HERO Agriculture Partnership
HERO Agriculture is a 501 (c3) nonprofit organization providing veterans the network, support and education to develop a personalized agriculture operation. HERO stands for:
Honor: They recognize the sacrifices of those who have served
Education: They help veterans rediscover their purpose
Resilience: They believe every veteran can master their new normal
Obligation: They do this until everyone gets home and they end veteran suicide
Veterans are committing suicide every day, and even one is too many. HERO Agriculture believes they must change this. A hero need hope. HERO Agriculture provides an opportunity for veterans to rediscover their purpose through farming. The strength within these men and women, coupled with training and mentorship, helps them succeed at a new mission.
HERO Agriculture provides the services to help veterans learn about agriculture and farming. Veterans begin by identifying an area or pathway of farming interest. Then, they work with HERO Agriculture to develop an individualized learning plan.
Veterans in the program are provided opportunities to advance their business operations through business plans, social media and website development, marketing and logo design, financial management, and sales on top of the many aspects of farming and animal operations.
HERO Agriculture was founded by Mike Reynolds, Chief Farming Office. While deployed to Iraq in 2009, Mike sustained multiple injuries and was forced to retire after being found “Unfit for Duty”. During his long journey to recovery, he found renewed purpose through farming. HERO Agriculture is Mike’s vision. Many people supported his recovery and successful transition to farming. He created HERO Agriculture to support other veterans in the same way. Mike lives in Calhoun, GA where he and his wife, Kim, operate their 82-acre farm with their children, Katie and Camden. Because Mike is a Logistics and Supply Chain Management major in the Wright School of Business at Dalton State College, the WSOB faculty are involved in his mission.
In 2023, Mike invited Gary Matteson, Senior Vice President, Beginning Farmer Programs and Outreach of Washington, DC to visit Dalton State College and meet with WSOB faculty. He brought with him friends from the area involved in AG Georgia Farm Credit Lending in Chatsworth, GA, Department of Agriculture’s Director of Field Services from Atlanta, and other services businesses that support agriculture along with FFA high school students, area veterans, and others to meet with WSOB faculty and brainstorm ways to support veterans, promote business education to agricultural employees and students, and link business students with agriculture-involved veterans to help with business-related projects and internships. The WSOB is proud to be a HERO partner to change the lives of veterans in agriculture.
