How mentorship can help beginning farmer veterans develop professional networking and business planning skills was highlighted at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 97th Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show in Orlando, Fla.
The Farm Bureau Patriot Project is a mentorship program that connects military veteran beginning farmers and ranchers with experienced Farm Bureau member farmers and ranchers. AFBF is conducting a pilot of the organization’s Patriot Project in Texas and Arkansas in partnership with the Texas Farm Bureau and Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Military veterans in production agriculture find that the farming and ranching lifestyle provides therapeutic and financial support for their transition to civilian life, but for many, an important piece is missing—an experienced mentor to coach them through the start-up stages of agribusiness development.
That’s why “a good mentoring relationship should really look like an investment,” explained Dr. Lindsay Hastings of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Veteran farmer Damon Helton of Arkansas has found it valuable to connect with his mentor, Jeremy Allen, through AFBF’s Patriot Project, a pilot program that will fully launch later this year.
“This program has opened my eyes to the business side of agriculture,” Helton said. Ross Dunn, assistant director of Public Policy, Local Affairs and Rural Development at Arkansas Farm Bureau, helped pair up Helton and Allen for the project.
“The structure of the program makes it easy to fit the needs of the participants,” Dunn said.
Dale Bullock, director of Field Operations at Texas Farm Bureau, was enthusiastic about participating in the Patriot Project pilot.
“Farm Bureau and veterans have a lot in common,” Bullock said. “The flexibility of the program is great for us, because we face some challenges due to the diversity of agriculture in our state.”
Dr. Lisa Benson, AFBF’s director of Rural Development, moderated the panel discussion.