Joe Elliott has been in the Angus business since age nine. An active 4-H member, Elliott’s father put him in charge of the family herd performance records. For more than 25 years, Robert Elliott & Sons Farms has hosted an annual production sale. They’ve also sold breeding stock in 15 states and were the first farm in the Southeast to take live online bids and to host an online auction. The operation has been recognized twice with the Master Conservation Farmer award from the Montgomery County Soil Conservation District. The farm also received the Outstanding Forage Producer award from the Tennessee Forage Council. Elliott and his wife, Anne, have been married 42 years. The couple has two sons, Lake and Bennett. Today, the family farm is a partnership with Elliott’s brother, William, and son Lake as Robert Elliott & Sons Farms with 245 Angus females.

Elliott has demonstrated leadership in a variety of organizations and groups in his community. He was one of two farmers who served as an original board member of the Cumberland Region Tomorrow in Nashville, an organization committed to stopping urban sprawl. Elliott has served as a board member for the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Association for more than 30 years, serving as president for 18 years. He served as a board member for the Tennessee Beef Industry Council for five years, serving as vice president for five years. He served on the board of the Tennessee Angus Association for more than 20 years, serving as president for four years. For more than 35 years, Elliott has served as a delegate from Tennessee to the American Angus Association annual meeting. He served on the Association Board of Directors from 1996 to 2004 and as president in 2004.