Support Veteran-Farmers through “ Homegrown By Heroes”
June 18, 2014
Americans have a new opportunity to support veteran-farmers by purchasing food with the
“Homegrown By Heroes” logo. Homegrown By Heroes agricultural products represent the labors of
hardworking veterans that have now chosen to become farmers to feed their communities and the
nation. So far, the “Homegrown By Heroes” logo is used by more than 60 farmers who have served in
the United States Military. Veterans, Guard members, Reservists, and active duty personnel are
eligible for the label and can apply at hgbh.org.
Homegrown By Heroes is a national initiative, which is promoted in the
state of Iowa by the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Iowa. Since launching in
2013, the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Iowa has grown rapidly to include
more than 150 farming veterans. In their first year of work, they convened
a state-wide Iowa Farmer Veteran Conference and held four workshops
around the state that covered topics such as land access, loan programs,
business planning, and transitioning from the military to agriculture. They
are hosting a Midwest Farmer Veteran Conference at Drake University
on July 25-26. The conference will include a farm tour, educational
workshops and a great deal of peer-to-peer networking.
Organizers attribute the rapid growth of the Iowa Farmer Veteran Coalition to their emphasis on
developing a robust Board of Directors, which includes representatives from organizations serving
both farmers and veterans. Their early focus on board development has been crucial in ensuring that
their programs are driven by the needs of farming veterans, and to their ability to make referrals to
provide support for farming veterans.
For more information, contact Ed Cox at 641-436-7280 or [email protected].
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