Veteran Farmers or Ranchers in California

By Chris Micheli

The California Military and Veterans Code, in Division 4, Chapter 8, concerns veteran farmers and ranchers. Section 1008 contains 11 legislative findings and declarations, including that agriculture is a major industry in California, and that 8% of the nation’s homeless population are military veterans and 45% of homeless veterans are African American or Latino, while less than 10% are women, and that the Legislature recognizes the opportunities to the state through landmark funding contained in the 2014 United States Farm Bill and subsequent United States Farm bills to assist military veterans in entering careers as farmers and ranchers.

Section 1008.5 required the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the California Department of Veterans Affairs, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Farm Service Agency, and other federal agencies. To identify and post information on their individual Internet Web sites as appropriate to assist, educate, train, and otherwise support California’s transitioning service members and returning military veterans to enter into farming or ranching careers in California.

Information posted by the Department of Food and Agriculture was required to include information on five specified topics. Certain information must be posted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.