Veteran Resources

By Robyn Metzger, Armed to Farm Coordinator

How Can ATTRA Help You?

Farmers and ranchers are looking for reliable information on sustainable and organic agriculture, such as how to get started in farming, how to qualify for government programs that reward land stewardship and resource conservation, and how to pursue such profitable niche markets as organic meats and grains or agriculture tourism. The answers to these and other questions are available free from ATTRA.

Publications

ATTRA publications cover a wide range of topics, including:

  • Horticultural crops
  • Field crops
  • Soils and composts
  • Pest management
  • Irrigation, water conservation, and water quality issues
  • Livestock production
  • Grass farming
  • Marketing and business strategies
  • Market gardening
  • Risk management
  • Agricultural energy
  • Organic certification, production, and marketing

See ATTRA’s complete list of our publications here. Most are available to download in PDF format.

Tutorials

ATTRA offers free, online courses that include a variety of educational tools such as worksheets, narrated PowerPoint presentations, videos, and tipsheets. Titles include:

Technical Assistance

ATTRA’s agriculture specialists are knowledgeable about livestock, horticulture, agronomy, organic farming, marketing, farm energy, and many other sustainable agriculture topics, and are available to provide free assistance. ATTRA offers several ways producers can contact an agriculture specialist, who will research questions and send the client a response.

  • Call our toll-free ATTRA helpline (U.S. only)
    800-346-9140 (English) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time
    800-411-3222 (Español) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time
  • Ask online at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG using the green chat box at the bottom of the screen
  • Submit a question at ATTRA.NCAT.ORG/CONNECT or email askanag@ncat.org

Website

In addition to hundreds of publications, ATTRA’s website contains webinars, videos, blogs, podcasts, and online courses, plus tools to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening in sustainable agriculture:

  • Calendar of events
  • Funding opportunities
  • Weekly Harvest e-news

Armed to Farm: Sustainable Agriculture Training for Military Veterans

Since launching in 2013, Armed to Farm has supported more than 900 veterans from 46 states with hands-on and classroom learning opportunities. Farmer veterans learn how to make a business plan and market their products, how to access USDA programs, set business goals, and develop mentorships with seasoned farmers. The goals of Armed to Farm are:

  • To train veterans and their partners to operate sustainable crop and livestock enterprises
  • To create a network of veterans and their families who are starting careers in sustainable agriculture
  • To provide technical assistance to participants as they start and improve their farming operations

Armed to Farm offers three training series:

  • Flagship, weeklong hands-on and classroom training for new farmer veterans
  • Armed to Urban Farm focused on veterans who are new farmers in urban areas
  • Armed to Farm 2.0 is advanced sustainable agriculture training designed for farmer veterans who have completed a previous weeklong session. This training
    provides in-depth curriculum on business planning, financial management, marketing, and scaling-up production. We tailor hands-on activities at area farms to
    participants’ needs and focus on more advanced production, marketing, and entrepreneurship techniques.

Funding for Armed to Farm has come from ATTRA; USDA Rural Business Cooperative Services; USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program; USDA – NIFA’s AgVets Program; USDA Risk Management Agency; USDA’s Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program; projects with the University of Arkansas, Cornell University, and Appalachian State University; Swords to Plowshares; and the U.S. Botanic Garden.

What participants say about Armed to Farm training

“This was one of the best workshops, if not the best, in any field I have been involved in. It was a great mix of hands-on and classroom instruction. The instructors were very experienced and knowledgeable.”

“Armed to Farm gave me the tools to take my farm dream seriously and make it happen. I can’t say if I would have had the confidence to get it going without Armed to Farm.”

“Invaluable. I have hope of having a life again thanks to ATF.”

For more information, visit ARMEDTOFARM.ORG:

  • Sign up to receive email alerts about upcoming Armed to Farm trainings, networking events and other agriculture education events
  • Join our Veterans in Agriculture Listserv
  • Check our Events calendar for other veteran-focused agriculture training opportunities
  • Add your farm to our Armed to Farm Map to connect with other farmers, veterans, and organizations

Follow us at facebook.com/NCATArmedtoFarm

Contact Us

Margo Hale
Armed to Farm Program Director
margoh@ncat.org
479-442-9824

Robyn Metzger
Armed to Farm Coordinator
robynm@ncat.org
479-442-9824

Veteran Resources
By Robyn Metzger, Armed to Farm Coordinator
Updated September 2023
©NCAT
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Updated September 2023, IP494