By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Veterans and other beginning farmers face numerous challenges getting into agriculture. Much goes into the development and management of any kind of agricultural business: from planning the business entity, to liability considerations, to marketing and running the operation.

Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, is a frequent presenter at Armed to Farm events, which provide training to military veterans as they get started in agriculture. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

In the U.S., more than 289,000 farms have producers with military service, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. These farms account for more than 108 million acres of land throughout the country.

Veterans pursuing agriculture as a business may require training and want support as they get started in their new journey. A program from the National Center for Appropriate Technology fills that need: Armed to Farm.

Launched in 2013, Armed to Farm’s purpose is to provide training, resources and opportunities to military veterans as they get started in agriculture, connecting them to invaluable resources.

“Across the country, there are veterans who want to start a new business opportunity in farming,” Margo Hale, Armed to Farm program director, said. “Our program provides not only a solid foundation in the basic principles of operating a sustainable farming enterprise, but also a support system they can rely on throughout their farming journey. We want to see them succeed in reaching their goals.”

Armed to Farm training events are hosted frequently at locations across the U.S. At the events, veterans learn about farming and sustainable agriculture, develop goals for their business and connect with other veterans and farmers.

Rusty Rumley, a senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, is a frequent presenter at Armed to Farm events, having spoken at trainings nationwide over the past decade. He said there is a lot of ground to cover in these presentations, as getting started in agricultural business is no small feat.

“I talk about business entities, landowner liability, ag leasing and more with veterans at these events,” he said. “I always receive great questions, too. Helping these veterans learn about the process of starting an ag business and connecting them to other resources is something the NALC is very proud to be a part of.”

Rumley’s presentations utilize research materials published on the NALC website, which is regularly updated. Much of this research is stored in the NALC’s numerous “Reading Rooms.” The Reading Rooms cover a range of agricultural subjects, many of which Rumley has developed over the years. These include topics of interest to new farmers, such as business organizations, agritourism, and landowner liability. Information on topics such as these is crucial in helping veterans in their new endeavor.

“There’s so much to cover, it’s important we have resources available on our website to help those who need it, too,” he said.

Hale said that while the workshops conclude after a week, their impact lasts much longer.

“It’s amazing to see veterans from our program go on to build up and improve their agricultural businesses,” Hale said. “The connections they make during Armed to Farm workshops last well beyond the workshops themselves, too.”

Rumley will next speak at an Armed to Farm workshop in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Aug. 14-15.

A full list of upcoming Armed to Farm events can be found online.