Rural Lifestyle Retailer Tractor Supply Bolsters Support of Farmer Veterans With $100K Donation

Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, and the Tractor Supply Company Foundation have announced they have made a $100,000 donation to the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s (FVC) Fellowship Fund, which provides micro grants to veterans in their beginning years of farming or ranching. This marks the seventh year Tractor Supply has partnered with FVC to assist farmer veterans as part of its ongoing commitment to Hometown Heroes, which includes military service members, veterans and first responders.

“At Tractor Supply, our ability to serve our nation’s veterans who live and love Life Out Here is due in large part to their sacrifice,” said Colin Yankee, executive vice president and chief supply chain officer at Tractor Supply and former U.S. Army Captain. “It is our honor to support them as they navigate their next chapter as civilians, especially when it comes to farming and ranching. Whether it’s helping them get the tools and equipment needed to get their operation off the ground, funding a FVC training session or providing some friendly advice, Tractor Supply and its team members are thrilled to help.”

Tractor Supply selected 50 veterans from all branches of the U.S. military to each receive a $1,000 Tractor Supply gift card. Recipients can use the funds to purchase items that will make a crucial difference in their farm businesses. According to FVC, commonly purchased items include ATVs, beekeeping equipment, breeding livestock, bulk feed, fencing and tractor implements. The Tractor Supply Company Foundation donated an additional $50,000 to further support farmer veterans in the form of grants and through FVC programming. Through the joint initiative, the company and foundation have provided more than $650,000 in gift cards and funding to FVC over the last seven years, assisting more than 400 farmer veterans nationwide.

“The Farmer Veteran Coalition is incredibly grateful to Tractor Supply for their continued commitment to those who have served our country and now serve their communities through agriculture production. These gift cards are more than just financial support — they’re a vote of confidence in our veterans’ hard work and determination to build strong, sustainable farms,” said Jeanette Lombardo, chief executive officer of FVC. “As part of our Fellowship Fund, this donation helps remove barriers and provides our members with critical resources they need to thrive.”

This year’s applicants were selected based on vision and goals for the future of their business, ability to show how an award will help grow their farm business, and community involvement, among other criteria. Highlights of this year’s recipients include:

• Eduardo Barajas, who retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel. He currently operates Barajasville LLC, a 100-acre property in Medina County, Texas. His goal is to sell Herefords, honey, and grain or pasture on the crop field. He grew up in a rural community helping his grandfather on the daily operation of the family farm until he joined the military.

“The work is hard, but we love what we do,” Eduardo said. “Our family believes in creating a generational tradition of farmers and ranchers in Texas.”

• Sara Coakley, an Army veteran who owns and operates Buckeye Shroomery in Alexandria, Ohio. The farm specializes in the cultivation of gourmet mushrooms, supplying fresh, sustainably grown produce to local markets, restaurants and community organizations. Despite facing setbacks, including a fire that temporarily halted operations, the business has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, resuming production and continuing to support local food systems.
• Austin Field, an active-duty Navy construction mechanic who runs a small poultry farm in Roy, Washington, with his wife and three children. They sell chicken, turkey, quail and duck eggs primarily to military families on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma. They also invite families to the farm to see the animals. Grant funding will help them increase their flock size to provide more farm-fresh eggs to military families.
• Matthew Brooking, a Marine veteran who operates a multi-species regenerative farm on 50 acres in Columbia, Mississippi. Brooking Farm sells eggs and livestock directly to customers and is exploring beekeeping for honey and pollination and growing crops aligned with regenerative principles and local market demands.
• John Krellner, an Officer in the Air Force who served for more than 26 years. He and his wife purchased 243 acres of raw land in the foothills of New Hampshire’s Presidential Mountains and are in the first year of building Maple Trails Farm, LLC, a honeybee, maple syrup and forestry management business to serve local residents and tourists.

A complete listing of grant recipients can be found here.