Issues this project seeks to address are threefold; 1. Unemployment rates for veterans transitioning from military service into civilian life; 2. Aging farmer/rancher workforce in texas & the united…

Issues this project seeks to address are threefold; 1. Unemployment rates for veterans transitioning from military service into civilian life; 2. Aging farmer/rancher workforce in texas & the united states; 3. The alarming number of returning veterans with reported disabilities facing barriers to employment.unemployment rate: barriers to returning to work for veterans: several factors influence veterans' ability to return to the civilian workforce and find new careers after their military service. Survey data (prudential, 2012) has indicated that two-thirds of veterans experienced a difficult transition from military to civilian life. In 2018, the national conference of state legislators reports that the largest difference between employment rates of veterans & nonveterans is among those between 25 to 34 years of age (male veterans 6.1% VS. Male nonveterans 4.5% and female veterans 8% VS. Female non-veterans 4.5%). Additionally, disabilities & chronic health conditions create barriers for employment. As of 2017, 4.9 million or 24% of veterans have a service-connected disability (bureau of labor statistics, 2018). Several studies (milliken ET AL. 2007; seal ET AL. 2008; department of defense task force on mental health) report high prevalence of mental health problems in returning veterans such as post- traumatic stress disorder (ptsd), depression, anxiety, and suicide. IT has also been estimated that 10% to 20% of service members have sustained mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) that has been associated with various long-term physical and mental health outcomes (ncvas 2012). Weeks ET AL. (2004) reported that health-related quality-of-life scores were significantly less for veterans living in rural VS. Urban areas. In addition, those with depression were twice as likely to miss work due health reasons and seven times as likely to report missed work days (druss schlesinger & allen, 2001). Department of veteran affairs also attributes employment barriers to an inability to translate military skills to civilian skills, negative stereotypes about veterans, and acclimation of veterans into corporate culture.farming population: despite national efforts to encourage individuals to enter into production agriculture, the nation's farming population has continued to decline, shrinking by roughly 4% in the last five years (national sustainable agriculture coalition, 2014). Census data continues to show the aging of the american farmer population (AVG. Age increased from 57.1 in 2007 to 58.3 in 2012). USDA ERS reports that 31% of principal farm operators were 65 years or older & nearly 20% of principal operators report being retired. In texas, 1 of every 7 employment opportunities is tied to agriculture & agriculture has an economic impact of over $100 billion annually. Texas workforce commission report on texas growth occupations shows that agriculture & forestry employment opportunities increased 4% from 2010 to 2015; however, farm bureau reports that the agriculture industry is suffering a shortage of skilled farm labor. Additional barriers for new & beginning farmers/ranchers includes access to land, equipment, & capital (beginningfarmers.ORG, 2018).the long-term goals of the farmer education and training (feat) project are to:(1) increase the number of military veterans and transitioning service members gaining knowledge and skills through a comprehensive, hands-on immersive farm/ranch model program that leads to successful careers in the food and agriculture sector; (2) increase the number of transitioning service members and military veterans who understand how they can benefit from employment, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities in the food & agriculture sector, as well as, increase their knowledge & use of USDA programs; (3) reduce barriers for transitioning service members & military veterans to enter careers in the food & agriculture sector with a special focus on underrepresented groups such as veterans with disabilities by providing education & training to develop skills that lead to job placement & career opportunities.to accomplish these goals, the project will: (1) provide agriculture career hands-on field training, classroom training, and online training through immersive experiences including: (a) onsite & online education in agriculture career opportunities, farm/ranch business development, agriculture business management, & agriculture production such as vegetable production, rangeland management, livestock management, etc.; (b) individual education planning; (c) ongoing mentor support leading to a comprehensive understanding of successful farm/ranch operational & management practices;(2) facilitate peer-to-peer learning throughaknowledge-to-practice application process utilizing a structured cohort model of training & a community of practice experience; (3) offer an array of transitioning military/veteran & disability support services that enhance & increase workforce readiness and employment prospects while reducing barriers for participants with a special focus on service disabled veterans; (i.e. services regarding career readiness, skills translation, reintegration, behavioral health, mental health, personal finances, wellness, assistive technology, and VA benefits connection & navigation.