Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) is getting an extra boost from Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, this Fourth of July.
On July 4 Tractor Supply stores will honor the men and women of the Armed Forces with a biannual 15 percent discount to all active military, veterans and dependents. Additionally, the Company donated $100,000 to FVC, including awarding $1,000 gift cards to 50 military veterans nationwide to support their agriculture businesses and $50,000 from the Tractor Supply Company Foundation to support additional programming and Fellowship Fund grants.
“As the country celebrates Independence Day, Tractor Supply is honored to celebrate our service members who work vigorously to defend and protect our freedoms,” said Colin Yankee, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Tractor Supply and former U.S. Army Captain. “The Farmer Veteran Coalition does amazing work assisting veterans embarking on careers in agriculture. It is our privilege to honor these individuals during our nation’s birthday with these grants so that they may continue to share their unique talents and products with their communities. We thank them, and all of the men and women in the Armed Forces, for their service.”
Each year, Tractor Supply partners with FVC to assist farmer veterans from all branches of service. In the last four years, Tractor Supply has donated a total of $250,000 in gift cards and monetary funds, assisting more than 200 farmer veterans. This year’s 50 gift-card recipients were selected based on need to support their agriculture projects and businesses and represented four branches of the military across 29 states. The supplementary $50,000 donation from the Tractor Supply Company Foundation will provide grants to seven additional farmer veterans and support FVC’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to support the journey toward racial equity in agriculture.
FVC is a national nonprofit organization that assists more than 30,000 active duty and veteran members of the Armed Forces embarking on careers in agriculture. The organization provides education, resources and small grants to help military members launch their own farming operations or find meaningful employment in the agricultural industry.
“Our partnership with Tractor Supply has had an incredible impact within our farmer veteran community in providing members with the supplies they need to launch or support their farm businesses,” said Rachel Petitt, Program Director at Farmer Veteran Coalition. “With so many of our members struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic, and Tractor Supply being such a great resource, our community is especially appreciative of these grants. For many farmers, this relief ensures their survival.”
Since 2011, FVC has awarded more than 700 Fellowship grants totaling $3.5 in equipment to veteran farmers and ranchers in their beginning years. For the full list of 2021 grant awardees, visit farmvetco.org/2021-ff-recipients.
To learn more about the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund visit FarmVetCo.org/FVFellowship and for Tractor Supply’s FVC partnership, visit TractorSupply.com/Military.
