Unless it runs in the family, starting a farm can be tough, but state officials want to make it as easy as possible for military veterans.
Several state agencies and businesses have partnered to host veterans at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro on Friday to point them toward helpful resources.
The Veterans 4 Ag Summit is part of the state's recent push to attract retired service members to the $20 billion-a-year industry that is facing a cliff as the average Arkansas farmer's age steadily climbs. In 2012, the average farmer's age was 57, said Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward; by now, it's likely over 60.
"Guys are staying longer on the farm and not retiring, because no one is there to take their place," Ward said.
Eventually, they will retire, and that's where the state's stable of 250,000 veterans comes in. Careers in the military have trained them to handle technologically advanced, multimillion-dollar machinery, just like on the farm, Ward said.
Agriculture experts have noted additional similarities between military life and agriculture: early mornings, discipline, adversity and public service.
Combat veterans have also reported that life on a farm can be therapeutic. It helps some work through post-traumatic stress disorder; for others, it simply helps ease the transition back to life as a civilian.
"Veterans have, are, and will be engaged in all aspects of our Arkansas economy," Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs Director Nate Todd said. "Veterans come from a problem-solving culture of our military. They are self-disciplined. They are self-starters and early risers; sounds like to me, they are good candidates for the farming profession."
The state Agriculture Department in 2015 rolled out the Homegrown By Heroes program to help farming veterans network and market their goods. The 27 veterans currently enrolled in the program have signs emblazoned with the program's logo to tell consumers the product was not only grown by a veteran but also in Arkansas.
Christian Olson, a spokesman for the Agriculture Department, said the program is always looking to add more members.
Will Hanna, 66, served in the Navy from 1969-73, and four years ago, he started farming pasture-raised hogs and sheep in Bentonville.
Hanna is not a typical farmer. The California native spent decades as a firefighter and fire marshal before plunging into agriculture.
The money he and his wife had saved over the years provided a safety net most new farmers lack. He's able to weather the long gaps between getting paid, and he can afford to merely break even or turn a small profit.
Friday's summit is important, especially for young veterans thinking about a career in agriculture, Hanna said. There, he said, they should get a good idea of whether it's a challenge they want to face.
"Getting into farming at the ground level is very challenging unless it's inherited or in a place where land is inexpensive," Hanna said. "It's a tough way to go, but there are ways to do it. And there's resources out there that will help."
Friday's summit will feature booths and panels to direct veterans to state and federal departments, academia, financial institutions, and agriculture and veterans' organizations that may be helpful to people starting out in the agriculture industry.
"I hope it's informative," Ward said. "I hope it guides people's decisions and gives them a realistic look at if agriculture is the right career for them."
Those interested in the event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, can find additional information and register online here.
Metro on 10/05/2017