Jesus Toro is a man with a plan. The son of a farmworker and a former Marine helicopter mechanic, Toro’s goal is to become a fulltime beekeeper within three years, servicing orchards in California and the Pacific Northwest. A just-awarded Farmer Veteran Coalition grant – funded by Farm Credit – will be a big step toward achieving that goal.

Farm Credit West is a proud supporter of veterans. Every year, our Veteran Affairs Coordinator Len Monaco, spends a significant amount of time traveling to various universities in California in an effort to strengthen relationships with instructors and Student Veteran Organizations. Len utilizes these visits to introduce careers in agriculture to a group of students whose strong values often align to work in this industry.

Farmer veterans shared their unique perspective with policymakers in Washington, D.C., July 11-12 as part of a fly-in organized by Farm Credit. More than 60 farmer veterans who are Farm Credit customers or Farm Credit employees who are veterans visited with key lawmakers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to highlight the role of veterans in agriculture and talk about the needs of servicemen and women as they transition from military to careers in agriculture.