Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholders Conference: Full Schedule

NRCS Chief Terry Cosby leads a premier federal conservation agency known for its 3,000 field-office network that helps farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners nationwide plan and carry out voluntary conservation activities on their operations. During Terry’s more than 40-year... Read More →

Lawrence Rhone

Program Manager, Farmer Veteran Coalition- National

Lawrence Rhone is a Fayetteville, North Carolina, native and Army veteran who served during both the Cold War and Gulf War eras in field artillery as a forward observer which included directing close air support. In addition to his time spent sending rounds down range, Lawrence also... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:30am CDT
Location: Shawnee

8:00am CDT

Exhibitor Showcase Open

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:00am - 4:00pm CDT

Location: Kansa CDE

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:00am - 4:00pm CDT
Location: Kansa CDE

8:30am CDT

USDA Panel

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am CDT

Location: Shawnee

Participants include:
Moderator- Monshi Ramdass, USDA, Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison (MVAL)
Floyd Nauls, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Outreach Coordinator and Tribal Liaison for Texas
Rick Lopez, USDA Farm Service Agency, National Outreach Specialist
Brian Guse, USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, Director
Christine Tomkus, USDA Military Spouse and Veterans Employment Program Manager (MVP)
Greg York, USDA Rural Development, Business Loan & Grant Analyst
Sean Patrick, USDA Risk Management Agency, Tribal Liaison and Deputy Director of Risk Management Education

Speakers

Monshi Ramdass

Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison (MVAL), USDA

Monshi Ramdass serves as the Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison (MVAL) at the Department of Agriculture, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, Office of the Secretary. In this role he serves as the MVAL and establishes effective partnerships with Federal Agencies, state... Read More →

Floyd Nauls

State Outreach Coordinator and Tribal Liaison for Texas, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Floyd Nauls Jr. is the State Outreach Coordinator & Tribal Liaison for Texas. He has been a Soil Conservationist and District Conservationist for NRCS in many different field offices throughout the state of Texas. Floyd is a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University and the George... Read More →

Rick Lopez

National Outreach Specialist, USDA Farm Service Agency

Rick Lopez is a Desert Storm Veteran where he served for the US Army as an Intelligence Analyst.Rick Lopez has been working for the Government for 22 years. He has been with the Farm Service Agency since 2010. He started as a Farm Loan Officer, which he did for 5 ½ years and since... Read More →

Brian Guse

Director, USDA, Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Brian V. Guse serves as the first permanent Director of the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP), a department wide resource housed within USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service. OUAIP was authorized under the 2018 Farm Bill to improve USDA’s... Read More →

Christine Tomkus

Military Spouse and Veterans Employment Program Manager (MVP), USDA

Christine Tomkus is the United States Department of Agriculture Military Spouse and Veterans Employment Program Manager, and Co-Founder and Past President of the USDA Military Spouse Association employee organization. Throughout her 20+ year career she has worked with veterans, servicemembers... Read More →

Greg York

Business Loan and Grant Analyst, USDA Rural Development

Greg York is a Business Loan and Grant Analyst with the USDA Rural Development Agency, based out of Washington, D.C.. Greg’s primary role is working on the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) on the National Office level but has also worked on the program at the State Office level... Read More →

Sean Patrick

Tribal Liaison and Deputy Director of Risk Management Education, USDA Risk Management Agency

Sean Patrick is Tribal Liaison and Deputy Director for Risk Management Education for USDA’s Risk Management Agency. In these roles, he spearheads outreach efforts to underserved communities and oversees grants and cooperative agreements that provide valuable training to agricultural... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am CDT
Location: Shawnee

9:45am CDT

Break

Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:45am - 10:00am CDT

10:00am CDT

2nd Breakout Session: Top 10 Legal Considerations for Farmers in 2024

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Location: Sioux

Kristine Tidgren will be providing an overview of legal considerations associated with different farming opportunities!

Speakers

Kristine Tidgren

Director, Center for Ag Law and Taxation, Dolezal Adjunct Associate Professor, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Farm Management Team

Kristine Tidgren is an adjunct associate professor in the Agricultural Education & Studies Department and the director for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. Kristine’s work focuses on studying and interpreting laws impacting the agricultural industry. In particular... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Location: Sioux

Track A: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Access

10:00am CDT

2nd Breakout Session: Regenerative Grazing and Management

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Location: Wyandot

Greg and Jan Judy of Clark, Missouri run a grazing operation on 1660 acres of leased and owned land. Greg and Jan went from near bankruptcy in 1999 to paying off a 200-acre farm and house in 3 years with custom grazing on leased land and are debt free. They own 4 farms and lease 13 farms. They graze South Poll cattle, St Croix hair sheep, guardian dogs and Shiitake mushrooms.

Greg wrote a book in 2001, entitled “No Risk Ranching, Custom Grazing on Leased Land”, which details the methods they used to build their operation from scratch. In 2008 Greg wrote a second book “Comeback Farms, Rejuvenating Soils, Pastures and Profits with Livestock Grazing Management”. Greg’s second book covers all the methods they use with Holistic High Density Grazing, multi-species grazing, grass finishing animals, eliminating costly inputs. In 2021 Greg wrote his 3rd book entitled, “Greg Judy’s How to Think Like a Grazier”.

