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INVESTIGATOR: Hale, M.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
NATIONAL CENTER FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
3040 CONTINENTAL DR., P.O. BOX 3838
BUTTE, MONTANA 59701

BUILDING FARM FOUNDATIONS AND PLANNING FOR SUCCESS: BEGINNING FARMER TRAINING FOR MILITARY VETERANS IN THE NORTHEAST U.S.

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will partner with Sterling College, Farmer Veteran Coalitions of Vermont and Maine (FVC), University of New Hampshire (UNH) Cooperative Extension, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in Massachusetts to educate and support military veterans in the Northeast U.S. who are beginning farmers. The Northeast states have a high percentage of beginning farmers, and a rising sector of the beginning farmer population is military veterans. NCAT's experience has been that veterans are drawn to farming--especially when dealing with the effects of war--because they find satisfaction in growing and sustaining life, giving back to their communities, being their own bosses, and working hard.Our project, Building Farm Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military Veterans in the Northeast U.S., will work with hundreds of beginning farmers who are military veterans in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and other Northeastern states. We will train at least 100 military veteran beginning farmers in each year of our project. We will offer one-day workshops on various production topics in locations throughout the Northeast. We will also provide intensive training through the week-long Armed to Farm program, NCAT's sustainable agriculture training for military veterans. The project will support veterans chosen to participate in Sterling College's six-week Summer Agriculture Program and will provide registrations to MOFGA's beginning farmer trainings. The project will also offer farm business planning assistance to military veterans through workshops and one-on-one technical assistance. We will build and strengthen the network of military veteran beginning farmers through outreach and supporting existing networks. The long-term goal of this project is to assist military veterans in the Northeast U.S. as they start and manage farming operations. We will accomplish the project goal by providing training and technical assistance on sustainable agriculture production methods and farm business planning, facilitating access to USDA programs, improving the sustainability of existing farming operations, and supporting military veteran beginning farmers through networks.

OBJECTIVES: The long-term goal of this project is to assist military veterans in the Northeast U.S. as they start and manage farming operations. We will accomplish the project goal by providing training and technical assistance on sustainable agriculture production methods and farm business planning, facilitating access to USDA programs, improving the sustainability of existing farming operations, and supporting military veteran beginning farmers through networks.Objective 1): Provide beginning farmer training to military veterans in the Northeast U.S.Expected outputs and outcomes: At least 240 military veterans will receive beginning farmer training through week-long Armed to Farm trainings (one per year for three years) and one- to two-day trainings (two per year for three years). Training activities will occur in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine, but will be open to military veterans from all Northeastern states. These 240 military veteran beginning farmers will receive between eight and 40 hours of training, depending on the training event. They will gain practical knowledge on topics such as farm start-up, financing, marketing, and a wide variety of sustainable agriculture production topics. There will also be support for three veterans chosen to participate in Sterling College's six-week Summer Agriculture Program, three veterans to participate in MOFGA's Farm Beginnings program, and 15 veterans to participate in MOFGA's Farmer to Farmer Conference. Veterans will also access land to farm through New Entry's Incubator Farms and Farm Land Matching Service.Objective 2): Provide business planning assistance to military veteran beginning farmers.Expected outputs and outcomes: Through Armed to Farm, two business planning workshops, veteran business planning sessions during Sterling College's Summer Ag program, MOFGA's Advanced Business Planning workshop, targeted research project assistance, and one-on-one technical assistance, at least 130 military veterans will receive training and assistance to complete a farm business plan. This will include assistance to beginning farmer veterans who already have business plans and need assistance to refine their plans and scale-up production.Objective 3): Expand and strengthen the military veteran beginning farmer network throughout the Northeast.Expected outputs and outcomes: Through targeted outreach efforts, training events, and other activities, at least 250 military veterans will get connected to support networks such as Farmer Veteran Coalition-Vermont and Farmer Veteran Coalition-Maine. Partners in New Hampshire and Massachusetts will work to build veteran networks, tapping into existing beginning farmer networks in the state. These networks provide ongoing resources, mentors, and assistance to military veterans as they start and operate farming ventures.

