By Theodora Filis
Agriculture could offer returning soldiers, and wounded veterans, a chance to become entrepreneurs with programs like Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots and Farmer-Veteran Coalition.
The Farmer-Veteran Coalition seeks to help returning veterans find employment, training, and a place to heal on America’s farms. The Coalition believes that many of these young men and women may help address our country’s critical need for more people entering the field of agriculture.
According to the USDA, half of all farmers are likely to retire within the next ten years, and rising global food costs may make it necessary for America to become resilient and self-sufficient when it comes to securing our food sources.
Due to the high number of soldiers entering the military from rural communities, the Coalition is aware of the need to improve, both job opportunities and veteran services, in these areas.
“We believe that our family farms, the sustainable farming movement, and growing support for local and regional agriculture could all be well served by people already accustomed to hard work, discipline, and dedication. If given the opportunity, our returning veterans can benefit from and help to stimulate the growing green economy, even in these hard times.” Farmer-Veteran Coalition
In a NY Times article on February 5th, Michael O’Gorman, an organic farmer who founded the nonprofit Farmer-Veteran Coalition, said “The military is not for the faint of heart, and farming isn’t either.”
Farmer-Veteran Coalition supports sustainable-agriculture training, which is gentler on the environment and can produce a greater yield than conventional practices.
Says O’Gorman, “There are eight times as many farmers over age 65 as under. There is a tremendous need for young farmers, and a big wave of young people inspired to go into the service who are coming home.”
In 2008, United States Marine Corps Veteran Garrett Dwyer, a member of the acclaimed “Rage Company” Infantry Unit in Iraq, returned to Nebraska after his tour of duty. Wanting to run the family cattle business, he enrolled in the University of Nebraska’s - Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture’s (NCTA) 100 Beef Cow Ownership program. Garrett built his business plan, purchased 125 head of cattle, and began a dialogue with the administration regarding outreach to the military.
After initial research by NCTA, “Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots” was developed to counsel and recruit members of the military, advising them on ways to achieve full ownership of agricultural enterprises across Nebraska and the nation.
Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots is a program designed to assist eligible military personnel, their families, and armed forces veterans to become farmers, ranchers, and business entrepreneurs by utilizing existing programs funded by the federal Department of Agriculture, Small Business Administration, Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, and various state and local agencies to create successful business succession plans that match participants with existing farm/business/ranch owners.
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture manages the education and training of participants, helps coordinate all funding, and maintains contact with participants to train them as future mentors. The University works with USDA Farm Service Agency loan programs to assist participants in selecting the enterprise that will work best for their goals.
Military veterans are no strangers to hard work, but coming back to life in the civilian world when their service is complete remains a rough transition.
"Creating a new generation of farmers and food people out of our returning veterans can … give those at risk of being lost the renewed mission and purpose that they need, and the respect ― and even heroism ― that they deserve," said Michael O'Gorman, executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
Agriculture could offer returning soldiers, and wounded veterans, a chance to become entrepreneurs with programs like Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots and Farmer-Veteran Coalition.The Farmer-Veteran Coalition seeks to help returning veterans find employment, training, and a place to heal on America’s farms. The Coalition believes that many of these young men and women may help address our country’s critical need for more people entering the field of agriculture.
According to the USDA, half of all farmers are likely to retire within the next ten years, and rising global food costs may make it necessary for America to become resilient and self-sufficient when it comes to securing our food sources.
Due to the high number of soldiers entering the military from rural communities, the Coalition is aware of the need to improve, both job opportunities and veteran services, in these areas.
“We believe that our family farms, the sustainable farming movement, and growing support for local and regional agriculture could all be well served by people already accustomed to hard work, discipline, and dedication. If given the opportunity, our returning veterans can benefit from and help to stimulate the growing green economy, even in these hard times.” Farmer-Veteran Coalition
In a NY Times article on February 5th, Michael O’Gorman, an organic farmer who founded the nonprofit Farmer-Veteran Coalition, said “The military is not for the faint of heart, and farming isn’t either.”
Farmer-Veteran Coalition supports sustainable-agriculture training, which is gentler on the environment and can produce a greater yield than conventional practices.
Says O’Gorman, “There are eight times as many farmers over age 65 as under. There is a tremendous need for young farmers, and a big wave of young people inspired to go into the service who are coming home.”
In 2008, United States Marine Corps Veteran Garrett Dwyer, a member of the acclaimed “Rage Company” Infantry Unit in Iraq, returned to Nebraska after his tour of duty. Wanting to run the family cattle business, he enrolled in the University of Nebraska’s - Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture’s (NCTA) 100 Beef Cow Ownership program. Garrett built his business plan, purchased 125 head of cattle, and began a dialogue with the administration regarding outreach to the military.
After initial research by NCTA, “Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots” was developed to counsel and recruit members of the military, advising them on ways to achieve full ownership of agricultural enterprises across Nebraska and the nation.
Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots is a program designed to assist eligible military personnel, their families, and armed forces veterans to become farmers, ranchers, and business entrepreneurs by utilizing existing programs funded by the federal Department of Agriculture, Small Business Administration, Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, and various state and local agencies to create successful business succession plans that match participants with existing farm/business/ranch owners.
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture manages the education and training of participants, helps coordinate all funding, and maintains contact with participants to train them as future mentors. The University works with USDA Farm Service Agency loan programs to assist participants in selecting the enterprise that will work best for their goals.
Military veterans are no strangers to hard work, but coming back to life in the civilian world when their service is complete remains a rough transition.
"Creating a new generation of farmers and food people out of our returning veterans can … give those at risk of being lost the renewed mission and purpose that they need, and the respect ― and even heroism ― that they deserve," said Michael O'Gorman, executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
Comments
Post a Comment