In the past 60 years, Veteran participation in agriculture has steadily declined. The VA system spent $272B in 2022, with just 4% utilized for education, training, and rehabilitation, which equates to $585 per veteran throughout all career field options. The Food Freedom program seeks to bridge this gap by providing education, technical assistance, and mentoring, thereby increasing the participation and success of veterans and a new generation of homesteaders, gardeners, and farmers.

The VA health care and education system is evolving to meet the needs of today’s veterans. Physical and mental trauma resulting from service has put an overwhelming burden on the public sector for the last two decades. The private sector must work in aggregate to fill the gap.