November is a month for expressing gratitude and appreciation. It’s a time to recognize the contributions of family, friends, co-workers and especially the brave men and women who have served our country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) values the efforts of veterans and is eager to welcome them into roles that help strengthen America’s food supply and support rural communities.

Through the Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison (MVAL), we at the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) help veterans start rewarding careers in agriculture. We connect them with job opportunities at USDA, as well as paid apprenticeships and internships.

The Veterans Employment Program Office facilitates a smooth and successful transition for veterans coming into the USDA by providing personalized career counseling and guiding veterans through the federal hiring process, ensuring that they have all the resources needed to succeed.

USDA recognizes the importance of military spouses and their service. The Military Spouse Program provides valuable support for those seeking fulfilling employment with the USDA, helping them achieve job stability and career growth while managing family life. As a veteran, I encourage you this November to take a moment to express your gratitude to a veteran for their invaluable contributions to our nation.

November is also a month to celebrate diversity as America is a country with many cultures, some rooted in the history of its original inhabitants. November is Native American Heritage Month, recognized since 1990 to honor the contributions of Native Americans, celebrate their rich traditions, and acknowledge the sovereignty of Tribal Nations. Indigenous peoples have shown resilience and continue to contribute significantly to American society. Today, they are leaders in various fields, including military service and government, strengthening the fabric of the nation.

MVAL Shares Information on USDA Opportunities for Veterans

As part of a panel that included representatives from multiple USDA agencies, USDA Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison (MVAL) Monshi “Ram” Ramdass spoke to an audience of 150 veteran farmers, other veterans, military spouses, and transitioning service members at the recent Farmer Veterans Coalition Stakeholders Conference. He and his fellow panelists provided information about the opportunities that USDA offers to veterans who want to pursue careers in agriculture, including information on loans for beginning farmers and ranchers, conservation programs, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, value-added producers’ program, urban agriculture, crop insurance, and employment opportunities. 

Veteran’s Creativity Turns a Shipping Container into a Farm

“I had a plan, or maybe it was more of a dream,” said Brad Fourby, Navy veteran and owner of Leafy Green Farms in Kansas. “The moment I saw a shipping container farm is how the idea for my farm started.” USDA provided guidance and resources that helped him improve his knowledge base early in the planning process.  “The USDA puts out an extraordinary amount of educational material,” he said. “Watching webinars, reviewing web pages, and connecting with USDA staff helped jumpstart my enterprise.”

Continuing Service: A Veteran Turns to Agriculture to Help Others

Joe Ricker’s mission is clear: to help veterans transition to agriculture and unlock skills, satisfaction and meaning post-service. He decided to focus on agriculture when he retired from the Army in 2022, and his collaboration with USDA and the USDA MVAL has been a key factor in his work. “Make a plan, stick to the plan, and USDA will have your back and help you,” said Ricker. “Veterans have a service mentality. They want to continue to serve their communities, just in a different way, with agriculture.” 

Funding from USDA 2501 Program Strengthens Tribal Communities

Tribal communities often encounter challenges that hinder their growth and development. To help address these challenges, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has leveraged the USDA 2501 Program to fund regional and local workshops that empower tribal colleges and community food producers. “We like to think that we can positively change the life of every student we interact with,” said AIHEC Chief of Staff John Phillips. “That has a multiplier effect that can change the trajectory of entire families.”

OPPE Staff Trains Grantees at Project Director Training

OPPE staff meet face-to-face with 2501 Program grantees at a recent USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) and 2501 Program Project Director Training event in Charlotte, N.C. Held last month, the meeting was organized to help grantees enhance their projects by broadening education programming for agricultural producers, encouraging new programming efforts, strengthening existing programs, and improving reporting outcome measures. 

A 2501 Grant Helps Make Dairy Grazing Apprenticeships Accessible to Spanish Speakers

USDA’s 2501 Program has enabled the Wisconsin-based Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship to provide bilingual instruction and have translators at events to assist Spanish-speaking farmers in training their employees faster. The 2501 Program seeks to demonstrate USDA’s dedication to ensuring that underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers and foresters can partake in USDA programs. Now Hispanic famers can participate more actively in this innovative apprenticeship designed to boost farm profitability, provide valuable resources to producers, and convene stakeholders to strengthen and expand the sector.

