One piece of equipment changed it all.

Ben Martin of Forest Grove, Oregon, served in the Marine Corps. After returning home from war, he pursued a career in winemaking.

Ben credits a grant from Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) for making the difference in his budding wine business early on. Back in 2015, FVC awarded Ben the supplies needed to bottle his first vintage of wine.

“We were just starting out making wine in the back of a horse barn. We had no sales, no exposure. And we needed to bottle the vintage of wine. But we had no bottles, corks, or labels. FVC stepped in and gave us a grant for the supplies”.

acknowledged Ben.

If it weren’t for FVC we wouldn’t have…well actually, I don’t know what we would have done, honestly.”

Ben is not alone.

A national non-profit that serves nearly 25,000 veterans turned farmers, FVC creates a new generation of farmers and food leaders while simultaneously offering veterans a place to heal on America’s farms. Through education and resources, FVC helps veterans with their own farming operation or with finding employment in related agricultural professions.

The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund is its small grant program. It helps veterans in their early years of farming and ranching with the purchase of a piece of critical equipment. Hundreds of farmer veterans across the country who have benefitted from the grant share Ben’s sentiment.

In 10 years, the Fellowship Fund has funded more than 600 veterans with $3 million in equipment.

And now, a new grant cycle is underway.

FVC has opened the application for their 2021 funding. This new cycle opened on the first of the year and remains active through Feb 14, 2021.

“These farmer veterans are selfless and service-minded. They ask for very little, so we have to tell our community what the veterans need us to do for them.”

vocalizes Michael O’Gorman, who founded the organization and spurred a full military-to-agriculture movement.

He acknowledges that finding start-up capital is one of the biggest challenges farmers face. And that’s exactly what this grant is designed to do.

“The Fellowship Fund is one of the most successful ways we help farmer veterans with their agricultural endeavors,”

emphasizes FVC’s recently appointed Executive Director, Jeanette Lombardo. She anticipates the opportunity to directly benefit more farmer veterans in her new role and add them to the growing Fellowship family.

Application submissions are reviewed by an advisory committee of agricultural industry professionals. Awards will be granted in the spring. Common equipment requests include All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV), breeding livestock, fencing, and tractor implements.

This year, funding for the grants is coming from several partner organizations – Kubota Tractor Corporation, Tractor Supply Company, Wounded Warrior Project, Tarter USA, Homestead Implements, and Vital Farms.

FVC member Eric Grandon – who previously received a grant himself – is also giving back to the community that has supported his own agricultural journey by donating beekeeping equipment.

“I now know what bees can do for anyone with any condition or problem. As long as I continue the success of Sugar Bottom Farm, FVC will always be at the top of my list just because I was at the top of [theirs].”

the West Virginia beekeeper reveals.

As for Ben, the Marine-turned-winemaker, he too shares a feeling common to veterans who now take on a new role of feeding their country and communities:

“I’m much more relaxed these days. I feel more of a sense of a mission, a goal, something to live for, something that I appreciate and that I’m proud of.”

Source: Farmer Veteran Coalition

The post New Grant Cycle Opens to Fund Farmer Veterans appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

These four new state organizations join a growing network of state chapters now numbering 13 that boast ties to a national organization dedicated to cultivating a new generation of farmers and food leaders while helping our veterans with their new post-service mission.

The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is a non-profit that helps veterans pursue careers in agriculture. Headquartered in Davis, California, they service a network of over 20,000 veteran members nationwide. FVC works with the agricultural community, partners and sponsors to support those who served our country once by defending it, and now serve a second time as farmers feeding it.

Many operate their own independent farms.

Michael O’Gorman, the project’s Founder and Chief Agricultural Officer, says:

“Ever increasing numbers of our military veterans come from rural areas. We find ways to offer them opportunities in agriculture. We assist veterans obtaining everything from equipment, business plans, financial advice and training.”

Rooted in its strong belief that veterans possess the unique skills and character needed to strengthen rural communities and create sustainable food systems, the organization recognizes that agriculture additionally offers veterans purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits.

Already with chapter presence in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, FVC has a major impact at the local level.

Chapters are effective at integrating farmer veterans into local agricultural communities. They bridge the gap between a nationally driven movement and resources at the state/county level to help them achieve success in agriculture. They are essential for ensuring members are aware of regional opportunities.

