Two nonprofits led by ISU Ag Business alums will collaborate with ISU's Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) Beginning Farmer Center; Farm, Food, and Enterprise Development (FFED) program, Area Farm Management staff, and Ag Ventures Alliance Co-op on a three-year $700,000 AgVets grant recently announced by USDA-NIFA.
Veterans in Agriculture is an Iowa nonprofit led by Beth Grabau that has partnered with Iowa Microloan, a nonprofit led by Craig Downs. Grabau and Downs will serve as project co-directors and both are ISU Ag Business graduates. The Coordinating Team also includes David Baker, ISUEO Beginning Farmer Center Director; Mark Edelman, Economics Professor Emeritus; and Courtney Long, ISUEO-FFED.
The AgVets award will facilitate training, industry connections and transition planning for military personnel and veterans interested in starting local food niche market enterprises, returning to a family farm, beginning commercial agriculture or value-added enterprises, and/or pursuing other agri-food system supply chain opportunities.