Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the land at home project (LAHP)…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the land at home project (LAHP) is proud to be part of the veteran-to-farmer movement, addressing the challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian life with opportunities in regenerative agriculture. We hope veterans will land at home in the agricultural sector, participating in jobs, developing businesses, and revitalizing rural economies and food systems. The overarching goal of this program is to implement a comprehensive and dynamic veteran agricultural education program that addresses issues at the nexus of human, animal, and environmental health. To this end, the program has the following objectives: 1) execute a successful outreach campaign through regional networks to reach a wide pool of potential participants, 2) develop standards to ensure onboarding of uniquely qualified and motivated veteran participants, 3) further the veteran-to-farmer movement with an intensive 12-week educational and immersive training program, 4) foster development of holistic support networks for veteran participants through mentorship, cultivating personal relationships, mental health trainings and resources, and community building, 5) equip veterans with the skills and training to create resilient veteran-owned businesses with direct technical assistance and support, and 6) increase veteran awareness and utilization of resources through USDA and other federal programs. This is the culmination of years of planning efforts with local farms, veteran-focused organizations, and the university of arizona cooperative extension. The focus of this program will be to equip veterans with the knowledge they need to develop regenerative and financially sustainable operations. By emphasizing regenerative and sustainable agriculture, this program willl promote development of more resilient local food systems throughout arizona, especially in light of climate change and the challenges IT brings. The experts that make the project team have myriad resources and knowledge to share with the participants, and this will be done through flexible online learning as well as immersive and hands-on internship experiences. Participants will have many opportunities to apply what they learn as they move through the program, reinforcing lessons and concepts and ensuring successful delivery of curriculum. This program also offers extensive business support and USDA resource connections, providing direct technical assistance to help participants develop key planning documents, such as business plans and feasiblity studies, as well as to prepare grant and loan applications. Participants that complete this program will be uniquely primed to tackle the challenges and opportunities present in agricultural businesses. While this program is currently focused in arizona, IT is flexible and can be recreated in any region or food system in the united states. The online certificate program can be accessed anywhere. Regional learning centers of the LAHP's program could be created at any, location, given that there are willing host farmers available. As the program is developed and evaluated, there is great potential to implement similar programs in different states or regions.