Emily Randall

VETERANS FIND PEACE AND GROW HOPE ON FAMILY GARDENS

W. Atlee Burpee & Company Donates “Welcome Home Garden” Seed Pouches to Farmer Veteran Coalition, Giving Back to America’s Veterans

Davis, CA April 2012—Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) received close to 1,000 pouches of seed packets compiled specifically for post 9/11 veterans by W. Atlee Burpee & Co. The “Welcome Home Garden” pouches each contain ten packets of flower and vegetable seeds along with growing instructions and six delicious recipes. Burpee & Co. is delighted to both support FVC’s mission of Mobilizing Veterans to Feed America, and to recognize the service these men and women have provided for their country. FVC will be distributing the pouches with the assistance of our local government and non-profit partners to active duty military, post-9/11 veterans during the next few months.

“This contribution is exciting to us in that it may inspire these veterans to begin or expand their home gardens. FVC supports any agricultural project and truly appreciates Burpee’s patriotic effort,” explains FVC Fellowship Fund Director and Navy veteran Tia Christopher. Burpee commits to donating 150,000 pouches to our returning service members; as George Ball, Chairman and CEO of Burpee states, “the monetary value [of the pouches] pales compared to both the physical and psychological benefits of gardening, a process that can be shared by the whole family.” The company hopes to introduce kids to gardening and nutritious, fresh food, while providing a natural therapy for these veterans.  Burpee explains on the “Welcome Home Garden” pouches, “It is our hope that the planting and harvesting of these vegetables and flowers will bring you both peace and joy.”

The Farmer Veteran Coalition seeks to mobilize our food and farming community to create healthy and viable futures for veterans on America’s farms.  Post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their families can contact FVC at info@farmvetco.org to receive a Burpee “Welcome Home Garden” pouch.

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Farmer Veteran Coalition, 508 2^nd Street, Suite 206, Davis, CA 95616

Goodwill Industries International and the National AgrAbility Project are sponsoring “Creating Opportunities for Veterans and Other Agriculture Workers with Disabilities”, a three day conference in Rochester, New York May 15-17, 2012.  The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) and Goodwill Industries of the Finger Lakes will be cohosting the event.

“Farming is something that offers wounded veterans a meaningful way to continue serving,” said FVC Director Michael O’Gorman. “Our three organizations believe we have complementary skills and resources that we can contribute to this unprecedented venture.”

Goodwill Industries International (GII) has a long history of helping disabled Americans overcome impediments to employment. GII’s Director of Public Policy, Seth Turner, will address the conference and discuss “From Deployment to Employment’, a recently completed white paper. Mr. Turner will discuss the challenges veterans face transitioning back into employment including service related disabilities, geographic isolation and a lack of access to resources.

AgrAbility is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and consists of a National Project based out of Purdue University in Indiana and 24 state projects.  Each state project involves a collaborative partnership between a land grant university and at least one non-profit disability services organization. The vision of AgrAbility is “to enable a high quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities.”

Michael O’Gorman, Founder and Executive Director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), was recently placed on the National AgrAbility Board. Since 2009, FVC has been leading the nation-wide effort to help service members’ transition into careers in agriculture. FVC’s Fellowship Fund, with the help of foundations like the Bob Woodruff Foundation, has focused much of its efforts on directly assisting wounded veterans.

In addition to Mr. Turner’s presentation, the three-day workshop will include a panel of veterans with disabilities engaged in agriculture and a presentation by FVC about its programs and services for veterans.

“By working with these two resourceful organizations, we hope to show disabled veterans who wish to farm what services exist and to help expand the network of support they will need in this transition.”  said O’Gorman.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN VETERANS IN AGRICULTURE

Farmer Veteran Coalition Hosts Conference Providing Female Veterans with Tools to Succeed in Food and Farming

Davis, CA April 2012—With the help of the USDA Risk Management Agency , Annie’s Project and Oxfam America, the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is excited to host the “Empowering Women Veterans: Business, Agriculture & Well-Being” conference in Davis, Calif. on July 7-8, 2012. This conference will be the first of its kind, aiming to bring women veterans together in an environment specifically designed to address their unique experiences and needs in agriculture.

At this conference, women leaders in business and agriculture will speak to participants about the challenges faced by women, the tools to mitigate risk in their agricultural ventures, and available programs to help women farmers succeed. Educational topics will include the RMA five areas of risk(production, price (market), financial, legal, and personal); business structure and farm contracts; an introduction to Quicken Software (with free software); loans, debt & credit; direct marketing; and farm labor. Most importantly, the event will be a gathering point for women veterans from across the county with the potential to build community and relationships among many who are isolated on rural farms.

FVC Fellowship Fund Director Tia Christopher explains that, “this conference will raise awareness of the attendees’ national and local benefits and resources, and will address their needs both as veterans and as farmers. These powerful women will have a chance to learn about and take with them valuable resources which will support and ease their transition into civilian careers.”