Greg started his own YouTube channel “Greg Judy Regenerative Rancher” in 2019 and now has 875,000 viewers per month.

Speakers

Greg Judy

Owner, Green Pastures Farm

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Location: Wyandot

Track B: Self-sufficiency on the Farm

10:00am CDT

2nd Breakout Session: Risk Mitigation

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Location: Osage A

Speakers

Rick Lopez

National Outreach Specialist, USDA Farm Service Agency

Sandy Martini

VP / COO, Native Agriculture Financial Services

Sandy Martini, a member of the Cherokee Tribe, is a trained agricultural economist and serves as NAFS VP/COO.She has spent the last 15 years teaching record keeping, financial management, business planning and food safety to Native farmers and ranchers. Prior to working for NAAF... Read More →

Harleigh Moore-Wilson

Native Agriculture Financial Services

Harleigh Moore-Wilson, a citizen of the Osage Nation, has a diverse set of talents and education that make her a well-rounded individual. With a background in Agricultural Engineering and Food Science and a dedication to Native American communities, she is promoting food sovereignty... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Location: Osage A

Track C: Climate Adaptation and Risk Management

10:00am CDT

2nd Breakout Session: Urban Agriculture

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Location: Osage BC

This "Small Scale and Micro Farming" session will offer attendees clear and concise information about smaller farming practices. Beginning with clear definitions, participants will gain insight into what distinguishes small-scale farming from micro-farming. A brief historical overview contextualizes the significance of these farming methods, highlighting their enduring importance. Delving into the why, the session will underscore the critical role small-scale and micro-farming play in sustainable agriculture and local food systems. Benefits, including enhanced community engagement and environmental stewardship, are underscored alongside effective pest and disease control strategies. While acknowledging challenges like limited scalability, the session will emphasize numerous advantages, including diversified income streams and resilient food production. Participants will gain practical knowledge on cultivating various cash crops and livestock suited for small-scale operations alongside innovative income-generating opportunities. Finally, the session peers into the future, envisioning an increasingly pivotal role for small-scale and micro-farming in shaping resilient and sustainable agricultural landscapes.

Speakers

Amanda Blount

Farming Educator/Micro-Farmer, Plough Monday Farm

Amanda Blount is a retired Army veteran and retired DOD employee with a deep-rooted passion for micro-farming, urban farming, sustainable living, and locally sourced food. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to grant writing, funding, filming, and sustainable agriculture... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Location: Osage BC

Track D: Small-scale Ag Farming Operations

11:00am CDT

Break

Tuesday October 29, 2024 11:00am - 11:15am CDT

11:15am CDT

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Plenary

Tuesday October 29, 2024 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT

Location: Shawnee

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Program
This year, the Farmer Veteran Coalition has become a Center of Distinction for Advocates for Human Potential WRAP program. “Wellness Recovery Action Plan” is a comprehensive tool to aid in navigating “Behavioral Health Challenges” and “Significant Life Events. While QPR (Question Persuade Refer, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills) training and MHF (Mental Health First Aid) training address the “Intervention” of another person who is experiencing “Thoughts or Plans of Suicide;” WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) is a tool of “Resilience and Prevention completed by the Veteran themselves.” WRAP’s “Five Key Concepts” (Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy, & Support), provide a “Structured, Evidence-Based Practice” that has been in existence for over 25 years. WRAP is a comprehensive tool that significantly enhances one’s capacity to self-advocate.

WRAP provides an individual with the capacity to experience having a purpose in life as well as being actively involved in satisfying work and play, being part of joyful relationships, and experiencing happiness. Wellness does not imply the absence of physical illness or impairment or the lack of a behavioral health diagnosis. Anyone can experience wellness within their current life circumstances. Recovery is a process of change that helps us improve our health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and work to meet our full potential in all areas of our lives.

Speakers

Lynn Miller

Director of WRAP, Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)

Lynn A. Miller, M.Ed., is the Director of WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). She is skilled in correctional administration, including education, group facilitation, curricula development, and training program administration. Ms. Miller uses... Read More →

Lawrence Rhone

Program Manager, Farmer Veteran Coalition- National

Tuesday October 29, 2024 11:15am - 12:00pm CDT
Location: Shawnee

12:00pm CDT

Lunch with Awards and Recognition

Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

Location: Shawnee

Speakers

Jeanette Lombardo

CEO, Farmer Veteran Coalition

Jeanette Lombardo’s passion and life experiences have uniquely prepared her to lead Farmer Veteran Coalition. Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, while her father served in the U.S. Air Force, she was raised on her family’s multi-generational farm in Erie, Pennsylvania.Jeanette spent... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Location: Shawnee

1:00pm CDT

3rd Breakout Session: Finance and Business Planning

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Location: Wyandot

Wanting to start a farm, but unsure if it’ll be successful? Full of great ideas for your farm, but struggle to implement them? Or maybe just trying to strategize your farm’s future, but don’t know where to start? Writing a business plan can dramatically increase the success of implementing your ideas and goals.

