NASHVILLE, Tenn. – According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 15 percent of the 3.2 million farmers and ranchers in the United States are veterans. In Tennessee, 9,900 farms are operated by a veteran producer.

With this in mind, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) rolled out a one-stop shop of online resources to help veterans in the Volunteer State who are looking to get into farming. The webpage connects veteran farmers with education materials, training and funding opportunities to either start or grow their agriculture operations.

“Whether it is livestock, fruit and vegetable production, anything in the range of agriculture, we’ve got resources for that here,” said Kacey Troup, a TDA business consultant. “It’s all housed here in one location, easy to find, easy to navigate, and it will connect them to all of the different resources that they’re going to need to be successful.”

Troup said veteran resources have been around for countless years. However, there wasn’t a central hub for it all, making it more difficult for veterans to get their journey started or expand their current operations.

“All of these things existed, they just were having trouble finding them,” Troup said. “We wanted to create one place that connects all of the different puzzle pieces together, so they are easy to find in one location.”

Under the TDA’s Military Veteran Farmers page, veterans will see a welcome video followed by six drop-down menus. There vets will find information on permitting, education, agricultural grants, Tennessee state veteran benefits, Tennessee state agricultural networks and veteran farmer testimonials.

“Starting an agriculture business has a lot of components, and transitioning out of military service has a lot of components as well,” Troup said. “Being able to house these in a way where information is easily accessible without being overwhelming, I think it’s one of the biggest benefits of this page.”

Ron Bridges, president of the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Tennessee, said these resources are an investment in farmland across the state. He said the state is losing more farmland by the year, so helping veterans get into agriculture is one way to mitigate these losses.

“We’ve got people coming out of the military who have perhaps a source of income, retirement, disability pay, or something that could help offset the cost of getting started in farming,” Bridges said. “Helping veterans get on the farms in one way to help save Tennessee farmland.”

Bridges is an army veteran himself. He said farming and veterans are very much intertwined.

“There are a large number of veterans getting out who are looking for a new mission in life, and the ability to go from serving your country in terms of being in military service to serving your country by producing food is a perfect match,” Bridges said. “There’s a lot of overlap between the qualities and characteristics you need to be a good soldier or a good sailor or airman and being a good farmer.”

Kevin Jacobi, an Air Force veteran who served 32 years, is another example of a vet who looked to farming after his service. Jacobi made his choice to farm while he was overseas. When he returned to the states, he reached out to the TDA for assistance.

“The idea to farm was born in north Africa where I was in the Air Force at the time,” Jacobi said. “I told myself I wasn’t going to be an executive of some kind like my buddies, rather I wanted to farm, and my goal was to supply food for local people.”

Today, Jacobi raises pasture-raised eggs, chicken, pork and lamb at Land Basket Farm in Russellville, Tenn.

“There are a lot of attributes that a lot of veterans carry just from their training in the service,” he said. “Things like trustworthiness, honesty and transparency, just to name a few. These types of attributes have served me well and I feel I’m a trusted source for folks around here.”

Another veteran-owned farm, this one operated by vet Mark Bowen, got started in 1999 in Lenoir City. Bowen started Meadowdale Farm from scratch and concentrates on pasture-raised poultry and meats, eggs, hay and forest products. Outside of their products, they offer one and two-day workshops where veterans can learn about farming operations.

“It’s a way I can continue to serve, but serve my local community, and knowing that those people are there to help and be supportive has been just wonderful,” Bowen said. “Having a local source and a community that you know and trust is really important.”

Mark and his wife, Kate, are members of the Farmer Veteran Coalition and served on the board of the Windham County Farm Bureau. Mark got into farming 20 years ago when he left active duty and quickly began researching food systems and where they come from.

“I just thought we could do it a little better and raise the healthiest, most nutrient-dense food that we possibly could ourselves and to help feed my family,” Mark said. “My wife and son both have a chronic illness, so having the highest quality food was really important to us.

“It’s really nice to know that somebody’s got our back here at home, too. We’ve gotten the resources and the help that we need so that I can continue farming. Many veterans come back from war with disabilities of different types, different amounts, and it’s great just to know that somebody is there to help them.”

For more information, visit to www.tn.gov/agriculture/farms/beginning/veteran-farmers.html or contact Troup at 615-837-5165.