Interested parties may contact: wvac@farmvetco.org

The Farmer Veteran Coalition seeks to mobilize our food and farming community to create healthy and viable futures for veterans on America’s farms.

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Farmer Veteran Coalition, 508 2^nd Street, Suite 206, Davis, CA 95616

Emily Randall

Emily@farmvetco.org

FARMER VETERAN COALITION: SUPPORTING AMERICA’S HEROES

Three more Farmer Veterans have been accepted into FVC’s Fellowship Fund

Davis, CA March 2012—The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) has added three veterans to the Fellowship Fund program, to support their farm businesses and ease their transition into agriculture. The Farmer Veteran Coalition Fellowship Fund is a program that assists veterans starting their food and farming careers through mentorships, donated equipment and supplies, and small grants. In addition to the small grants, FVC provides veterans with personal assistance through farming and financial mentorships.

Justen, an Army veteran and current National Guardsman, owns and operates Veteran Compost LLC, the only permitted facility in Maryland for composting food waste and the only producer in that state of vermicompost and compost worms. Justen hopes to establish additional composting facilities across the East Coast and hire veterans to run these satellite facilities. An innovator in agriculture, Justen is one of FVC’s first Newman’s Own Veteran Innovators in Agriculture (NOVIA ) award recipients.

Army veteran Brett(right) operates Serenity Valley Farm, outside Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife grow vegetables, fruit trees and are starting a beef cattle herd. Due to a high demand for locally raised meat products in his area, Brett plans to expand his operation to include meat rabbits and broiler hens. The NOVIA grant has allowed Brett to purchase a hoop house, which will protect the animals year round and also offer space for starting vegetable transplants.

Anna served eight years in the Army before beginning Chestnut Ridge Farm in North Carolina. Chestnut Ridge Farm is a 10-acre family farm comprised of a fruit and nut orchard that integrates pork, chicken and turkeys into their agro-ecosystem. As our first female fellow in the 2012 Bob Woodruff Grant, Anna will receive assistance to purchase fencing for her orchard and finance a water management project.

The Farmer Veteran Coalition is a national organization connecting military veterans with opportunities for employment, training, and places to heal on America’s farms. Parties interested in providing support to the fellowship or general support to FVC can reach us at info@farmvetco.org or call (530)-756-1395.

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Farmer-Veteran Coalition, 508 2^nd Street, Suite 206, Davis, CA 95616

(509) 323-3021

Melissa.cummins@wa.usda.gov

Disaster Relief Available for Washington Farmers and Ranchers

(Spokane, WA), February 7, 2012 –   Farmers and ranchers who suffered agricultural damages due to a combination of weather events including excessive rain, flooding, high winds and freezing temperatures between January 1, 2011 and July 31, 2011 in all counties except Asotin, Garfield, Douglas and Stevens may be eligible for low-interest, federal loans to help recoup losses.  Additional information is also available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/wa.

Rod Hamilton

(509) 323-3015

Rod.hamilton@wa.usda.gov

The Conservation Reserve Program Signup Starts Soon

(Spokane/WA) February 7, 2012 – Farmers and ranchers interested in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can signup March 12 through April 6.  CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation’s natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across Washington state explained FSA State Executive Director Judy Olson. Additional information is also available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/wa.

The Farm Emergency Fund is being developed to provide emergency financial assistance to veteran farmers and their families. This assistance is for needs that fall outside of FVC’s stand programming and activities. This fund will enable FVC to respond to urgent situations due to economic issues or natural disasters. For the purposes of this fund, FVC is defining emergency as: “a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action” or “a state, especially of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event.”

The Mission of the Farmer Veteran Coalition is to Mobilize Veterans to Feed America. We cultivate a new generation of American farmers through education, retreats, job placement, mentoring and small grants for farm businesses. FVC recognizes that money cannot solve everything and we firmly believe that community and knowledge are the greatest gifts we can give to our returning veterans. However, we do understand that things come up, people fall on hard times, have accidents and definitely can’t control the weather. It is for these situations that FVC would like to offer support to our Farmer Veterans.

The following is a short list of examples of emergency needs that FVC aims to fund:

• Well repair
• Veterinary bills
• Seed and feed costs
• Transportation emergencies
• Equipment repair

You can help FVC in this action by:

• Financial contribution through mail or online
• Sharing a skill or service such as tractor repair
• In-kind equipment or product donation
• Spreading the word!

Contact Tia Christopher, FVC Fellowship Fund Director, with questions: tia@farmvetco.org |530.756.1395

Link to watch trailer

Map of Campus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Workshop Focuses on Planning for the Future of Your Farm and Ranch

Who will lead your farm or ranch into the future?  This is not an easy question for many farming and ranching families, but succession planning helps ensure a smooth transition when that time comes.  Navigating the information dealing with finances, taxes, legal trusts, asset distribution and retirement can be intimidating, and good communication between family members can sometimes be a greater challenge.  A workshop on Friday, February 10^th will provide information, tools and organizations available to help with the farm and ranch succession planning process.

