Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
The Land at Home Project (LAHP) is proud to be part of the veteran-to-farmer movement, addressing the challenges Veterans face when transitioning to civilian life with opportunities in regenerative agriculture. We hope Veterans will "land at home" in the agricultural sector, participating in jobs, developing businesses, and revitalizing rural economies and food systems. The overarching goal of this program is to implement a comprehensive and dynamic Veteran agricultural education program that addresses issues at the nexus of human, animal, and environmental health. To this end, the program has the following objectives: 1) Execute a successful outreach campaign through regional networks to reach a wide pool of potential participants, 2) Develop standards to ensure onboarding of uniquely qualified and motivated Veteran participants, 3) Further the veteran-to-farmer movement with an intensive 12-week educational and immersive training program, 4) Foster development of holistic support networks for Veteran participants through mentorship, cultivating personal relationships, mental health trainings and resources, and community building, 5) Equip Veterans with the skills and training to create resilient Veteran-owned businesses with direct technical assistance and support, and 6) Increase Veteran awareness and utilization of resources through USDA and other federal programs.This is the culmination of years of planning efforts with local farms, Veteran-focused organizations, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. The focus of this program will be to equip Veterans with the knowledge they need to develop regenerative and financially sustainable operations. By emphasizing regenerative and sustainable agriculture, this program willl promote development of more resilient local food systems throughout Arizona, especially in light of climate change and the challenges it brings. The experts that make the project team have myriad resources and knowledge to share with the participants, and this will be done through flexible online learning as well as immersive and hands-on internship experiences. Participants will have many opportunities to apply what they learn as they move through the program, reinforcing lessons and concepts and ensuring successful delivery of curriculum. This program also offers extensive business support and USDA resource connections, providing direct technical assistance to help participants develop key planning documents, such as business plans and feasiblity studies, as well as to prepare grant and loan applications. Participants that complete this program will be uniquely primed to tackle the challenges and opportunities present in agricultural businesses. While this program is currently focused in Arizona, it is flexible and can be recreated in any region or food system in the United States. The online certificate program can be accessed anywhere. Regional learning centers of the LAHP's program could be created at any location, given that there are willing host farmers available. As the program is developed and evaluated, there is great potential to implement similar programs in different states or regions.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The overarching goal of this program is to implement a comprehensive and dynamic Veteran agricultural education program that addresses issues at the nexus of human, animal, and environmental health. To this end, the program has the following objectives: 1) Execute a successful outreach campaign through regional networks to reach a wide pool of potential participants, 2) Develop standards to ensure onboarding of uniquely qualified and motivated Veteran participants, 3) Further the veteran-to-farmer movement with an intensive 12-week educational and immersive training program, 4) Foster development of holistic support networks for Veteran participants through mentorship, cultivating personal relationships, mental health trainings and resources, and community building, 5) Equip Veterans with the skills and training to create resilient Veteran-owned businesses with direct technical assistance and support, and 6) Increase Veteran awareness and utilization of resources through USDA and other federal programs.
Project Methods
In order to carry out the stated goal and objectives, the program has been broken down into 4 tasks. These are summarized below.Land at Home AgVets ProjectProposed work plan outline:Task 1: Veteran Focused Outreach and Onboarding Process (Obj. 1, 2, 3)Subtask 1.1: Establish Online Presence and Begin Extensive Online Marketing CampaignSocial media pages, online application, promotional materials that can be sent through email networks and boosted on paid promotionsDeliverable: established pages, consistent content, and a monthly boosted social media post throughout the program period, 100-200 followers by the close of the programSubtask 1.2: Collaboration with Local Federal Programs and Organizations to Promote ProgramWork with local VA office, local SBA offices, regional DoL VETS program to promote the program within their networks and reach a large pool of potential applicantsDeliverable: reach 70-100 potential participants annually, for total of 210-300 Veterans reachedSubtask 1.3: Complete Onboarding Paperwork and Process and Establish Evaluation PlanEstablish soft infrastructure, such as participant agreements, application form and requirements, and onboarding processThe program will be competitive - rubrics for grading potential participants will be established to select the most qualified for each cohort. Make sure it's clear that