Students Explore USDA Career Options at Career Development Conference

The 1890 Universities Foundation recently partnered with the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to host the 10^th 1890 Universities Foundation Career Development Conference (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga. Over 150 students from 1890 Land Grant Universities participated.

Designed to prepare students for career opportunities with the federal government, the conference included workshops on careers with USDA’s NRCS, resume writing, the federal application process and interviewing techniques.

The high point of the event was the On-site Hiring Event and NRCS Virtual Career Fair at which students had the opportunity to meet with NRCS state conservationists and hiring managers to discuss specific employment opportunities across the country. Over the years, students have received multiple offers with NRCS nationwide to become part of the next generation of federal leaders in the agricultural sector.

USDA liaisons are pivotal to the success of this partnership in securing university participation and ensuring the preparedness of the students to pursue employment and internship opportunities.

OPPE Director Inspires Students at HACU Annual Conference

Last month OPPE Director Dr. Lisa Ramirez spoke to students participating at the 38th Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado. The event included workshops for students on career and leadership development. This year marks 34 years of USDA’s partnership with HACU. Founded in 1986, HACU represents more than 500 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) in the United States, Latin America and Spain. Approximately 2,500 HSI administrators, faculty, staff and students attended conference.

Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders in Agriculture

USDA Liaison Roberto Gonzalez, Jr. (right), along with representatives from seven other USDA agencies, attended the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM conference last month in Phoenix, Ariz. The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity conference in the country, the event this year was attended by approximately 3,200 students, in addition to STEM practitioners and other professionals. Gonzalez shared information about USDA employment, internship and scholarship opportunities with students and other attendees.

USDA Intern Gains Hands-on Experience and Learns Value of Networking

Marco Antonio Alcantar Alvarez, a graphic design major at California State University, was one of 14 students selected for a USDA HEP/CAMP internship in 2024. USDA partners with the National HEP/CAMP Association to offer students from farmworker or migrant backgrounds a 10-week internship in Washington, D.C. Alvarez interned with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service to obtain work experience that aligned with his educational goals. “The most important thing I took away is the value of networking, building connections, sharing your ideas and overall making yourself recognizable,” he said.

USDA Participates in National FFA Convention

Last month USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres-Small virtually addressed nearly 70,000 registered FFA members and guests at the opening session of the 97^th National FFA Convention. Her main message to members was that USDA is proud to engage and foster relationships with students in the classroom and communities to help youth reach their full potential. She also thanked and commended FFA members for the role they play in creating awareness of agriculture and how it touches every part of our lives. Last year at the 96^th National FFA Convention, Secretary Vilsack signed and renewed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with National FFA to underscore the Department’s commitment to partnering with the National FFA organization to help develop the next generation of leaders in agriculture, natural resource sciences, and related fields.

Meet Monshi “Ram” Ramdass

Monshi “Ram” Ramdass joined USDA in July 2010 and currently serves as the Department’s Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison. In this role he establishes effective partnerships with federal agencies, state and local government, faith-based organizations and non-profits to share USDA resources. He also provides expert information on employment, education and entrepreneurship opportunities to assist transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses enter careers in agriculture.

Ram previously served as the USDA director of diversity and inclusion, USDA veterans’ employment program officer, military spouse employment champion, and Florida Communities of Prosperity liaison.

Prior to coming to USDA, Ram worked at the Defense Intelligence Agency as a diversity and inclusion specialist and special emphasis program manager. A veteran himself, Ram served in the U.S. Army as a combat medic from 1984-2007 and retired at the rank of Command Sergeant Major (CSM).

That USDA Supports Disaster Recovery?

USDA is committed to helping communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in areas affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters.

• The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has made Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) benefits available to qualifying residents of impacted counties, including people who may not be eligible for SNAP in normal circumstances.
• The Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offer programs to help agricultural operations recover, including low-interest emergency loans and financial assistance for producers of non-insurable crops.
• USDA’s Water and Environmental Programs (WEP) helps restore water infrastructure after disasters.
• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) helps assess damages and shares vital information regarding available resources. NIFA also helps protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains during and after extreme weather and disasters.
• USDA Rural Development offers extensions on existing grants to help rural businesses recover, as well as Disaster Assistance Program grants for housing repairs, resources for local governments managing recovery efforts, and support for impacted businesses.