestock financing (feeder and breeding livestock), cattle preconditioning programs, building financing, operating and input financing, and flexible ag leasing with 100% financing and tax benefits. Serves farmers and livestock producers across Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.
• Risk Management Services Comprehensive risk management services including Feeder Preference Marketing Agreement with access to CME futures, forward contracting (packer/end user and farmer to farmer), daily market reports, and long-term marketing arrangements. Offers protection against price volatility in livestock markets.
• Feeders Preferences Risk management program allowing member access to CME futures with full contracts (40,000 lbs for live cattle/lean hogs, 50,000 lbs for feeder cattle) and mini contracts (20,000/25,000 lbs respectively). Gain/loss on futures positions settled on livestock check with UPI covering margin calls up to $150,000 upon approval.
• Put and Call Options Options trading service that establishes estimated minimum value for commodities while allowing participation in higher prices for fixed time periods. Can be tailored to specific goals and risk tolerances, used with Feeders Preference futures agreements and packer contracts.
• Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) Insurance Federally reinsured insurance program for managing price volatility risk in cattle and swine production. Offers subsidized premiums with various coverage levels and insurance periods, including LRP for Fed Cattle, Feeder Cattle, and Swine.
• Rainfall Index - Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Insurance (RI-PRF) Federally reinsured insurance protecting against lack of precipitation for haying or grazing operations. Coverage can be purchased by landlords, tenants, and owner/operators using historical gridded precipitation data with customizable coverage levels and productivity factors.
• Online Auctions (LMTCA Video Board Sale) Monthly video board sales for Lower Middle Tennessee Cattle Association conducted through LMA Auctions platform. Bidding available online, in-person, or over the phone at Columbia Livestock Center, TN.
• Packer Contracts Forward contracting service connecting producers with packers and end users for marketing arrangements. Available as part of the Risk Management services portfolio.
• TN Beef Alliance Value-added cattle marketing program enabling producers to access premium beef programs through the Tennessee Beef Alliance network.
• Tennessee Hereford Marketing Program Specialized marketing program for Tennessee Hereford cattle producers providing access to targeted beef markets.
• Direct Deposit Electronic payment service for members to receive check payments faster via direct deposit with email or mail confirmation options.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DTN (Doane's Trading Network)coreTechnology or IntegrationDTN provides real-time futures commodity quotes and market information integrated into the UPI website, including live cattle, feeder cattle, lean hogs, corn, soybeans, wheat, and other commodity data. This partnership provides members with essential market intelligence.
• CME GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationCME Group exchange provides the futures market infrastructure for cattle and hog contracts that UPI's risk management services utilize for feeder preference marketing agreements and put/call options.
• CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade)coreTechnology or IntegrationCBOT exchange provides grain futures (corn, soybeans, wheat) that UPI risk management services use to help producers manage input costs.
• USDA Risk Management AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA RMA administers Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Rainfall Index insurance programs that UPI offers to members. These are federally reinsured programs with subsidized premiums.
• National Council of Farmer CooperativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPI is actively involved in the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and Mid America Cooperative Council - organizations dedicated to support and promotion of agricultural cooperatives.
• Mid America Cooperative CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPI is actively involved in the Mid America Cooperative Council alongside the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives - organizations dedicated to support and promotion of agricultural cooperatives.
• LMA Auctions (Livestock Marketing Association)coreTechnology or IntegrationLMA Auctions provides the online platform for UPI's Lower Middle Tennessee Cattle Association Video Board Sale, allowing remote and phone bidding for monthly internet sales.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Superior Livestock Auction: The largest video cattle auction company in the United States, offering satellite and internet-based livestock sales that directly compete with UPI's auction-based marketing model. Operates nationally versus UPI's regional Midwest focus, but serves the same cattle producer customer base with similar auction-mechanism economics.
• Western Video Market: Video cattle auction company operating in the Western U.S., providing satellite and online auction services for cattle producers. Directly comparable to UPI's livestock marketing business, though focused on Western regions rather than UPI's Midwest territory.
• Compeer Financial: Member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving agriculture in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin with lending, leasing, and risk management services. Most structurally comparable to UPI — a member-owned cooperative offering bundled credit and ag services to livestock and crop producers in overlapping Midwestern geographies.
• GreenStone Farm Credit Services: Largest Farm Credit association in Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin, serving agricultural producers with lending, crop insurance, and tax/record-keeping services. Highly comparable to UPI's bundled service model with overlapping geographic exposure in Michigan.

Broad incumbents

• Livestock Marketing Association (LMA): National trade association representing livestock auction markets across the U.S. LMA also operates the LMA Auctions platform that UPI uses for video board sales, making it both an industry partner and a competitive infrastructure provider for livestock marketing cooperatives.
• Farm Credit System: The largest agricultural lender in the United States, comprising 66 customer-owned Farm Credit associations. Provides operating loans, real estate financing, and equipment leasing to farmers and ranchers — directly comparable to UPI's credit services portfolio but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• AgCountry Farm Credit: Member-owned Farm Credit cooperative providing agricultural lending and crop insurance across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Comparable to UPI's credit services in structure (cooperative) and product offering, though serving primarily crop producers in a different region.

Others

• DTN: Leading agricultural market data and weather analytics provider whose DTN platform UPI integrates into its website for real-time commodity futures quotes. As UPI's core technology partner for market information delivery, DTN is an enabler of UPI's risk management value proposition rather than a direct competitor.
• CME Group: The world's largest derivatives marketplace, providing futures and options contracts for live cattle, feeder cattle, and lean hogs that UPI's risk management services utilize for hedge programs. Functions as critical infrastructure underpinning UPI's Feeder Preferences and put/call options offerings.
• National Livestock Producers Association (NLPA): National trade association representing livestock marketing businesses and related industry service providers. Industry ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor — UPI operates within NLPA's broader trade association framework alongside other regional livestock marketing cooperatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSy5fEn3fzlLJA0JXXhIfaQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitedProducers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-producers-inc-/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedproducersinc/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Producers