it's standardized so that everyone is graded fairly. Standardized rubric (include this phrasing)Independent evaluator will be engaged throughout the process to ensure the program meets necessary metricsComplete consistent program and course evaluation to ensure programming is effective and to address gaps as implementation continuesSubtask 1.4: Cultivate Relationships with Host Sites and Develop Regional Learning AreasEstablish additional host sites that reflect different focus, such as viticulture, market gardening, ranching, etc.Participants will be able to choose which host site to complete their internship at that will reflect their personal interestDeliverable: establish 3-4 additional host sites for program participantsTask 2: Dynamic Veteran Agricultural Training over 3-month Cohorts (Obj. 3,4)Subtask 2.1: Establish Cohorts for 3-month Training ProgramCohorts will include 4 participants that will complete the program over 12 weeksParticipants will be paid an hourly wage to complete program tasks, such as online classes, hands-on work at host sites.Participants will be encouraged to network and get to know each other to build the necessary support network that will go beyond the programPotential virtual platform for connection to be explored, such as Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, or similar applicationsDeliverable: 10 cohorts completed over program period with 4 participants in each cohortSubtask 2.2: Experiential Learning at Demonstration Site for 12-week ProgramParticipants will work on a host site to not only get hands-on learning, but to experience day to day activities on an active farm or ranch.A chance to synthesize what is being learned through the online classesHost sites will get paid a stipend to be able to educate and train program participants.Deliverable: participants will work at host site for two full-time weeks (80 hours) for 6,400 total hands-on contact hours throughout the programSubtask 2.3: Deliver Online Agricultural Certificate Program in collaboration with the University of ArizonaComprehensive online curriculum will be developed by January 2025 by the University of ArizonaAdditional support available through UA faculty and staff. Participants will be able to connect with experts through the program as needed to answer questions, clarify topics, and provide more context.Deliverable: Participants will complete online course and receive certification, for a total of 1,800 virtual learning hours executed through the programSubtask 2.4: Complete Intensive Regenerative Agriculture Training by the Savory Institute for Each CohortAll participants will complete an intensive 1-day training that will be led by the Savory InstituteWill focus on regenerative farming and ranching and overarching principles that promote climate-smart agricultural practices in-line with ecological capacity of the landDeliverable: Each cohort will complete intensive workshop for 320 total hours of hands-on training throughout the programSubtask 2.5: Establish Veteran Mentorship for Each ParticipantLAHP will connect participants with agriculture Veteran MentorsMain mentor is at DAAWN Ranch, additional mentors will be identified as the program continuesMentors will be paid for their timeDeliverable: each mentor will dedicate up to 200 hours each year to supporting Veteran participantsTask 3: Develop Veteran Toolbox for Resilient Agricultural Business Development (Obj. 5,6)Subtask 3.1: Posttraumatic Growth Training Provided through Boulder Crest FoundationProvide participants with tools to address trauma and mental health issuesDeliverable: Trainings with BCF, 1-day events for each cohortSubtask 3.2: One-on-One Business Support and Technical Assistance to Veteran ParticipantsParticipants will be able to access one-on-one technical support to develop business plans, discuss incorporation options, and further develop career goalsSupport will be tailored to individual needs and help address barriers to establishing agricultural businessesDeliverable: provide direct technical assistance to 3-4 participants each year of the program for a total of 9-12 throughout program periodSubtask 3.3: Connect Veteran Participants with USDA ResourcesWork with Veterans to understand resources available through USDA, including FSA farm loans, NRCS infrastructure grants, marketing grants through AMS, and more.Help Veteran participants gather necessary documentation for accessing these programsDeliverable: connect 2-3 Veteran participants to USDA resources annually, for 6-9 throughout the grant periodSubtask 3.4: Create Network of Available Resources for Veteran ParticipantsProgram will be a hub to connect participants to what they needPotential programs include SBDC's, the Farmer Veteran Coalition, Veteran Services department, and moreDeliverables: the program will refer out 3-4 participants each year to additional resources, for a total of 9-12 participants throughout program periodTask 4: Program Management and Reporting (Obj. 1-6)Subtask 4.1: Quarterly Project MeetingsQuarterly meetings with the project team to ensure program progress is occurring on scheduleSubtask 4.2: Program Evaluation and ControlWork with Regenerative Business Institute as an independent evaluatorFinancial tracking and budget managementComplete reimbursement requests through USDASubtask 4.3: Data Management and Federal ReportingComplete program reporting requirements, including financial reports and program progress reportsSubtask 4.4: Information Sharing and Program CloseoutPresent on the program at a local or regional conference to share outcomes and insightsComplete program closeout as required by USDA NIFA