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INVESTIGATOR: O`Gorman, M.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
FARMER VETERAN COALITION
4614 2ND ST STE 4
DAVIS, CALIFORNIA 95618

SUPPORTIVE, SMALL SCALE, BASIC LIVESTOCK, FINANCIAL SKILLS AND RISK MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR BEGINNING VETERAN FARMERS PROGRAM

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Title: Supportive, Small Scale Basic Livestock, Financial Skills and Risk Management Training for Beginning Veteran Farmers ProgramThe Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) - a community-based non-profit organization, submits a renewal application for a standard project to exclusively serve beginning veteran farmers with added emphasis on women veterans in agriculture.The project will utilize a veteran-to-veteran network model that operates in conjunction with our colaborative partners at the local, state, regional and national levels, to conduct new veteran farmer outreach and education, provide training events, conferences, workshops and on-farm events hosted by beginning veteran farmers, as well as developing new veteran-to-veteran farmer networks, mentoring capacity, internships, agriculutural job opportunities and partnerships.In addition, it provides twenty seven workshops with specific training on basic small scale livestock/vegetable production practices, financial & business education, and risk management training, coupled with on-going support that provides beginning veteran farmers with comprehensive, individualized capacity development assistance, using a case management model in which individual needs, assessments and development plans guide the provision of subsequent services and training.Over the three-year grant term, this project will provide beginning farmer and rancher outreach and education to 1,350 veterans, provide 24 regional webinars serving 450 new veteran farmers, develop 850 new partnerships, 325 individualized beginning veteran farmer capacity development plans, as well as conducting 27 regional small scale production workshops serving a minimum of 370 new veteran farmers.

OBJECTIVES: The goals of this project are 1) to create a national peer network that provides or facilitates access to training, education, internships, jobs, mentors, referrals and resources for beginning farmer veterans 2) to increase the agricultural capacity (e.g., level of agricultural production, financial, risk management and business development skills) of beginning farmer veterans, and 3) to increase the number of beginning farmer veterans entering into farming.Associated Objective #1Build a national peer network for veteran-to-veteran learning entitled "Farmer Veteran Peer Network". The network will involve a national coalition partners including, but not limited to the Farm Credit Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, The National AgrAbility Project, American Argi-Women and many local and state entities.Farmer Veteran Peer Networkprovide,or facilitate ,training, , mentorships, internships, jobs, referrals and resourcesfor beginning farmer veteransthe provision of comprehensive capacity development assistance; tailored to the veterans' individual assessment and development planAssociated Objective #2We will combine new small scale livestock production and business planning materials with existing core tools previously created through Risk Management Agency grants known as the One Page Business/Financial Plan, One Page Monthly Cash Flow Budget, and One Page Risk Management Plan. These tools will be adapted to explain small scale pork and pastured poultry production business, small scale honeybee, grass fed beef, lamb, goat and vegetable business models.We will incorporate the new training materials into twenty seven workshops (at least twenty two of which will be on-farm and hosted by FVC beginning farmer veterans) that target these farmer veterans and their specific livestock, provide regional training platforms for them to gather and learn from each other, and assist them in refining their own financial, production, risk management and business plans. Additionally, all workshop attendees will receive on-going comprehensive, individualized capacity development assistance using a case management model in which individual needs, assessments, and development plans, guide the provision of subsequent services, training, referrals and linkages to resources.Six of the twenty seven workshops will be specifically focused on developing, supporting and educating women farmer veterans on the production, financial and risk management components of small scale livestock/vegetable operations. Additional emphasis will be placed on developing, integrating and utilizing local networking and supportive resources for women such as the FVC Veteran Peer Farmer Network.