2026 is International Year of the Woman Farmer and the Farmer Veteran Coalition is committed to featuring women FVC members each month, as a part of the Women of FVC program. This month’s feature is April Smurda, U.S. Air Force, of Growing Roots Farm.
Davian McKnight, U.S. Marine Corps, is the owner and operator of McKnight Farms, as well as the President of the South Carolina FVC Chapter. Davian works to support veterans and members of his community who are interested in agriculture and help others discover agriculture as a path forward.
Darnell Dugger, U.S. Army, was in the 1st Calvary Division and served during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the owner of Acre & Herd Ranch in Griffin, Georgia. In November, he was among five recipients of new Kubota equipment for the “Geared to Give” program.
Every November, our country pauses to honor something truly profound: National Veterans and Military Families Month. Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to thank the brave men and women who served, but this month-long observance widens the lens. It invites us to look closely at the people whose love and commitment make that service possible – the families who carry the weight of military life right alongside their veteran.
The Farmer Veteran Coalition is proud to welcome Maine as its 27th state chapter. As membership and engagement in the farmer veteran movement grows, the state chapters play a vital role in providing support to farmer veterans in their state.
Last month, the Farmer Veteran Coalition hosted its 11th annual Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholders Conference in Waco, TX. The theme for this year was “Emerging Trends in Food, Agriculture, and Health.”
Mark Beacom, U.S. Army Veteran, and his wife, Amy, are the founders of Mush Ohio, a farm specializing in gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. Thanks to the Fellowship Fund, funded by Wounded Warrior Project, they were able to greatly increase their efficiency and focus on more tasks.
This past month, I had the privilege of joining veterans, farmers, and community leaders at The Scale House Market located next to the Spokane Conservation District office to celebrate something extraordinary, the 10-year anniversary of Vets on the Farm.
September is National Preparedness Month, a time set aside each year to strengthen our ability to face the unexpected. Disasters – whether fire, flood, storm, or prolonged power outage – rarely announce their arrival, and their impact can be especially challenging in rural communities.
Final article in series on Barriers to Entry for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers At the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), we know there is no single path to success
