Updated February 9, 2018
Farm Bill Primer: Support for Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
The lead-up to the 2018 farm bill has seen efforts to expand
The 2014 farm bill also required that BFRs, including
support for U.S. veterans who want to become farmers and
veterans who produce value-added products, receive
ranchers. Several farm bill programs already provide
priority consideration for grants under the Value-Added
support for veteran farmers and ranchers, generally as part
Producer Grant program. The law also gives BFRs,
of programs and provisions that broadly address the needs
including veterans, preferential rules on USDA’s microloan
of beginning farmers and ranchers (BFRs). Legislation
program. Finally, the law added veterans to existing
introduced in the 115th Congress could provide additional
conservation provisions specific to beginning and socially
support specifically for veteran farmers and ranchers.
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, making veterans
eligible for increased cost share assistance, additional
Farm Bill Support for Veterans
financial incentives, and funding preference under certain
Several programs authorized in the 2014 farm bill
programs (see text box).
(Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79) provide financial
and resource management support to help U.S. veterans
2014 Farm Bill Provisions Addressing
transition to farming or ranching and to maintain successful
Veterans
farming or ranching businesses as part of broader efforts to
support other BFRs.
Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and
USDA reports that the rural post-9/11 veteran
Ranchers (Section 2501 Program) (§12201)—Provides
resources, outreach, and technical assistance through grants.
population rose from 200,000 in 2006 to more than
400,000 in 2016 and now accounts for about 13% of
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development
the total rural veteran population.
Program (§7409)—Funds training, education, outreach, and
technical assistance to BFRs.
Under existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Value-Added Producer Grants (§6203)—Gives beginning
programs authorized in the farm bill, the term veteran
farmers, including veterans, who produce value-added
products priority consideration for grants.
farmer or rancher is defined in statute to mean a farmer or
rancher who has served in the Armed Forces—covering the
Microloans to BFRs (§5106)—Made permanent the USDA’s
U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast
microloan program, providing beginning and veteran farmers
preferential rules on microloans (§5106(b)).
Guard (38 U.S.C. 101(10))—who “has not operated a farm
or ranch; or ... has operated a farm or ranch for not more
Conservation Reserve Program Transition Incentives
than 10 years” (7 USC §2279(e)(7)). This statutory
Program (CRP-TIP) (§2006(b))—Adds veterans to the
portion of the program that facilitates transfers of expiring
definition was established as part of the 2014 farm bill. The
CRP land from retired/retiring farmers to beginning and
last farm bill also authorized the creation of a Military
socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
Veterans Agricultural Liaison position at USDA.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program and
The 2014 farm bill also added support for veterans to
Conservation Stewardship Program (§§2604, 2606,
USDA’s
2203)—Adds preference for veterans receiving financial and
Outreach and Assistance for Socially
technical conservation assistance.
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers
and Ranchers—also known as the Section 2501 program.
Outreach to Military Veterans (§12304)—Establishes a
USDA position of Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison to
The Section 2501 program provides resources, outreach,
help veterans prepare for careers in farming or ranching.
and technical assistance to veteran farmers or ranchers
Source: CRS from USDA information. Other information is at
(among other eligible entities) through grants, contracts,
USDA’s website (https://newfarmers.usda.gov/veterans).
and other agreements. Grants support a range of activities,
including farm management, financial management,
Other USDA programs support veteran farmers and
marketing, and application and bidding procedures.
ranchers as part of broader efforts that support new and
Funding for the program is mandatory and is $10 million
beginning farmers and ranchers. Policies supporting BFRs
for each fiscal year through FY2018.
generally date back to the early 1990s and have continued
The 2014 farm bill also expanded the Beginning Farmer
to be part of subsequent farm bill debates. USDA programs
and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), which also
that specifically support BFRs include crop insurance,
funds training, education, outreach, and technical assistance
disaster assistance, loans and grants, loan repayment
to BFRs. Among other changes to BFRDP is a requirement
assistance, tax benefits, conservation assistance, training
that not less than 5% of available funding be used to
and education, transition assistance to convert to certified
support programs and services that address the needs of
organic agriculture, and programs to match retiree
veteran farmers and ranchers. Mandatory funding for the
landowners with buyers. While many USDA programs are
program is set at $20 million annually through 2018.
generally available to all U.S. farmers, others specifically
target new farmers. For a list of such targeted programs, see
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Farm Bill Primer: Support for Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
CRS In Focus IF10641, Farm Bill Primer: Federal
Figure 1. Rural Veteran Population, 2006-2016
Programs Supporting New Farmers.
