Today is Veteran’s Day and there’s no better time to highlight the impactful work the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is doing to help our country’s vets transition from service to civilian life. FVC is dedicated to those who have served and, as Jeanette Lombardo, Executive Director of FVC shares in this week’s AcreForward Podcast:
“Everyone needs to reach out to our veterans and be appreciative of what they’ve done for our country.”
What is Farmer Veterans Coalition (FVC)?
“We’ve taken the country and divided it into 10 regions and those regions match the USDA production map,” Lombardo shares. “Our main focus and mission is to help service members who are exiting the military find a new purpose, hopefully through either a career in the agricultural sector or helping them start their own farm or ranch.”
Founded in 2009, the Farmer Veteran Coalition is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2024, and recently relocated from Davis, California, to Waco, Texas, to expand its reach and impact across the nation.
Lombardo offers that FVC is not a one-size-fits-all approach to transition. The organization offers a variety of programs designed to assist veterans in overcoming the challenges of entering the agricultural sector – challenges all who work in agriculture are well aware of.
FVC programs focus on three key areas: capital access, market access, and land access, with 52,000 members nationwide, the organization supports veterans involved in a broad range of agricultural pursuits, from traditional farming to out-of-the-box businesses like hydroponics and aquaponics.
“The hurdles that we face in getting a successful crop to market is really well fit for the veterans because they’re used to when things don’t work out, finding a workaround,” Lombardo says. “They have that grit and tenacity that you need just to push through and work through long days. (Agriculture) helps them find a purpose that I believe is equal to their military service. It’s just they’re serving the American people in a different way.”
No Ag Experience, No Problem
FVC caters to veterans with varying levels of agricultural experience. Some members come from farming backgrounds, while others are completely new to the field. The organization provides comprehensive support, including resume assistance, business plan development, and crop planning while also offering training and assistance to help veterans gain the necessary experience for USDA loans.
One of FVC’s significant initiatives is the Fellowship Fund, which opens for applications annually from January 1st to February 14th.
“We give out between $350,000 to $500,000 every year in grants so (veterans) can purchase things that they need to help start their business,” Lombardo tells us.
The organization also offers marketing support through its “Homegrown by Heroes” label, which helps veteran-produced products stand out in the marketplace and provides an online sales platform called “Market Maker,” allowing veterans to sell directly to consumers.
Recently, FVC held its National Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholder Conference, in which our own John Carroll, Director of Operations at Taranis, took part, sharing with veterans the multitude of career pathways in agriculture drone operations and the story of Taranis in helping farmers around the world.
The conference featured farm tours, networking opportunities, and various educational sessions.
Lean Team, Large Success
FVC operates on a budget of about $2.7 million with just 10 employees, serving over 52,000 members, there’s no downtime for this dedicated staff.
Funding for FVC endeavors comes from a mix of grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations, and despite the financial challenges felt throughout the economy, the organization continues to grow, adding about 100 new members each and every week. Lombardo is excited about the future of FVC and what the organization is giving back.
“If you (could avoid) a mistake because somebody else made it before you and they could teach you, you could get further along faster. And that’s really sort of the key to the magic,” she shares of FVC’s peer-to-peer education model that pairs veteran farmers with little experience with seasoned farmers and ranchers so they can learn from those already invested in and successful in the business. It’s an education model that is seeing incredible success and a key topic Lombardo shares in her AcreForward conversation.
Play the full episode to learn more about FVC and hear the full conversation.