Curtis Mahnken with CFFM will guide you through their AgPlan online business planning software. With multiple templates to help you organize your business into a comprehensive business plan, it allows you to highlight your unique operation.

Holly Aker with the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England will teach you how to utilize the business model canvas to make the case for your business idea. This session will cover idea recognition, understanding your market, competitive analysis, and developing your business model. The business model canvas is the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to develop a business plan.

Speakers

Curtis Mahnken

Economist, Center for Farm Financial Management

Curtis Mahnken joined the Center for Farm Financial Management in 2010 as an Extension Economist. Prior to arriving at the center, he spent four years with the University of Kentucky as an Area Extension Specialist in Farm Business Management. While at UK, he authored the 2008 Dairy... Read More →

Jennie Murphy

Executive Director, Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England

Jenniefer S. Murphy is the Executive Director of the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England, a program serving military affiliated individuals in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Jenniefer has a distinguished career in designing... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Location: Wyandot

Track A: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Access

1:00pm CDT

3rd Breakout Session: Food Safety

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Location: Osage A

Paige Anderson will deliver a presentation covering Raw Agricultural Commodities (RAC), the Missouri Cottage Food Law, mandatory inspections, the selling of RACs and cottage food items, and how Missouri law pertains to retail sales for direct-to-consumer transactions.

Speakers

Paige Anderson

Retail Food Program Manager, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Location: Osage A

Track B: Self-sufficiency on the Farm

1:00pm CDT

3rd Breakout Session: Ag Technology

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Location: Osage BC

The story of Taranis begins when four friends decided to use their unique ag backgrounds and technology skillsets to support rural and agricultural communities.Together, they used their knowledge of advanced imaging and AI to deliver insights to advisors and growers on a level that’s never been done before, providing crop scouting that covers more acres with more detail, more quickly.
So, they set out to create the largest library of leaf-level field imagery. They developed models that help pinpoint areas for improvement and identify solutions quickly. And they quickly built a team of passionate people who know more and care more about the future of agriculture.
Taranis: Leading Crop Management Software

Speakers

Taranis Crop Management Software

Taranis

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Location: Osage BC

Track C: Climate Adaptation and Risk Management

1:00pm CDT

3rd Breakout Session: Controlled Environment Agriculture

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Location: Sioux

Drawing on decades of practical experience farming both indoors and outdoors, Michael will discuss the benefits and challenges of the different types of structures available for extending the season and improving the yields of vegetable production. He will discuss strategies for producing in the various systems and how best to maximize income from each one.

Speakers

Randy Ryan

Michael O'Gorman Farming

Randy Ryan grew up with his Aunt & Uncle on their farm in rural west Tennessee, where they tended to both cattle and crops. He joined the Army at 17 and served with the XVIII Airborne Corps. He attended North Carolina State University and then Circle in the Square Professional Theatre... Read More →

Michael O'Gorman

Partner, Michael O'Gorman Farming

Michael began farming in 1970, becoming an early pioneer of the organic farming movement. Michael was hired to run the first organic farm in Salinas, California in 1990. Over the next two decades he produced $250 million of certified organic vegetables throughout California, Arizona... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Location: Sioux

Track D: Small-scale Ag Farming Operations

2:00pm CDT

Climate Smart Plenary Session

Tuesday October 29, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Location: Shawnee

Speakers

John Porter

Outreach & Partnership Liaison, Land O’Lakes, Inc.

John Porter serves as the Outreach & Partnership Liaison for Truterra, the farmer-driven sustainability and regenerative agriculture business of Land O’Lakes. He focuses on outreach to underserved farmer groups as part of Truterra’s USDA Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities... Read More →

Joe Winchell

Field Program Lead, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

As Field Program Lead, Joe manages the enrollment and technical assistance portion of the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund. He has a background in developing solutions to agronomic needs for businesses in agriculture from his time in retail and wholesale agronomy sales. He earned bachelor’s... Read More →

Tuesday October 29, 2024 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Location: Shawnee

3:00pm CDT

Break

Tuesday October 29, 2024 3:00pm - 3:15pm CDT

3:15pm CDT

Chapter Awards and "Sustainability of Your State Chapter" Session

Tuesday October 29, 2024 3:15pm - 4:30pm CDT

Location: Shawnee

Sustainability of Your State Chapter
This session is designed to equip state chapter leaders with the knowledge and tools to help ensure the long-term success and sustainability of your state chapter.

This introductory class will guide participants through the essential components of sustaining and growing their Farmer Veteran Coalition state chapter. Topics include the importance of thinking like a business manager first and a farmer second, creating focused mission statements and objectives for each organization, navigating local and state grant funding opportunities, and the importance of monthly or quarterly chapter fundraisers. Participants will also learn about the significance of proper grant management, maximizing funding outcomes by building relationships and partnerships with similar nonprofits, the ethical considerations in grant writing and reporting of funding, thinking off the farm for grants and funding, and strategies for locating chapter and individual farmer and small business grants.

Each participant will receive the class presentation by email and the opportunity to join free online resources.

Speakers