APPROACH: Activities proposed to achieve each objectiveOur project team will use a multi-faceted approach to train and support military veteran beginning farmers in the Northeast U.S.Objective 1): Provide beginning farmer training to military veterans in the Northeast U.S.This project will provide beginning farmer training to at least 240 military veterans through three activities.Armed to Farm: 90 military veterans will receive beginning farmer training through Armed to Farm. Armed to Farm is NCAT's week-long sustainable agriculture training for military veterans. One Armed to Farm training will be held each year of the project. Each Armed to Farm will provide approximately 40 training hours to participants. Armed to Farm curriculum includes goal setting, business planning, recordkeeping, marketing, and a variety of agriculture production topics. Time is also spent on successful farms, where military veteran beginning farmers will have the chance to learn directly from successful farmers and see their operations first-hand. When possible, participants will visit the farms of successful military veterans. There will be opportunities for hands-on learning at these farms. Armed to Farm will provide participants with business planning, financial management, and production resources. Participants will also be introduced to USDA programs such as NRCS and FSA, Cooperative Extension, Farm Credit, and other resources that will help them as they start and run farming operations.Workshops: At least 150 military veteran beginning farmers will receive training through six workshops. Two beginning farmer workshops will be held each year of the project. These workshops will be focused on a particular topic and will typically be held on farms, providing interactive learning opportunities. Some of the workshop topics will include forestry, livestock production, hoop house production, and small-scale equipment.Other trainings: At least one veteran per year will participate in Sterling College's Summer Agriculture Program. This practicum is taught through daily immersion in the workings of Sterling's diversified farm. Students gain fundamental knowledge to support their full integration into crop and livestock production, management, and decision making systems. One veteran beginning farmer per year will also participate in MOFGA's Farm Beginnings program. This is a seven-session, farmer-led program to help guide those with a strong commitment to creating a sustainable farm business to achieve their goals.Objective 2): Provide business planning assistance to military veteran beginning farmers.There will be multiple ways that military veterans can receive farm business planning assistance through this project. At least 130 military veteran beginning farmers will receive business planning assistance through this project.Business Planning Workshops: All participants of Armed to Farm will receive business planning training. Developing farm goals and completing business planning worksheets are included in training activities. Armed to Farm participants will also receive the "Building a Sustainable Business" workbook as a resource to help them fully develop a farm business plan. In addition to the business planning training that will occur as part of Armed to Farm, two additional business planning workshops will be held. New Entry Sustainable Farming Project will train at least 40 military veteran beginning farmers through these workshops. This project will also sponsor 15 veteran beginning farmers to participate in MOFGA's Advanced Business Planning workshops.Sterling College Whole-Farm Planning Projects: Upper level students in the capstone course Whole Farm Planning spend a semester working with agricultural businesses to bring holistic resource management principles to business and production questions. Working with the support of faculty members, students have conducted feasibility studies, researched complex permitting issues, evaluated marketing plans, and compared the economic and ecological impact of production practices. At least one project per year will benefit military veteran beginning farmers.One-on-one technical assistance: Throughout the project members of the project team will provide one-on-one technical assistance to military veteran beginning farmers as they develop and refine their farm business plans. Our project team has extensive farm business planning experience. Beginning farmers will be able to contact the project team through the ATTRA 1-800 line or by contacting the project team members in their state to request business planning assistance.Objective 3): Expand and strengthen the military veteran beginning farmer network throughout the Northeast.Through supporting existing networks and working to build new networks this project will connect at least 250 military veteran beginning farmers to networks.Farmer Veteran Coalition Vermont and Maine: The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) has recently launched chapters in Vermont and Maine. The FVC chapters work to identify farmer veterans, provide training opportunities for military veterans, and connect them to other veteran farmers, services, mentors, and other resources. This project will work to expand these networks by supporting outreach efforts to connect to more veterans, host farmer veteran meetings, and hold other training and networking opportunities for military veteran beginning farmers.Network building in New Hampshire and Massachusetts: No formal farmer veteran networks exist in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Project partners in these states have been working with military veteran beginning farmers and see the need to develop a more formalized network. This project will help develop these networks by supporting outreach efforts to connect to veterans, host farmer veteran meetings, and provide other training and networking opportunities for military veteran beginning farmers.

PROGRESS: 2016/08 TO 2019/07
Target Audience:Limited resource producers • Military veterans • Small farms • Specialty crop producers Changes/Problems:Over the course of the project we had many changes with our project partners. There was staff turnover with all of the partners. This was challenging with communication. At times the project lagged because I was having to explain the project and deliverables to a new person. Overall we were able to reach our project goals, but the partner relationships and communications was a challenge. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) partnered with Sterling College, Farmer Veteran Coalition of Vermont (FVC) and United Farmer Veterans of Maine, University of New Hampshire (UNH) Cooperative Extension, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in Massachusetts to educate and support military veterans in the Northeast U.S. who are beginning farmers. Our project, Building Farm Foundations and Planning for Success: Beginning Farmer Training for Military Veterans in the Northeast U.S., has served hundreds of beginning farmers who are military veterans in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and other Northeastern states. These trainings consisted of one-day workshops on various production topics in locations throughout the Northeast, and an intensive training through the week-long Armed to Farm program, NCAT's sustainable agriculture training for military veterans. The project supported veterans chosen to participate in Sterling College's six-week Summer Agriculture Program and Farmstead workshops and provided registrations to MOFGA's beginning farmer trainings. The project also offered farm business planning assistance to military veterans through workshops and one-on-one technical assistance. We worked to build and strengthen the network of military veteran beginning farmers through outreach and supporting existing networks. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have used a variety of ways to reach veteran farmers. We have done outreach through NCAT and our many partners. We have provided in-person training and resources. We have developed electronic networing groups and listserves to reach veterans and keep them connected. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

IMPACT: 2016/08 TO 2019/07
What was accomplished under these goals? Over the course of the project more than 400 military veterans in the Northeast U.S. received training through workshops, week-long Armed to Farm trainings, networking events, and participation in conferences. Participants received training in business planning, farm goal setting, USDA programs, sustiainable farming techniques, and more. The project provided training throught our partners--FVC VT, United Farmer Veterans of Maine, UNH Extension, MOFGA, Sterling College, and New Entry Sustainable Farming. NCAT and our partners provided one-on-one technical assistance to veterans as they started and improved their farming operations. We also connected hundreds of veterans through our Vets in Ag email listserve and Facebook group for Armed to Farm alumni. These networking efforts connected veterans and resource providers across the Northeast. We know many participants started farms, improved their farming operations, expanded production, entered new markets, and accessed USDA programs.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2016/08 TO 2019/07
No publications reported this period.