Frontline to Farm, a collaborative program featuring faculty and students from the College of Fine and Applied Arts’ departments of Sustainable Development and Communication, helps military Veterans and beginning farmers get started in sustainable farming as a livelihood. We support practices that raise healthy food, mitigate climate change and build community, while providing support and reconnection for those who have served.

The Frontline to Farm program was begun with funding from the NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (grant #2020-49400-32301).

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Help support Frontline to Farm

Your donations help Veterans to explore and transition into careers in farming, to reconnect with the land and community, and to stay connected with each other while providing the nation with farmer veterans whose knowledge, skills and sustainable practices are at the heart of food security and equity. Your money will support a variety of training, mentoring and internship programs, as well as local farms and gardens.

News

App State’s Frontline to Farm In-Person Training Completes Another Successful Year
High Country Press
July 17, 2024

App State’s College of Fine and Applied Arts completed another successful year of its Frontline to Farm program to support veterans who are transitioning to farming as a livelihood. Programming this year included classroom sessions at App State and farm tours around the High Country. Participants worked with national and regional experts in topics including agricultural law, strategic communication and marketing, farm business and planning, sustainable agriculture and more. Frontline to Farm co-director Anne Fanatico, a professor in App State’s Department of Sustainable Development, said training like this is critical to local sustainability.

Frontline to Farm to host farmer veteran training in late June
Watauga Democrat
March 27, 2024

Frontline to Farm, a program of Appalachian State’s College of Fine and Applied Arts, is planning its 2024 farmer veteran and beginning farmer training to be held June 24-28, for new trainees and June 27-28 for training alums. The training focuses on sustainable farming in the region and is intended to support veterans transitioning into farming as a livelihood and is supported by a USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program grant.

Farm Answers: Dr. Anne Fanatico and Dr. Lynn Gibbard
Farm Answers
Nov. 7, 2023

Dr. Anne Fanatico and Dr. Lynn Gibbard visit the “Farm Answers” podcast and share their Frontline to Farm program and how it is helping beginning farmers and military Veterans.

Frontline to Farm sees successful training week as veterans learn about agriculture
Watauga Democrat
Aug. 3, 2022

Appalachian State University’s Frontline to Farm program saw a successful week of training in late July with veterans touring local farms to learn the ins and outs of farming. Participants in the weeklong training visited various farms including Patterson Incubator Farm, Springhouse Farm and Shipley Farms. The training was provided to farmer veterans for free.

Frontlines to Farm training to help veterans learn more about agriculture
Watauga Democrat
July 20, 2022

More than 30 veterans will attend hands-on training through Appalachian State University’s Frontline to Farm program. The National Center for Appropriate Technology is partnering with the Frontline to Farm program to bring its Armed to Farm training to North Carolina for the first time from July 25 to July 29, 2022. Armed to Farm participants will learn about business planning, budgeting, recordkeeping, marketing, USDA programs, livestock production, fruit and vegetable production and more.

Frontline to Farm: Department of Sustainable Development receives grant for veteran farmers
Watauga Democrat
Dec. 2, 2020

Earlier this fall, Appalachian State University’s Department of Sustainable Development received a three-year, United States Department of Agriculture grant that will benefit veterans looking to become farmers. The grant, which is worth $599,684, is intended to help veterans from all walks of life transition into the civilian world through sustainable agriculture. The program will utilize a combination of web-based training modules, hands-on in the field workshops as well as mentoring programs that connect participants with farmers already using sustainable practices.