The U.S. House of Representatives on May 24 approved the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, H.R. 5515, which included an amendment from U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) that would connect the nation’s military veterans with farming careers.
Rep. Denham’s Vet to Farm amendment aims to make agriculture programs available to veterans seeking farming careers. The House passed the amendment as part of the larger H.R. 5515, which would authorize FY 2019 appropriations, military activities and military construction for the U.S. Department of Defense, among other purposes, according to the bill’s draft text. The measure now heads to the U.S. Senate.
“As a veteran and a farmer myself, I know we have to help our veterans find jobs, and an industry like farming that relies on discipline, dedication and passion to thrive is a natural fit,” Rep. Denham said following the House vote of approval, 351-66.
Rep. Denham’s Vet to Farm amendment would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide resources and information for veterans on how they could use their GI benefits to pay for farming and agricultural education programs, according to information provided by the congressman’s office.
Such programs would give veterans who may be searching for education outside the traditional four-year college track another way to leverage existing benefits to find more specialized training or apprenticeship programs toward launching careers in agriculture, Rep. Denham’s staff said in a statement.
With the average age of American farmers at 60 years and the existing farming population aging out, according to the congressman’s office, United States military veterans have a specialized skill set that could benefit the U.S. agriculture industry.
Likewise, many veterans have found farming a great way to transition back into civilian life, according to Rep. Denham’s staff.