FVC relies heavily on its state leaders to connect with members; they offer an additional way to personalize the farmer veteran experience to individual needs.

“Because national travel remains uncertain, our chapters may be the first to organize local gatherings and on-farm training opportunities that are so important to our members,

shared O’Gorman, whose greatest pride is helping these veterans with their new mission.

“Even as we are unable to engage in person on a larger scale, chapter organizers are networking with local farmer veterans through teleconference capabilities; the growth is occurring despite COVID-19.”

This, in part, fueled FVC’s goal for significant chapter development in 2020.

To facilitate this growth, FVC standardized the governance of chapters last year.  In Austin last November for their national Stakeholders Conference, more than 200 veterans dedicated an extra day to learn about building presence in their states showing their commitment to serving others and explanding Farmer Veteran Coalition impact across the U.S.

Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are the first to emerge as official new chapters since that gathering.

“Having these four new state chapters moves us one step closer toward our long-term vision of regional expansion in sync with the USDA’s ten farm production regions,”

beamed Jeanette Lombardo, who recently took over as FVC’s Executive Director in July.

“We have committed considerable time and resources towards developing more active chapters as we move into 2021.”

The new chapters at a glance…

Arkansas

“We are humbled to serve the veteran farmers of Arkansas and come alongside the national organization as we become a voice and source of support for an incredible community of Americans.”

– Michael Sparks, President
•   Serving 500 Arkansas members
•   Primary crop is rice, but ag in the state is diverse
•   Formation started in the Fall of 2019 with the Vets4Ag Summit – a trifecta of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, Arkansas Dept of Veteran Affairs, and the Arkansas Dept of Agriculture.
•   Jason Smedley of Arkansas Farm Bureau led the charge.  He is a Marine Corps veteran and a small farmer himself, and now holds a seat on the chapter board.

North Carolina

“‘To be rather than to seem,’ is the state motto of North Carolina. That is what we are seeking to do with the launch of FVC of North Carolina. To be supportive of the military members who have served this country. To be part of the backbone of the agricultural industry which is No. 1 in the state of North Carolina. To be what we are: veterans who are farmers and ranchers, in service once again to our country.”

– Lovay Wallace Singleton, President
•   Serving 1,000 North Carolina members
•   Top crops are cotton, soybean and corn
•   Wallace-Singleton is the Founder of Veterans Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden.  She was essential in getting the team across the line. Her dedication and commitment are a testament to how she treats every challenge in life – one step at a time, and you will get it done!
•   Farm Bureau NC was critical in ensuring the chapter’s formation. Debbie Hamrick has been on the organizing committee since its inception and motivated them to the win every step of the way.

South Carolina

“We are so excited that South Carolina is the newest addition to the Farmer Veteran Coalition family. We know that our chapter will provide the support needed across the Palmetto state to help mobilize South Carolinians to feed America.”

– Matthew Rutter, President
•   Serving 500 South Carolina members
•   Veterans farming 800,000 acres of the state
•   One in ten South Carolina adults are veterans, with South Carolina ranking ninth in the United States in military retiree population.
•   Members grow a tremendous variety of products from truffles to apples to commodity crops to livestock.
•   Chapter President, Matthew Rutter of Project Victory Gardens, is an eighth generation South Carolinian.  He strongly advocated for a state chapter, drawing support from the South Carolina Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs, the Commissioner of Agriculture, and numerous stakeholders.

Tennessee

“The creation of the Tennessee Chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition is the culmination of months (and in some cases, years) of hard work by a great team of people with a shared interest in supporting veterans in agriculture.  We look forward to creating a stronger community of farmer veterans across the state and finding new ways to network and share resources.”

– Ron Bridges, President
 

•   Serving 1,000 Tennessee members
•   Initially started their work in 2017 and have patiently waiting to launch while National revamped the chapter ordinance.  They quickly became one of the first to do so under the new process.
•   Ron Bridges is an Army veteran and professor of biology at Pellissippi State Community College.
•   Tim Prather, now retired from University of Tennessee Extension, was essential in making this chapter happen.

The post Farmer Veteran Coalition announces new state chapters appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.