Now in its 12th year, the Farmer Veteran Coalition continues to award small grants to farmer veterans. The organization gained many new members this year after the Department of Veterans Affairs shared information about it through a newsletter.

“Veterans are very mission driven. They serve because they have that service gene inherent to them and they are looking for that mission. When they come out of the military, they are looking to continue that,” said Natalie Monroe, Farmer Veteran Coalition. “For so many of them, agriculture becomes that new purpose.”

Monroe said the coalition provides all kinds of things for farmer veterans through the grants, from cattle squeeze chutes to beekeeping equipment.