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** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FLORIDA HAS THE NATION'S THIRD LARGEST VETERAN POPULATION AT NEARLY 1.6 MILLION VETERANS. MANY LIVE IN RURAL COUNTIES WITH STRONG AGRICULTURE BASED ECONOMIES AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF FLORIDA'S LARGEST ECONOMIC SECTORS GENERATING NEARLY $270 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT AND SUPPORTING NEARLY 2 MILLION JOBS. AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT MAKES UP A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE IN THE RURAL AREAS SERVED BY THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM. IN THESE COUNTIES, A TOTAL OF 1,094,975 AGRICULTURAL JOBS EXIST, AND THERE IS A CONTINUING HIGH DEMAND FOR A TRAINED WORKFORCE TO MEET THE INDUSTRY NEEDS. MANY OF FLORIDA'S RURAL VETERANS LACK THE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO FIND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. THE GOAL OF THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS TO HELP VETERANS TRANSITION INTO SUSTAINABLE CAREERS. THE PROGRAM IS AN IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR TODAY'S AGRICULTURE CAREERS.THE PROGRAM FEEDS THE AGRICULTURE TALENT PIPELINE WITH A HIGHLY SKILLED VETERAN WORKFORCE AND IS A CATALYST FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE INTRINSIC AND THERAPEUTIC VALUE TO THE VETERANS.VETERANS FLORIDA REACHES VETERANS AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE GOAL OF VETERANS MAKING FLORIDA THEIR PERMANENT HOME. VETERANS FLORIDA WILL CONNECT VETERANS INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE CAREERS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (UF/IFAS) RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTERS (REC) FOR PAID INTERNSHIPS UNDER THE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM. INTERNS ARE PROVIDED SUPPORT BY VETERANS FLORIDA INCLUDING RESUME ASSISTANCE AND CAREER MATCHING OPPORTUNITIES ONCE THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR AGRICULTURE INTERNSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, INTERNS WHO WISH TO START AN AGRIBUSINESS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES MENTORSHIP, NETWORKING, AND TRAINING, TO ASSIST VETERANS IN STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS. THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PARTNERSHIP PANEL, CONSISTING OF VETERANS FLORIDA LEADERSHIP, PARTICIPATING UF/IFAS REC STAFF, AND FLORIDA AGRIBUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS, ASSESSES AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT PROGRAM OPERATIONS AND GROWTH. THE PANEL ALSO CONNECTS AGRIBUSINESSES TO THE PROGRAM FOR FOLLOW-ON INTERNSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, AND ASSISTANCE WITH EVALUATING THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS. THE PROGRAM RESULTS ARE DISSEMINATED THROUGH THE VETERANS FLORIDA WEBSITE, WWW.VETERANSFLORIDA.ORG/. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM IS MARKETED THROUGH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SERVICES (FDACS) WEBSITE, WWW.FDACS.GOV/CONSUMER-RESOURCES/VETERANS/VETERANS-AGRICULTURE, AND THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS.

FLORIDA HAS THE NATION'S THIRD LARGEST VETERAN POPULATION AT NEARLY 1.6 MILLION VETERANS. MANY LIVE IN RURAL COUNTIES WITH STRONG AGRICULTURE BASED ECONOMIES AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF FLORIDA'S LARGEST ECONOMIC SECTORS GENERATING NEARLY $165 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT AND SUPPORTING NEARLY 2 MILLION JOBS. AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT MAKES UP A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE IN THE RURAL AREAS SERVED BY THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM. IN THESE COUNTIES, A TOTAL OF 1,010,021 AGRICULTURAL JOBS EXIST, AND THERE IS A CONTINUING HIGH DEMAND FOR A TRAINED WORKFORCE TO MEET THE INDUSTRY NEEDS. MANY OF FLORIDA'S RURAL VETERANS LACK THE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO FIND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. THE GOAL OF THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS TO HELP VETERANS TRANSITION INTO SUSTAINABLE CAREERS. THE PROGRAM IS AN IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR TODAY'S AGRICULTURE CAREERS. VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM FEEDS THE AGRICULTURE TALENT PIPELINE WITH A HIGHLY SKILLED VETERAN WORKFORCE AND IS A CATALYST FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE INTRINSIC AND THERAPEUTIC VALUE TO THE VETERANS.VETERANS FLORIDA REACHES VETERANS AROUND THE STATE AND CONNECTS THEM WITH UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (UF/IFAS) RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTERS (REC) ACROSS FLORIDA FOR PAID INTERNSHIPS UNDER THE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM. INTERNS ARE PROVIDED VETERANS FLORIDA CAREER SERVICES INCLUDING RESUME ASSISTANCE AND CAREER MATCHING OPPORTUNITIES ONCE THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR AGRICULTURE INTERNSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, INTERNS WHO WISH TO START AN AGRIBUSINESS CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE VETERANS FLORIDA ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES MENTORSHIP, NETWORKING, AND TRAINING, TO ASSIST VETERANS WITH STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS. THE VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PARTNERSHIP PANEL, CONSISTING OF VETERANS FLORIDA LEADERSHIP, PARTICIPATING UF/IFAS REC STAFF, AND FLORIDA AGRIBUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS, ASSESSES AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT PROGRAM OPERATIONS AND GROWTH. THE PANEL ALSO CONNECTS AGRIBUSINESSES TO THE PROGRAM FOR FOLLOW-ON INTERNSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, AND ASSISTANCE WITH EVALUATING THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS. VETERANS FLORIDA AGRICULTURE PROGRAM RESULTS ARE DISSEMINATED THROUGH THE VETERANS FLORIDA WEBSITE, WWW.VETERANSFLORIDA.ORG/ . IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM IS MARKETED THROUGH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SERVICES (FDACS) WEBSITE, WWW.FDACS.GOV/CONSUMER-RESOURCES/VETERANS/VETERANS-AGRICULTURE , AND THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS.