California Ag Network

Tag: FARM

  • Farmer Veterans are Celebrated as a New Grant Funding Cycle Opens

    As the clock ticked toward midnight and 2021 was in our rearview mirror, the team at Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) took a moment to reflect on their proudest moments of last year.

    One of those moments was the farm equipment FVC awarded to 138 farmer veterans through their Fellowship Fund small grant program. They proudly thought about the 2021 class of awardees.  The stories and impact the program had on this very diverse collection of members is inspiring.  Executive Director Jeanette Lombardo states “As FVC starts this next round of funding, the stories of 2021 are a wonderful reminder of the importance of our mission. These stories drive our efforts everyday as we seek new funding and create programs to help our Farmer Veterans throughout the country.”

    Now in its 11th year, the     Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund has granted over $3.5 million in support of 800+ military veterans pursuing careers in agriculture. As one of FVC’s core programs, it helps beginning farmers and ranchers with what’s often their greatest hurdle – access to start-up capital.

    Last year that came in the form of hot ticket items like greenhouses and grow tents, walk-in coolers and cold storage units, milking systems, water filtrations, and honey extractors. Some of the more unique requests included a mushroom substrate steamer and a copper still. With the arrival of spring, 138 deserving members of the nationwide nonprofit organization welcomed the     thrilling news that their equipment request had been granted and would soon be delivered to their farm. Many have already found improved efficiency in their business as a result. “It was taking me four hours to fill up my 1,100-gallon leg tank and now with my Generac pump I can fill the tank in about 15 minutes,” says David Volkman, an Army veteran who served for nearly three decades before starting Ohio Valley Hops.

    Now with the calendar turned to 2022, FVC excitedly welcomes the arrival of their next funding cycle.

    “Our sights are set high for 2022: we anticipate raising $500,000 to give out to this year’s class of Fellows,” beams Rachel Petitt, the program director. “We recognize this is a lofty goal, but we are really close so it definitely feels achievable.”

    The application opened Jan 3rd and remains available through February 14th.
    To apply visit:     https://farmvetco.org/fvfellowship.

    Funding for the 2022 cycle is made possible by Wounded Warriors Project, Kubota, Tractor Supply Company, Homestead Implements, Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment, Vital Farms, Sugar Bottom Farm, Barreras Family Farm and Northwest Farm Credit Services.

    About Farmer Veteran Coalition

    The mission of Farmer Veteran Coalition is mobilizing veterans to feed America. Established in 2008, its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and national and regional conferences. As the nation’s largest nonprofit assisting veterans and active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces embark on careers in agriculture, FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them. Learn more at: www.farmvetco.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and Twitter at @FarmVetCo.

    To sponsor equipment for the Fellowship Fund, contact Rachel Petitt at     rachel@farmvetco.org. To donate to support farmer veterans directly, visit www.farmvetco.orgor text GIVE and the dollar amount to 270-838-3276 (270-VET-FARM).

  • FARM Program 2020 Year in Review

    The National Dairy FARM Program (FARM) has published its 2020 Year in Review. Serving as the annual summary of the achievements and program developments of the FARM Program, the Year in Review showcases successes and challenges during a year of change and uncertainty.

    “As the industry shifted with the pandemic, we adapted the program to fit farmer’s and program participant’s needs,” says Emily Yeiser Stepp, vice president for the FARM Program at the National Milk Producers Federation, which administers FARM. “We were still able to provide value, develop helpful resources and provide assurances of on-farm social responsibility for the dairy supply chain despite the rollercoaster of 2020.”

    The Year in Review details the resources and tools developed across all program areas to help farmers become more fully engaged with the program. It also shows how aspects of FARM were brought into a virtual environment. Events like the annual Evaluator Conference, monthly Evaluator Engagement Hours and the program’s Quick Convosseries gave FARM staff the ability to connect with stakeholders online as 2020 presented unrivaled challenges.

    The Review also summarizes changes made to the FARM Program Areas in 2020. FARM Animal Care Version 4 went into effect on January 1 with updates supporting closer farmer-veterinarian relationships, requiring continuing education for all employees and adding a new standard for pain management when disbudding animals. FARM also launched Version 2 of the Environmental Stewardship program which includes updated crop emissions factors, a breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions by gas type, a metric on the use of nutrient management plans, and the ability to capture the benefits of solid-liquid separation, and solar and wind energy. Additionally, Version 1 of the Workforce Development evaluation became available and focuses on human resources and safety best practices. It provides assurances to the supply chain and helps farmers identify what will be most useful to implement within their operation and track improvement over time.

    Download the 2020 Year in Review here. For a printed copy, please contact dairyfarm@nmpf.org

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies.

    Created by the National Milk Producers Federation in partnership with Dairy Management Inc, the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) works with all U.S. dairy farmers, co-ops and processors, to demonstrate to dairy customers and consumers that the dairy industry is taking the very best care of cows and the environment, producing safe, wholesome milk and adhering to the highest standards of workforce development.

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