About us
Frontline to Farm is a collaborative program featuring faculty and students from the College of Fine and Applied Arts’ departments of Sustainable Development and Communication that 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).
A new generation of farmers is needed in the U.S. to produce food sustainably. Raising crops and livestock in climate-friendly ways takes a special focus on ecology. Sustainable agriculture follows principles in nature, such as sequestering carbon in the soil, protecting biodiversity, and reducing the use of fossil fuel. Livestock can be integrated with crops, trees, and horticultural production, and are part of agricultural systems that are resilient to drought, heat, pests and other challenges.
Raising crops and livestock sustainably also requires a focus on social justice in food systems, such as building communities and equal access to healthy food.
Veterans often have skills that transfer well to farming, and farming can provide rewarding work for those who have sacrificed as part of their service.
We provide on-line educational modules, hands-on training, internships, networking and other learning opportunities.
The work of Frontline to Farm is supported by our flagship project Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program 2020-49400-32401 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Get involved
Our work would not be possible without the support of our partners and donors – a network of organizations and individuals who share our mission.
Our Team
Dr. Anne Fanatico, Director and Co-Founder
Dr. Anne Fanatico is Co-PD of the USDA Going Whole Hog grant and Director of Frontline to Farm. She is a Professor in Appalachian State University’s Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development. Dr. Fanatico teaches agroecology and has worked in agricultural research, teaching, and outreach for 30 years. During that time, she has developed sustainable livestock production systems, conducted research in ecological poultry production, and conducted research and led programs in sustainable agriculture outreach. The daughter of a Korean War Veteran, Dr. Fanatico wants to use her own experience and Frontline to Farm’s strong focus on livestock and agroforestry, which can provide ecosystem services and resilience in agriculture, to help the next generation of farmer Veterans and beginning farmers be successful in sustainable agriculture.
Dr. Lynn Gibbard, Co-Founder and Former Co-Director
Dr. Lynn Gibbard is former Co-PD of the USDA Going Whole Hog grant and former Co-Director of Frontline to Farm (F2F). She is a Professor in Appalachian State’s Department of Communication and former Chair of Appalachian State’s Military Affairs Committee (M.A.C.). Dr. Gibbard grew up subsistence farming. She has a deep appreciation for how central sustainable agriculture is to the health and welfare of local communities. She has worked with farmers in numerous nonprofits focused on agriculture, sustainability, and community development in the U.S. and abroad. As a Veteran of the United States Army and the U.S. Army Reserve, Dr. Gibbard helps veterans transition to farming and uses her skills as a strategic communication practitioner to build a network of support organizations and community organizations. Fanatico and Gibbard co-founded Frontline to Farm in 2020 and co-directed it through mid-2025.
Eddy Labus, Consultant
Eddy Labus is a Marine Corps veteran and has worked with Frontline to Farm via NC Cooperative Extension, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and as a consultant.
Partners
Frontline to Farm works closely with partners throughout the nation, with a focus on North Carolina and Arkansas, including:
- NC Cooperative Extension (Watauga County) (Jim Hamilton)
- Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (Liz Whiteman)
- University of Arkansas, Small Farms Program (Sarah Bramall)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service Poultry Production and Products Safety Research Unit (Annie Donoghue)
- National Center for Appropriate Technology (Eddy Labus)
- University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (Michael Gold)
- Farmer Veteran Coalition (Jeanette Lombardo)
- Farmer veterans across the Southeast working in support of military veterans and local food production
Students Past and Present
- Phoenix Tyson
- Shannon Ferko
- Erin Smith
- Nora Duffy
- Sarah Gummo (grad student)
- Morgan Lampman
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.