Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** project victory gardens (PVG) is…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** project victory gardens (PVG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides agricultural education programs designed to cultivate resiliency among our nation's veterans. Under palmetto veterans in agribusiness, PVG will partner with clemson university and stakeholders across the state. PVG conducted three iterations of a pilot farmer bootcamp program over the past two years with great success. In 2022 PVG implemented a DOD skillbridge approved internship program and sponsored the SC farmer veteran symposium. This program is well-positioned within the region: south carolina (10TH) and bordering north carolina (4TH) and georgia (5TH) have some of the highest populations of active-duty service members by state, with 17.7% of active-duty personnel stationed across the three. While veterans represent more than 11% of farmers nationally, SC boasts the most per capita of any state at 14%.expected outcomes include increasing access to agriculture and knowledge of agricultural practicesfor transitioning service members, providing workforce readiness opportunities for service-disabled veterans, facilitating connections, and increasing outreach between veterans and resource organizations, all leading to increased rural development.under this project, PVG will expand the farmer bootcamp program to be held up to six times annually across the state (three iterations of the two-day farmer bootcamp and three iterations of the four-day farmer bootcamp 2.0), training 340 participants in two- or four-day programs. The veteran agribusiness internship program designed to lead to self-employment in small- to medium-sized agribusiness outlets will train 220 participants, providing $1.36 million in intern labor to SC farms and agricultural organizations. The veteran agribusiness outreach fair, intended to provide access to various support organizations and resources to assist veterans involved in, or entering, agribusiness will reach 600 veterans. Finally, an agritourism incubatorand veteran agritourism marketing and branding program will be implemented in south carolina with the intention of national availability following the grant period. Ultimately, we will create improved access to funding and opportunities in agribusiness for veterans, a vibrant and younger agricultural workforce, a safer food supply, more access to local food in rural areas of high poverty, and improved community vitality through agritourism.