Presented by Justin Barclay, Veterans Program Manager for the Rodale Institute, on 18 August 2022 to the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council.

1. Veteran Programs in
Regenerative Organic Agriculture

2. ©2008 Rodale institute
• Name: Justin Barclay
• Job Title: Veteran Programs Manager,
Rodale Institute; 2015-2016, 2019-Present
• ARMY Veteran, 2000-2005, 2007-2008
• Armor Branch
• 1-4 Infantry Battalion: Hohenfels,
Germany
• Team Oosik/Police Mentor Team:
RC-North, Afghanistan
• Originally from Franconia Township
(Montgomery County, PA)
• Lived overseas from 2001-2015
• Returned to PA in 2015, presently living
near Lehighton (Carbon County, PA) on a
small horse farm
WHO AM I?

3. ©2008 Rodale institute
WHAT IS RODALE INSTITUTE?
• RODALE INSTITUTE IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT
DEDICATED TO ADVANCING REGENERATIVE
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE THROUGH RESEARCH,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
• Founder was J.I. Rodale, he is also the founder of
Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, PA
• Founded in 1947 as the Soil and Health Foundation
at the current Founders Farm location on Minesite Rd
& South Cedar Crest Blvd
• In the 1970s, Robert Rodale (son of J.I. Rodale)
bought a farm at the current location of Rodale
Institute, a 333-acre research farm in Maxatawny
Township (outside of Kutztown), Berks County
• Multiple satellite farms and research locations in the
US (PA, CA, GA, IA) and now international (Italy)
Franz Stuppard – 2021

4. ©2008 Rodale institute
VETERAN FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM
(VFTP)
• Where is it?
• Training primarily occurs at 1) Rodale Institute main campus in Berks
County, 2) Rodale Founders Farm in Emmaus, Lehigh County,
3) St. Luke’s Rodale Institute Organic Farm, by St. Luke’s Anderson
campus in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County
• Additional internship of 8 months at Pocono Organics (near Pocono
Raceway) in Long Pond, Monroe County, on-site housing is available
• What is the VFTP?
• A paid internship program, where
veterans can learn about organic
agriculture – veterans receive weekly
stipends
• The training was generally 2-4
months, sometimes up to 6 months;
• Starting in 2022 there will be a
season-long opportunity (9-months) &
short season opportunity (2-4 months)
Billy Vaughan – 2018

5. ©2008 Rodale institute
• Organic Vegetable Production
• Livestock - Pigs (heritage breeds), Chickens
layers/broilers (heritage breeds), Turkeys
• Soil Health (Biology, Chemical Nutrients)
• Tractor/Equipment Training
• Greenhouse operations
• Organic Certification
• Farmers Markets
• Food Safety
• Compost
• Apples
• Hemp
• Bees
WHAT DO VETERANS LEARN ABOUT?
• Finance 101/Budgeting
• Agricultural Loans
• Legal Work
• AgrAbility
• Homegrown By Heroes/
PA Preferred program
Veterans in the VFTP are integrated into our Rodale Institute Farmer
Training (RIFT) program, out of the 40 hours each week, 12 hours are
dedicated to education, including topics such as:
2021 Veterans Teresa, Brian, and
Sam with Baylor (Rodale staff)

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VETERAN FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM
• Need identified in 2015, first VFTP participant
began in May 2016
• 50 veterans to date participated in the program over
the past 6 growing seasons
• youngest veteran was 24 (2020), oldest veteran
Vietnam Veteran (67+) (2018)
• 42 males, 8 females
• Army—27 , Navy—10, Marines—8, Air Force—5
• Highlights
• Chuck Christianson (2016): farming in Adams
County, PA
• Bernard Graebener (2018): Fairacres Organic
Produce, NJ
• Billy Vaughan (2018): Sanctuary Farm and Rest
House, AR
• Matt Pfeiffer (2019): USDA Inspection Agent in NY
• Michael Christensen (2020): farming in TN
• Pat Dougherty (2020): employed at Pocono
Organics, PA
Veterans came from…
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• Maryland
• New York
• Virginia
• California
• Texas
• West Virginia
• Louisiana
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Georgia
• Ohio
• Missouri
• Arizona
• Tennessee
• D.C.
Statistics:

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Veteran Farmer
Training Program
2019 Veterans
1. Leah Bartlett – Army
2. Dana Atkins – Navy
3. Matt Pfeifer – Army
4. Tom Danza – Army
5. Tony Bonthorne – Army
6. Britton Sprouse – Marines
7. Eddie Pena – Army
8. Bryant Weaver – Army
9. Zeek Lee – Army
10. Lawrence Davis – Marines
11. Riad Yar – Army

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Veteran Farmer
Training Program
2020 Veterans
1. Brett Bennett – Air Force
2. Wilson Allen – Air Force
3. Michael Gavin – Marines
4. William Wendling – Marines
5. Pat Dougherty – Navy
6. Bob Wining – Navy
7. Josiah Remy – Air Force
8. Michael Christensen – Army
(active duty)
9. Phillip Ricci – Army
10. David Boyd – Army
1
1 2 3
4 5
6
7 8
9
10

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Veteran Farmer
Training Program
2021 Veterans
1. Brian Gray – Army
2. Derek Loren – Marines
3. Nick Karnaze – Marines
4. Pat Hodge – Army
5. Sam Stern – Navy
6. Teresa Vines – Navy
7. Andrew Lydon – Army
8. Sanchez Grier – Army
9. Joe “JT” Taylor – Navy
10. Franz Stuppard – Air Force

10. ©2008 Rodale institute
LOCAL PARTNERS IN VETERAN FARMER
TRAINING
What is after they are done at Rodale? We recommend they participate in
incubator farms or follow-on training opportunities
• Seed Farm – Lindsey Parks & Brad Pollock;
https://theseedfarm.org/,
https://shfblv.org/theseedfarm/
• Pocono Organics – Ashley Walsh;
https://www.poconoorganics.com/
• Common Ground Farm and Retreat – Mike &
Lindy Sheridan
• Job Opportunities and Land Access are posted on
our closed Facebook group, networking

11. ©2008 Rodale institute
HOW IS THE VETERAN FARMER
TRAINING PROGRAM FUNDED?
Ariel Jennings & Frank Esposito– 2018
• The Veteran Farmer Training
Program was funded through private
grants and donations from its
inception in 2015 through 2021;
supplemental USDA funding will
begin in 2022
• Over the past five years this private
funding has included support from:
• Pocono Organics
• Newman’s Own Foundation
• Farmer Veteran Coalition
• Thrive Market
• Applegate/Sprocket
• Snider Foundation
• Captain Jason Jones Memorial
Foundation
• Wawa Foundation
• Anonymous donors in the Lehigh
Valley & greater NYC area Leah Bartlett – 2019

12. ©2008 Rodale institute
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS
• Veterans can attend workshops at Rodale Institute at no cost up to $60
(most are $60 or below), any workshops over $60 the veteran must pay
the difference
• Veterans can participate in any webinars that have a cost up to $60 for
FREE
• Beginning in 2022, veterans will have scholarships available to participate
in our online courses through our Virtual Campus…details to follow late
2021, early 2022
Bernard Graebener – 2018
Nick Karnaze – 2021

13. ©2008 Rodale institute
HOW CAN I HELP?
• VFTP costs approximately $80k -
$100k/year for stipends, any donation is
appreciated
• Identifying short-term rental units in
Western Lehigh County & close to St.
Luke’s Rodale Farm/Anderson Campus
• Spread the word to veterans interested
in learning about organic agriculture
• Shop and purchase food from organic,
local farmers
2018 Veterans on a Field Trip

14. ©2008 Rodale institute
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Justin Barclay
Title: Veteran Programs Manager
Address: 611 Siegfriedale Road, Kutztown, PA 19530
Email: justin.barclay@rodaleinstitute.org
Phone: 610-683-1442
Link to the Veteran Farmer Training Program:
https://rodaleinstitute.org/education/training-programs/veteran-farmer-training/

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THANK YOU!