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From the Transition to Veterans Program Office and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is looking to military veterans across the country to fill roles that preserve and strengthen rural communities, keep America’s food supply safe and secure, and restore and conserve the environment.
USDA has a number of programs and incentives to help military veterans transition; from careers at USDA, education in agriculture, and tools and support for setting up and running a farm or agricultural business.
USDA helps veterans with the three E’s: Employment, Education and Entrepreneurship.
EMPLOYMENT: USDA is dedicated to hiring America’s heroes. There are numerous opportunities for employment at USDA with more than 2,100 county offices across the nation and headquarter offices in Washington, D.C. USDA prioritizes hiring veterans because they bring range of experiences and a strong work ethic with them.
Military experiences and skills directly translate into jobs that go well beyond farming in USDA. For example, USDA offers employment opportunities in: criminal justice, soil conservation, contracting and procurement, firefighting, food inspection and public health, finance and more.
EDUCATION: Veterans interested in a degree in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or environment can consider using their GI Bill benefits to pursue their academic interests.
On-the-job training is also a great way to learn skills and see if a job at USDA or in agribusiness is a good fit.
In collaboration with the Department of Labor (DoL), USDA has two national-level apprenticeships where you can earn wages while gaining experience.
• Agricultural Commodity Graders: a 12-month training program through USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service
• Wildland Firefighters: a 3,000 hour on-the-job learning program through USDA’s Forest Service
Information about these apprenticeships and other Department of Labor apprenticeships can be found here: https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/index.htm
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: For those interested in starting or expanding an agri-business, USDA can assist with both access to capital and land. USDA offers preference to veterans for some loans and microloans, which can assist with start-up costs and provides incentives for risk management.
The USDA can help veterans transition into farming, ranching, and other agricultural opportunities by connecting you with financial, educational and training resources, as well as business planning support. These resources include the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, crop insurance, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Farm Loan Program, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension Service and the Transition Incentives Program.
Taking the first step into an agri-business can be a challenge, which is why local USDA Service Centers are there to help. At USDA Service Centers you can talk to someone about your post-transition career goals in agriculture, and see what USDA can do to support.
Go to https://newfarmers.usda.gov/veterans for more information about how USDA can benefit and help veterans.
For more information on the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP), visit: www.DoDTAP.mil
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2018 09:06 |
| Story ID: | 302791 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 225 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, A Fruitful Post-Service Career: How the U.S. Department of Agriculture Supports Transitioning Service Members and Veterans, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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