The Farmer-Veteran Coalition is about connecting veterans with jobs growing food. We are a forward-looking organization and we recognize that whatever positions we help arrange for veterans, we want them to be in sustainable practices, providing not only jobs that will last, but food-growing practices that are meant for the long run. Much of what passes for “agriculture” these days has become factory farming or what is called “commodity farming,” where the object is to grow as much of one single variety of a food item (corn, cattle, etc.) as is physically possible. This takes an unsustainable toll on the land and, we believe, on the soul of the farmer.
Sustainable agriculture, as described and supported very well by NSAIS, is a practice that respects the land and preserves its condition for growing food into the future. On the Web site of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - which is a great educational resource – they describe it like this:
Whether you’re a beginning farmer, or an experienced agricultural producer interested in transitioning to more sustainable practices, you may want to start by learning more about the principles of sustainable agriculture and some of the “systems” approaches associated with it. The publications in this series introduce and discuss concepts, and provide a general overview of planning and managing a more sustainable farm operation.
