HERO AGRICULTURE INC

Hero Agriculture is on a mission to help veterans find hope, heal, and build purposeful lives that make tomorrow worth living.

Research shows that veteran suicide can be prevented, and this is our ultimate goal. We use farming to get there.

OUR APPROACH

We meet veterans where they are. No judgment. No demands. We offer them a place to reclaim their lives on their terms. We help them recover, find renewed purpose, redeploy their drive for excellence into their new mission, and succeed.

There is no formula for our work. We take an evidence-based approach to suicide prevention, but how we work with each veteran is highly personal. Each veteran we help is unique, and they all need something different to feel whole again. A retired Army Special Forces Major is at his best when he’s teaching Mike’s 9-year-old son advanced hide and seek tactics. One veteran recenters himself by letting the goats lick the salt from his hands and arms. Another wants the most physically demanding job he can find, so he sleeps through the night when he gets home. One stops by the farm on his way home from work almost every day. His wife doesn’t mind that he’s late—because he’s a completely different man after a little time on the farm .

Not every veteran who works with us wants to become a farmer. Farming is just the tool we use for our work.

We focus on three key areas:
1) Getting veterans the support they need
2) Connecting veterans to the right resources
3) Helping veterans build knowledge that reduces suicide risk and helps them succeed at farming

HOW WE HELP VETERANS GET SUPPORT

We help veterans get the VA benefits they are due and the medical care they need. We advocate for them as they meet with medical gatekeepers and benefits administrators. We also offer a supportive place to talk about their experiences, fears, and hopes.

Veterans get support in advocating for their VA benefits — Navigating the VA system alone is hard. Doing it alone with a brain injury is practically impossible. The paperwork is endless. Veterans must keep track of crucial appointments that may be scheduled with short notice or moved multiple times. They need help asking the right questions and pushing back against benefits administrators looking for easy solutions. We help veterans get the VA benefits they are due.

Veterans get access medical care — Rules for accessing VA medical care are complex, and many veterans have more options than they realize. Some need help getting referrals to access no-cost hometown care instead of driving to a VA facility. Others need support for high-stakes appointments with gatekeepers to more advanced care. Some simply need reminders to show up for appointments. We help veterans get the medical care they need.

Veterans find a place to talk things through — Some things must be experienced to be understood. Being deployed. Trying to stop a friend from bleeding to death. Shooting to kill. Hiding an injury to keep serving your country. Being forced to retire. Veterans begin to find hope by talking with people who truly understand what they have been through. Veterans find a supportive place to talk about their experiences, fears, and hopes at Hero Agriculture.

HOW WE HELP VETERANS MAKE CONNECTIONS

We connect veterans to purposeful work that meets their unique needs and resources to help them solve problems that get in the way of recovery. Veterans also connect with and support each other through the Hero Agriculture community.

Veterans make connections to do purposeful work — Not everyone who farms with us wants to be a farmer. Some veterans farm just to escape the noise of everyday life or focus on something completely different. They may find comfort in talking to the horses. They may enjoy the repetitive motion of fence-building. Or they may want to work a hay baler that demands every ounce of their attention so they can’t possibly think of anything else. We help veterans do purposeful work that meets their unique needs.

Veterans make connections to solve problems — Unmet basic needs like food or transportation put a veteran at far higher risk of suicide. The same is true for veterans with trouble at work, legal problems, family issues, or difficulty paying the mortgage or rent. Just one of these problems significantly increases the risk of suicide. As problems pile up, risk increases exponentially. We help veterans solve problems that get in the way of recovery.

Veterans become part of a community again — Many service members feel tremendous loss of identity and purpose when they leave the military. Civilian life is a culture shock. Basic survival instincts, like swerving to avoid driving over a paper sack on the road, now work against veterans. They suddenly have unlimited time to reflect, which can lead to second-guessing and guilt. Being surrounded by people who don’t understand this is exhausting. Veterans support each other through the Hero Agriculture community.

HOW WE HELP VETERANS BUILD KNOWLEDGE

We help veterans explore a range of farming possibilities before they make big commitments. Our farming mentors help them build skills and knowledge to succeed. We also teach coping and problem-solving skills that significantly reduces suicide risk.

Veterans build knowledge to decide about becoming a farmer — There are hundreds of ways to be a farmer. Don’t like working with cows? Goats are smaller. Alpacas are smarter. Chickens take less work. Hay doesn’t need to be fed every day. Solar panels can’t bite. Just as important as finding something you like to do is understanding what you don’t like about it. It’s crucial that veterans know what they’re getting into. We help veterans fully explore possibilities before making big commitments.

Veterans build knowledge to succeed at farming — Some veterans start with the basics, like important cycles and timelines, regulations, and how to use specialized equipment and tools for their farming interest. Others are ready to explore strategic questions about location, scale, land acquisition, or marketing. Some need targeted help with things like loan paperwork or crop planning. We match veterans with farming mentors who help them build skills and knowledge to succeed.

Veterans build knowledge to keep safe — Improving coping and problem-solving skills significantly reduces suicide risk. Veterans can learn to recognize their personal warning signs and reach out for help before they are in crisis. Talking about suicide with someone who is willing and able to listen reduces psychological pain almost immediately. Veterans also need to understand the powerful negative effect of alcohol on suicide risk. They need someone they can call at any hour. We help veterans learn to keep themselves safer.