DOD integrating agriculture into career counseling
September 14, 2015 |07:49 PM
The Defense Department will integrate agriculture into the career training and counseling programs that service members get as they transition out of the military, Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden and Susan Kelly, director of DOD’s Transition to Veterans Program Office, announced today.
“Rural America disproportionately sends its sons and daughters to serve in the military,” Harden said in the news release. “When service members return home, we want them to know that rural America has a place for them — no matter where they're from.”
“This expanded collaboration between USDA and DOD will help to ensure that returning service members know that there are a wide variety of loans, grants, training and technical assistance for veterans who are passionate about a career in agriculture, no matter their experience level,” she said.
Every year, approximately 200,000 service members prepare for return to civilian life through the Transition Assistance Program, USDA said in the news release.
The USDA-DOD partnership will help to ensure they learn about know about USDA programs ranging from farm loans to conservation programs to nutrition assistance to rural rental housing and homeownership opportunities.
Since 2009, USDA has provided $438 million in farm loans to help more than 6,482 veterans purchase farmland, buy equipment and make repairs and upgrades. Since it was launched in January 2013, USDA's microloan program has provided more than $22.6 million in support to help 1,083 veterans grow their farming businesses.
“Rural America disproportionately sends its sons and daughters to serve in the military,” Harden said in the news release. “When service members return home, we want them to know that rural America has a place for them — no matter where they're from.”
“This expanded collaboration between USDA and DOD will help to ensure that returning service members know that there are a wide variety of loans, grants, training and technical assistance for veterans who are passionate about a career in agriculture, no matter their experience level,” she said.
Every year, approximately 200,000 service members prepare for return to civilian life through the Transition Assistance Program, USDA said in the news release.
The USDA-DOD partnership will help to ensure they learn about know about USDA programs ranging from farm loans to conservation programs to nutrition assistance to rural rental housing and homeownership opportunities.
Since 2009, USDA has provided $438 million in farm loans to help more than 6,482 veterans purchase farmland, buy equipment and make repairs and upgrades. Since it was launched in January 2013, USDA's microloan program has provided more than $22.6 million in support to help 1,083 veterans grow their farming businesses.
