Organizations that support military veterans pursuing food, farming, and agricultural careers will gather in November to hold a stakeholders conference.

The event will be hosted by the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), in coordination with the Drake University Agricultural Law Center (ALC), November 14-15, 2014 at Drake University Olmsted Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

The conference is being held to “empower organizations to collaborate and provide support to veterans engaged in agriculture.”

As the U.S. ends its longest armed conflicts, we are seeing a groundswell of veterans finding new purpose in farming and ranching. Although they have diverse motivations and aspirations, veterans share unique opportunities and backgrounds that set them apart from other farmers. Many organizations are now serving this population creating a critical need for support, coordination, and collaboration of these efforts.

The conference will be the first to convene local, state, and national service providers to facilitate networking, partnering and educational opportunities. FVC is encouraging all stakeholders from the agricultural and veteran communities to attend: government agencies, trade associations, non-profits, philanthropists, businesses, and university and extension personnel.

The conference is supported by Farm Credit Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, and the National Farmers Union. Additional supporters are welcomed.