Washington pays $23.8 million to put vets on farms

Key points

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture has opened a $23,800,000 grant program for organizations that support military veterans in becoming farmers and ranchers.
• The funding opportunity signals a federal priority to address an aging agricultural workforce by encouraging veterans to enter the industry.
• Eligibility is for non-profits and other institutions, not individual veterans, and the application deadline is September 4, 2026, per the Grants.gov notice.
• The agency awarding the money, NIFA, is also the one that will oversee the programs, creating a direct line of accountability.
• The key milestone to watch is the announcement of grant winners after the close date, which will show where the investment is heading.

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