Celebrating our veteran farmers

This is a time for Americans to honor the men and women who have selflessly protected the freedoms and values that shape our country, both during their service and long after.

For some veterans, the transition from military service to civilian life brings them back to the family farm. It’s estimated that one in every six farms has a farmer who is currently serving or has served in the military.

And as the father of a veteran, I know the pride these farm families have in their heroes and how thankful we are to welcome them home.

Though military service and farming may seem worlds apart, they share a foundation of values around hard work, perseverance and dedication.

The return to farm life can bring our veterans healing and a new sense of purpose by offering a place where they can support their community and continue to serve in new ways.

Additionally, veterans bring a powerful set of skills such as perseverance, adaptability and a strong sense of responsibility that make them outstanding leaders and contributors to both their farm and local community.

New Award

At Farm Bureau, we believe it’s important to not only celebrate our veterans, but also those who continue to make a difference in agriculture and their community. That is why we have partnered with Farm Credit to establish the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence.

Our goal is to shine a light on those who have continued to go above and beyond to serve their communities along with reminding all of us of the freedom they have provided and the role they now play within agriculture.

This year, we are honored to recognize retired Col. Joe Ricker as our inaugural Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence winner. Ricker served over 30 years in the Army, retiring from the Pentagon as a senior deputy to a two-star general and completing tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prior to his retirement, Ricker purchased a 10-acre farm in central Indiana, where he grows apples and raises bees. Additionally, Ricker founded “Veterans IN Farming,” an organization, now with more than 1,100 members, dedicated to providing Indiana veterans with the tools and training to succeed in agriculture.

He also serves as the national veteran outreach coordinator for the AgrAbility Project at Purdue University and personally established satellite farms in Indiana where veterans who want to get into agriculture can go through a two-year training cycle.

Heroes like Ricker are why we established the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence, and we will be recognizing him again this January at our 106th American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio.

Our Gratitude

Every one of our veterans has made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom: some we see or hear about, but many others we may never know. It’s their bravery and courage that have given us the privilege to live freely in this great country.

So, let’s all make honoring them more than something we do once a year. Let’s regularly show our gratitude for their service to our country and in our communities.

On behalf of the Farm Bureau family, thank you to all our veterans for your service.