How Homegrown by Heroes Helps Veteran Farmers
Overseen by the California-based Farmer Veteran Coalition, Homegrown by Heroes (HBH) is a branding program designed to give veterans and active duty members of the U.S. military a competitive edge. HBH stickers and signs draw attention to goods ranging from frozen meats to honey and homemade salsa. There are currently more than 1,600 certified HBH producers in the U.S.
To qualify for the free service, a farmer must have been honorably discharged and plan to have a product for sale within the next year. The business must also be at least 50 percent veteran-owned. Former and active members of the armed forces can sign up by first joining the Farmer Veteran Coalition (it’s free), then applying for HBH status online.
“We’ve heard a lot of stories from different veterans that say that they’ve been at a farmers market for a couple of years and when they first sign up for Homegrown By Heroes and they put the sign up, someone from across the way says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a restaurant. I didn’t know you were a military veteran. I was too. I’d like to buy some of your products,’ ” says Yani Bunch, FVC member services manager.
To learn more, visit farmvetco.org/hbh.
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