LITTLE FALLS, MN – Sprout received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to work with Veterans who are interested in agriculture and want to learn more. Sprout, in partnership with Region Five Development Commission (R5DC), will offer Veterans in the region opportunities to explore agricultural careers with hands-on learning opportunities through apprenticeships, fellowships, and cohort peer-to-peer learning. These opportunities are fully funded by the AgVet grant, funded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and will be delivered in conjunction with local colleges to provide Veterans career curriculum and development certifications, and technical assistance programming as many of our Veterans embark on agricultural career exploration and transitions.
"The community partners engaged in the development of this programming continue to provide programs and services to our Veterans as part of the core commitment to serving those who have served all of us. We are excited to be part of this grant and work with other organizations to make these partnerships successful,” shared Arlene Jones, Executive Director of Sprout.
This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Program, project 1029231 and will be implemented over a three-year period. Learn more about the program at: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/enhancing-agricultural-opportunities-military-veterans-agvets
About Sprout
Sprout is a nonprofit food hub with a vision of a flourishing food system powered by those who honor creativity, embrace community and ingrain sustainability through amplification of programming, leveraging community capital, and prioritizing the long-term sustainability of the regional food system."
Region Five Development Commission (R5DC) is a high-performing, regionally focused partner providing community development, economic development, and transportation initiatives in central Minnesota. R5DC programs are strategic and resilient in nature, and contain an inclusive and collaborative approach, with an emphasis on local foods/agricultural and renewable energy economy. R5DC is an equal opportunity employer, lender, and provider. Learn more at regionfive.org.