For farmers and ranchers, stewardship and profitability cannot be separated. We can care deeply about the land, but an agricultural operation must also generate enough income to survive.
There is no such thing as a risk-free year in agriculture, anyone who has spent time around farmers knows that. You can make good decisions, work from before sunrise until after dark, carefully manage your finances and do almost everything right, and still have Mother Nature change your plans overnight. For a small farmer, one bad year can be especially hard to absorb. That is why I believe we need to talk more about crop insurance with beginning farmers and ranchers, particularly our nation’s Farmer Veterans.
The Farmer Veteran Coalition is proud to announce that we have reached 60,000 members nationwide! 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.
For many farmers and ranchers, 2026 feels like a year when the numbers simply do not work the way they used to. The newly released Surviving the Farm Economy Downturn: 2026 Update, developed by the Southern Extension Economics Committee and other agricultural experts with support from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, provides an important message: American agriculture is experiencing significant financial pressure, but today’s conditions are not yet comparable to the farm crisis of the 1980s. That distinction matters. This is a time for action, not panic.
To the members, chapter leaders, partners, and fellow veteran-serving organizations across our national network. Military service and the weapons of conflict are changing. The injuries and experiences connected to modern warfare are changing as well. I believe the veteran-serving community should begin considering what this means for the next generation of veterans, many of whom are already entering our offices and programs.
As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, Americans have an opportunity to pause and reflect on an extraordinary journey – one marked by triumph and tragedy, perseverance and progress, division, and unity.
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe across the United States, creating major challenges for agricultural producers. To support members during these emergencies, the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) has created a Disaster Preparedness, Relief, and Recovery (DPRR) system designed to help Farmer Veterans prepare for disasters, respond during emergencies, and recover afterward.
Coalition Members, April always feels like a turning point. The days are longer, the soil is waking up, and across the country farmers are preparing for a new
As we move deeper into this growing season, it’s clear that many of you are facing more than the usual challenges that come with farming and ranching. Rising input costs, unpredictable weather, shifting markets – and now global instability – are all hitting at once. These aren’t distant issues. They’re showing up in real time on your farms, shaping the decisions you have to make every day.
Across the United States, thousands of farmers and ranchers quietly serve in a second role beyond agriculture. They are members of the National Guard or military reserves – citizen soldiers who balance military duty with the everyday work of producing food, fiber, and livestock for the country.
