$100,000 Donation Expands Grants for Veterans Starting Farming Businesses

A retail company has donated $100,000 to fund a grant that helps veterans with their farming businesses as they transition out of the military and into civilian life.

The company, Tractor Supply Company, and its foundation arm, the Tractor Supply Company Foundation, made the donation to the nonprofit the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s (FVC) Fellowship Fund on Monday. The FVC, founded in 2006, has more than 30,000 members in all 50 states in addition to 13 state chapters that work to help service members and veterans begin and sustain a career in agriculture.

The organization identifies applicants with strong business plans and provides direct assistance to veterans beginning their careers in farming or ranching, in the form of supplies, equipment and training. Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000.

FVC also selects 50 additional veterans from all branches of the U.S. military and gives them a $1,000 Tractor Supply gift card to purchase items needed for their farm business, including chicks, trailers, fencing and other farming goods.

“Supporting our military heroes means standing by them long after their service ends, especially as they look for new opportunity and purpose as civilians,” Mary Winn Pilkington, senior vice president of investor relations and public relations at Tractor Supply, said in a statement.

Veteran Farmers

Every year, more than 200,000 service members leave the military and begin the often complex transition to civilian life.

Some struggle with the transition to civilian life, including navigating employment, benefits, housing and health care systems.

Around half of veterans leave their initial post-military jobs within the first year, according to the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program, cited by Fortune.

The farming industry in particular can be challenging because of tariffs which drive up the cost of inputs, including fertilizer and machinery, while simultaneously triggering retaliatory trade barriers that close off vital export markets.

In 2025, China levied a 10 percent to 15 percent tax on American soybeans, pork, beef, and fruit, heavily impacting growers. These tariffs came in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China.

In 2025, U.S. crop farmers lost $34.6bn, before crop insurance and other government support, according to the American Farm Bureau.

However, in December, Trump unveiled a $12bn farm aid package aimed at helping farmers impacted by low crop prices.

Meanwhile, Tractor Supply Company’s donation marks the eighth time the company has made such a donation. In doing so, it has donated $750,000 to FVC and supported more than 450 veterans who set up their farms.

Pilkington added that Tractor Supply Company was “privileged to support hundreds of farmer veterans each year as they grow their businesses.”

“FVC has proven that agriculture is a powerful outlet, offering these men and women a meaningful new career path alongside profound physical and psychological benefits,” she added. “By stepping into farming, these veterans also strengthen the very fabric of the rural communities we serve.”

“Launching and growing a farm or ranch requires significant investment in equipment, infrastructure and other essential resources,” said FVC Executive Director Jeanette Lomardo. “Tractor Supply’s ongoing support of the Farmer Veteran Coalition Fellowship Fund helps our members overcome these barriers and build sustainable agricultural businesses.”

FVC has published a list of the recipients of the grant, which can be found on its website.