Veterans in Agriculture: Service, Strength and Community

Each November, as our nation pauses to honor the brave individuals who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Farm Credit East proudly joins in expressing deep gratitude to our veterans. Their courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to protecting our freedoms deserve recognition not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

Veterans share a unique bond with rural America. Many return home with a continued drive to serve — this time through their communities, families, and often, through agriculture. The values instilled through military service — discipline, resilience, purpose and humility — mirror those found in the agricultural community. It’s no surprise that many veterans find a natural transition into farming, commercial fishing or forest products.

At Farm Credit East, we are proud to support veterans who choose to pursue careers in agriculture. Through our young, beginning, small and veteran farmer incentives, we help ease the path forward. These programs assist with USDA Farm Service Agency loan guarantee fees and offer discounts on financial services such as tax preparation and business consulting.

Farm Credit East is also proud to employ veterans. Pete Frizzell, former United States Army paratrooper and infantryman as well as Connecticut National Guard squad leader, says, “Following my service, I began a career with Farm Credit East. Today, I work as a Northeast marketing agent with Crop Growers, LLP, providing crop insurance and risk management tools to customers throughout New England and Long Island. I’ve enjoyed working with agricultural producers because so many of them are purpose-driven, dedicated and possess strong self-discipline, many of the same skills I acquired during my time in the military.”

Veterans like Pete exemplify the powerful connection between military service and agriculture. His story is one of many that highlight how veterans enrich our agricultural communities with their leadership and dedication.

This Veterans Day, we encourage everyone to thank a veteran for their service. And when you shop, look for the Homegrown by Heroes label — an emblem of agricultural products proudly produced by U.S. military veterans.

To all veterans across the Northeast and beyond: thank you. Your service inspires us, and your contributions to agriculture strengthen our communities.