Vinemont veteran, farmer awarded Tractor Supply, FVC grant
Published 12:15 pm Sunday, July 14, 2024
- Cullman Tractor Supply store manager Seth Johnson, center, recognizes, Vinemont farmer and veteran Tonya Carey, right, and daughter, Audrey Tubbs, left, with a grant that will be used to purchase beekeeping equipment and add bees and honey to the 17-acre farm’s product line.
One Vinemont farmer is a step closer to adding a sweet new product to her farm.
Tonya Carey is the recipient of a $1,000 grant provided by Tractor Supply Company and the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
The Carey, an Air Force veteran, plans to purchase beekeeping equipment and add bees and honey to the 17-acre Carey Farms, LLC’s product line. Prior to launching her farm, Carey served in the Air Force for more than seven years, including a tour in Iraq. She was also stationed in Florida, South Korea and Germany.
The grant is part of Tractor Supply’s $100,000 donation to FVC’s Fellowship Fund, which provides direct assistance to veterans launching a career in agriculture. Carey is one of 50 veterans to receive a $1,000 Tractor Supply gift card to purchase items crucial to supporting their farm business. The Tractor Supply Company Foundation has also awarded an additional $50,000 to FVC to benefit farmer veterans through grants and programming.
“Our longstanding support for veterans is rooted in our Mission and Values,” Marti Skold-Jordan, manager of the Tractor Supply Company Foundation, said in a press release. “Agriculture offers a sense of purpose and opportunity ideally suited for veterans beginning new careers. Through our donation to the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, Tractor Supply is honored to support these new farmers by providing them with the supplies, equipment and materials that are critical to their success.”
This is the sixth year Tractor Supply has partnered with FVC to assist farmer veterans from all branches of service as part of its ongoing commitment to veteran causes. Through the joint initiative, the Company has provided more than $550,000 in gift cards and funding to FVC, assisting more than 350 farmer veterans nationwide.
“Agricultural start-ups can require the acquisition of substantial tools and equipment to become operational, so the continued support Tractor Supply provides is very much appreciated by our members and the communities they feed,” said FVC executive director Jeanette Lombardo in a press release. “TSC is not only a longtime supporter of the FVC, but daily they walk alongside our members as they grow and expand their operations. They have become an integral partner and assisting us in achieving our mission throughout the country.”
Fellowship winners are selected by a team of seasoned agriculture industry professionals. Applications were evaluated based on farm training, experience and/or transferable skills, level of personal investment in their farm business and ability to show how an award will help grow their farm business. Applicants were also asked to share their vision for how their business would support their communities.
To learn more about Tractor Supply’s FVC partnership, visit TractorSupply.com/Military.