![]()
Running a farm is one of the toughest and riskiest jobs a person can have. In fact, even breaking into the farm business has become increasingly difficult over the last few decades. A 2011 survey of 1,000 American farmers by the National Young Farmers Coalition found that lack of access to credit, land and health insurance present enormous obstacles for the nation’s young and beginning farmers. Although the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does offer loans to new farmers, small loans are difficult to obtain and current loan rules can disqualify even experienced farmers. To make matters worse, over the last decade farm real estate values and rents have increased tremendously, making farm ownership incredibly difficult for beginning farmers. For military veterans and farmers of color in this country, starting and managing a farm can be even harder. Even though federal programs exist to support all farmers – including conservation, funding and disaster assistance programs – very few veterans and minority farmers have participated in these programs, often due to inadequate outreach and assistance, limited resources and discriminatory lending practices to these groups. For veterans, starting a farm can be an especially difficult challenge because, as many studies have noted, some veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have a hard time transitioning back into civilian lives and work in general. In recent years, an increasing number of veterans have shown interest in farming as a profession. In response, several non-profit organizations and universities have started programs to help them get into the field. Last year, Congress got interested in the issue as well and expanded the Farm Bill’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Program and Beginning Farming and Ranching Program to include veterans. Known as the “Section 2501” program after its original Farm Bill section number, the Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher grant program was established in 1990 to provide funding to organizations that develop outreach and technical assistance programs for “socially disadvantaged farmers” including African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Latino farmers. By adding veterans to the program, organizations can receive funding to help give troops returning home the opportunity to obtain, own, operate and retain farms and participate in USDA programs. In addition, by expanding the beginning farmers program to include veterans, the USDA can now provide veterans with access to low-interest rate loans to buy equipment and livestock, and allow them to apply for grants to expand their farming operations and implement environmental conservation practices. In September, the USDA announced 2015 Section 2501 grant winners. Below is a brief description of three of the orgs that got funding this year that are helping veteran farmers. Visit the USDA website for a full description of all of the projects that received funding under the 2501 program this year: University of Texas – Pan American : Their project focuses on serving African-American, Hispanic, Veteran and other Socially Disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Texas and New Mexico StrikeForce Counties by providing assistance in owning and operating successful farms and ranches. They provide training and technical assistance on niche markets and specialty crops, direct marketing techniques, development of marketing cooperatives and demonstrate planting and growing techniques. They will also improve these groups’ participation in and assistance with USDA programs like farm operating and ownership loan and disaster assistance programs, conservation programs, farmers market programs and cooperative development and values added programs, among other activities. National Center for Appropriate Technology, Inc. : NCAT’s Cultivating Success with Veteran Farmers program provides training through a series of workshops, field activities and technical assistance to veteran and refugee farmers in Kentucky and West Virginia. The organization utilizes their extensive library of sustainable and organic agricultural production materials to train participants. They also provide workshops to guide participants through the process of whole-farm planning and training in sustainable crop and livestock production. Kentucky State University : The school’s program helps veterans and beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers in Kentucky – who have traditionally depended on tobacco as their primary crop – to transform their farm operations and improve their profitability through direct marketing to consumers, producing food for their local food systems and participating in USDA programs. Kentucky State University will assist these target groups with raising pastured poultry, growing fruits and vegetables, implementing organic and sustainable production systems and raising honeybees.
