Today, the Farmer Veteran Coalition stands on the doorstep of something extraordinary, 60,000 members nationwide. And this one means something.
This milestone was not easily won. It was built over 17 years of determination, belief, sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to America’s veterans and agriculture. From our earliest days as a small start-up in Davis, California, there were people who believed this organization could become something bigger. People built programs when there were few resources. They recruited members, formed partnerships, raised money, volunteered their time, served on boards, launched chapters, mentored fellow veterans, and told the FVC story one person at a time.
Then came COVID, when so much of the world stopped – but the need to serve our members did not. We persevered through the pandemic and those California fires that evacuated some of our team members! We adapted, kept moving forward, and continued finding ways to connect veterans with the resources and opportunities they needed.
We relocated our national headquarters from California to Waco, Texas, beginning another chapter in FVC’s story. We watched our state chapter network grow across the country, driven by Farmer Veterans who stepped forward to build something in their own communities. There were tremendous victories along the way, and there were difficult days. There were moments when the road ahead was anything but certain. But people kept showing up and prayers were answered.
That is why reaching 60,000 is so emotional. Because every single person who has been part of the Farmer Veteran Coalition has helped us get here. If you were there at the beginning, rejoice with us today. If you helped us through COVID, recession, inflation, and government shutdowns, rejoice with us today. If you helped build a state chapter, served on a board or committee, volunteered at an event, answered a member’s call, wrote a grant, opened a door, donated a dollar, sponsored a program, hired a Farmer Veteran, shared our mission, or simply believed in what FVC could become – rejoice with us today. And if you joined FVC yesterday, rejoice with us, too, because you are now part of what comes next.
Not one person built the Farmer Veteran Coalition. Thousands of people did. Today, nearly 60,000 members stand together because of what all of you helped create. So yes, we are going to celebrate this one. We are going to remember where we started. We are going to honor everyone who carried this mission forward. And we are going to look toward the future knowing there are thousands more veterans and military families we have yet to reach.
To everyone who has ever been part of the Farmer Veteran Coalition story, this victory belongs to you. Be proud and rejoice with us. Take a moment today to look at how far we have come and look at what we built together. 60,000 STRONG, and we are just getting started.
All my thanks and gratitude for all that you do for our mission!
Jeanette Lombardo
Chief Executive Officer
Farmer Veteran Coalition