Did you know that federal estate tax laws are due to change at the end of 2012?  The Tax Relief Act of 2010 currently allows a $5 million exemption from estate and gift taxes, but that reverts back to $1 million on January 1, 2013 if Congress does not agree on a bill this year.   This is a critically important factor to consider when planning how your farm or ranch will remain viable for the next generation.

How can younger family members earn interest in the farm or ranch business over time?  There are several strategies families can establish that will give the next generation opportunities to earn a stake in the business.  And the sooner this planning starts, the better the outcome for everyone.

You will have the opportunity to get specific information about these and many other issues that affect your particular family farm situation – such as transferring assets and management to the next generation, tax concerns, effective communication with family members, and treating all heirs fairly during a transition of ownership. These and many more critical factors in making a smooth and successful transfer of farm operation and ownership will be discussed. Speakers will include an estate planning expert/tax attorney, a family communications professional, a financial specialist, as well as farmers who have been through this process. In the weeks following the workshop you will also be given the opportunity meet in a facilitated small group near you to work on the details of your plan.

This workshop is for all ages of farmers and ranchers and even for those aspiring to venture into an agriculture enterprise.   It is never too early to have a succession plan in place.

The workshop is sponsored the Center for Land-Based Learning, UC Cooperative Extension in Solano and Yolo counties, and California FarmLink and by will be held on Friday, February 10, 2012 from 9:30 AM to 3 PM at Norton Hall, 70 Cottonwood Street, Woodland. There is a $10 registration fee, due at the door and lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Yolo County Cooperative Extension at (530) 666-8143 by February 7, 2012.  For more information about this event please visit the UC Cooperative Extension website at:  http://cesolano.ucdavis.edu.

Bon Appétit Management Company Supports Farmer-Veteran Coalition Fellows’ Farming Aspirations

At the end of this month, all American troops will have been withdrawn from Iraq. Not only do they face a difficult re-entry into civilian society, but those leaving the service also face a tough job market, particularly in the rural areas to which many are returning.

The Farmer-Veteran Coalition has received a boost for its mission to mobilize veterans to feed America, by helping them gain momentum in their early farming careers. Bon Appétit Management Company has made a sizable holiday gift to the organization on behalf of the food service provider’s clients.

Thus far, veteran farmers Drew Wood, Vonita Murray, Matt Soldano, Phillip Northcutt, Kelly Carlisle and Frank Golbeck have each been awarded a portion of the grant and the title of Bon Appétit Good Food Fellow. These veterans represent the great diversity within our group of Fellowship Fund grantees both in background and agricultural focus.

Frank Golbeck, a US Navy veteran, started Golden Coast Mead on his family’s land in San Diego, California. As a Bon Appétit Good Food Fellow, he will be purchasing beehives to create an Estate Mead (honey wine). Air Force veteran Drew Wood runs a free-range poultry farm in Berryville, Arkansas, with his fiancée, Katie. The Bon Appétit grant has helped them purchase processing equipment that has already increased their productivity and sales this past November. Kelly Carlisle, a mother and veteran of the US Navy Reserve, began Acta Non Verba, a non-profit urban farm in East Oakland that focuses on serving at-risk youth from kindergarten to 5^th grade. As a grantee, Kelly will be able to further the mission of her non-profit.

According to Fellowship Fund Director Tia Christopher, “Our small grant program is unique in that we pair mentors with funding which creates a system of support for these veteran entrepreneurs.” With this grant from Bon Appétit Management Company, FVC hopes to continue with this successful work, supporting more and more veterans and their communities.

“America desperately needs more farmers,” said Bon Appétit Management Company CEO Fedele Bauccio. “We are proud to support these men and women who, having already served their country once, are willing to do so again by increasing our food security.”

Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) is an on-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, and specialty venues. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 31 states, including eBay, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Getty Center. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed initiatives addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, the connection between food and climate change, and most recently, farmworker welfare. The impact of their programs has been far-reaching and meaningful.

The Farmer-Veteran Coalition is a national organization connecting military veterans with opportunities for employment, training, and places to heal on America’s farms. Parties interested in providing support to the fellowship or general support to FVC can reach us at info@farmvetco.org or call (530)-756-1395.

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The California Farm Academy is having an Informational Session this Saturday, December 3^rd, from 1 pm to 4 pm for people interested in learning more about our six-month farming program.

Interested in becoming a farmer? Know someone who is?  Then join us on Saturday to meet the people leading the program, tour the farm and learn more about our schedule and curriculum.

Join us from 1:00 – 4:00 pm at:

The Center for Land-Based Learning

5265 Putah Creek Road

Winters, CA 95694

We invite you to find out more, share this program with your friends and apply online at:  CaliforniaFarmAcademy.org or call us at (530) 795-4146. Please email or call to RSVP for Saturday’s Information Session. California Farm Academy applications are due December 9^th or until the program is filled. Classes start February 16, 2012.