If you’re a military veteran and/or a first responder and interested in starting a career in agriculture, then sign up for the Veteran Farmer Conference, July 11-12, 2025, in Shipshewana, Indiana. The two-day conference will be held at the Farmstead Inn and Conference Center.
“This is more than just a conference—it’s a launching pad for connection, healing, and
opportunity in agriculture,” said Joe Ricker of At Ease Orchard in Hancock County, Indiana, and one of the conference organizers. Ricker served 30 years in the U.S. Army before retiring as a Colonel in 2022.
Beginning farmers, homesteaders, experienced farmers, military veterans, their caregivers and first responders are all welcomed to attend. You do not need to be a military veteran to attend this event.
The event is a collaborative effort between eight nonprofits, including AgrAbility,
Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Farmer
Veteran Coalition (Ohio and Illinois chapters), Heroes to Hives, Veterans IN Farming, and At Ease Orchard.
Event dates and schedule details
On Friday, July 11, the conference will feature two program options: Mental Health First Aid for Veterans and the Planning for Profit Business Workshop with Michigan State University Extension. Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse disorders. This training will give participants the skills needed to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. This is a full-day training and will be held from 9-5 p.m.
The Planning for Profit Business Workshop is a new workshop developed by Michigan State University Extension educators that teaches business and production skills to farmers in order maximize farm profits. This workshop includes instruction on enterprise budgeting and cost of production in order to assist producers with evaluating the profitability of current or future farm products or enterprises.
The workshop will also cover the fundamentals of choosing, developing and analyzing markets and market strategy development. This 3-hour workshop runs from 1-4 p.m. and culminates in a practical application exercise of developing a “back of the envelope” style enterprise budget specific to your farm for an enterprise of your choosing. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. It is recommended you eat lunch prior to attending this workshop.
Saturday, July 12, is the full-day conference with multiple sessions led by veteran farmers and agriculture specialists. Session topics include AgrAbility assistive technology for veterans, beginning beekeeping and apiculture topics, soil health, small fruit production, introduction to mushroom production, livestock and small ruminants, cover crops for your farm and much more!
There will be an animal therapy demonstration and a farmer panel to round off the day of sessions. Bill Field, PhD, the National AgrAbility director, will conduct a keynote presentation before we break for dinner and fellowship to conclude the conference.
Lodging, food and tickets
The event is located at the Farmstead Inn and Conference Center, 370 S. Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565. Mention the event for the special lodging rate, which ends June 11.
Lunch, snacks and beverages are included with a paid conference ticket.
Tickets cost $20 per veteran, which includes a caregiver and kids under 16 years old at no charge. Please provide the number of participants per ticket for meal count purposes.
Non-veteran tickets cost $120. Speakers and presenters may attend at no charge. Vendor spots are $50 and you may sell your products at the conference.
Sponsorship packages are available. More information on sponsorship packages can be found by visiting the sponsorship page or by contacting Joe Ricker at joericker@ateaseorchard.com.
Partner organizations for the inaugural Veteran Farmers Conference include: Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Indiana Veterans IN Farming, Farmer Veteran Coalition of Illinois, Farmer Veteran Coalition of Ohio and At Ease Orchard.
The planning committee is excited and honored to bring this conference to life, bringing military veterans, their families and support organizations together to forward the mission of developing military veterans into the next generation of farmers. We hope you and your families will join us for this unique, one-of-a-kind event!
Sources: Veterans IN Farming, Michigan State University Extension