Veterans may be eligible for and served by other farm bill
programs in other USDA mission areas, but these benefits
and services are not specific to veteran farmers and
ranchers. For instance, low-income veterans may be eligible
for food assistance from nutrition title programs, or
veterans living in rural communities may be eligible for
housing, employment, and other community services from
rural development title programs.
USDA also partners with other federal agencies to support
veterans. For example, the Department of Defense-USDA
Partnership for Military Families project supports a range of
Source: Economic Research Service from Census Bureau data.
professional development and workforce development
Figure 2. Employment Among Veteran Groups, 2015
opportunities for veterans and their families. Services are
delivered through land-grant universities and the state
Cooperative Extension System, which provide a range of
educational and technical assistance to new farmers and
assistive technologies for farmers with disabilities.
Other Federal Agency Support
Other federal agencies also provide a range of services
supporting veteran farmers and ranchers that generally fall
outside the farm bill debate. Examples include the U.S.
Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Boots to Business
program, which provides support to veterans through
entrepreneurial education and training. The Department of
Veterans Affairs also provides entrepreneurial
Source: USDA, Amber Waves, September 2015.
development, education and training, and business services
through the Post-9/11 GI Bill (see CRS Report R42785, GI
Earlier legislative initiatives supporting veteran business
Bills Enacted Prior to 2008 and Related Veterans’
startups have involved agencies other than USDA. In the
Educational Assistance Programs: A Primer, for more
114th Congress, the Veterans Entrepreneurial Transition Act
information). On-farm training is also available.
of 2015 (S. 1870, S.Rept. 114-411) would have covered
certain business costs for veterans to start or acquire
Data and Characteristics
qualifying business enterprises (as determined by SBA).
USDA reports that the rural post-9/11 veteran population
increased from 200,000 in 2006 to more than 400,000 in
In April 2016, a Senate Subcommittee on Appropriations
2016 (Figure 1). Post-9/11 veterans account for about 13%
conducted a hearing to “Review Opportunities and Benefits
of the total rural veteran population, up from about 4%.
for Military Veterans in Agriculture.” At the hearing,
Nevertheless, overall, the rural veteran population has been
USDA’s Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison asserted
decreasing. USDA data also indicate that working-age
certain program needs. Examples cited included the need
veterans tend to rely more on employment in manufacturing
for additional support for both BFRDP and USDA’s Office
and far less on agriculture compared to elder veterans
of Advocacy and Outreach in order to continue outreach,
(Figure 2). Data are not available on the number of
education, and training for underserved farmer and rancher
veterans who wish to enter farming or ranching.
groups. Other identified needs included support for USDA
Farm Service Agency offices, administration of the farm
Efforts to Expand Support for Veterans
loan and microloan programs, and support for USDA’s
A number of bills have been introduced that could expand
conservation programs that provide priority preferences for
farm bill support for veteran farmers and ranchers. For
veterans. The need for education and training, as well as
example, the Veterans’ Agricultural Apprenticeship Act of
horticultural therapy for veterans, was also emphasized.
2017 (H.R. 4339) would establish a USDA loan program to
Separately, also in 2016, two House Agriculture Committee
support mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities for
hearings reviewed veteran farmer contributions to food
veterans. The Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance
security and the experiences of veterans regarding
Act (H.R. 3667) would provide for a five-year extension of
agriculture and national security.
the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (7
U.S.C. 1932(i)(4)) program, which provides information
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, extension
IF10826
agents, and educators and is mostly funded through a
cooperative agreement with USDA’s Rural Business-
Cooperative Service. Veterans are also specifically
identified as eligible for programs in other introduced
legislation (e.g., S. 909, S. 499).
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Farm Bill Primer: Support for Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
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