Since 2015, Kubota has partnered with the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) on the ‘Geared to Give’ program, which matches military veterans’ needs with donated Kubota equipment. Through the program, each year a total of five farmer veterans are selected from applicants to FVC’s Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, with 36 veterans receiving equipment and grants since it was established.
Last year, Army veteran Cody Miller of Thayer, Iowa, was one of the five veterans selected to receive Kubota equipment through the program, receiving a 250-hour lease on a Kubota M7 Series tractor with loader and a BV4580 baler.
“The tractor and baler really mean a lot,” said Miller, who served a deployment to Afghanistan during his more than 13 years of service in the Army. “It’s hard to put into words because without good equipment, you can’t farm anymore—it’s almost impossible. I’m so grateful to Kubota and the Geared to Give program for this opportunity.”
Cody’s story is a familiar one for many rural veterans across the country who have embarked on—or returned to—careers in agriculture after their time in the service ended. He grew up farming on the family farm, which has been in his family for multiple generations, and after high school he joined the military to see the world before ultimately returning home to start his own operation.
Cody’s farm, named Full Moon Farms, consists of 40 acres of row crops—mostly soybeans—and he also rents 200 acres for raising cattle and hay. Additionally, he raises ducks and chickens, and is learning about the equine industry.
Prior to receiving his equipment last year, Cody was making do by borrowing his dad’s tractor and baler, however, that equipment was unreliable as it was constantly breaking down. With the M7 and baler, Cody is looking forward to bringing a little more stability to his farming operation.
“I’ve never had anything this nice or new before, so it has been a remarkable experience,” said Miller, who is in the process of completing an ag management degree at his local community college. “If there was something above icing on the cake, then that’s what this tractor and baler are.”
To learn more about the Geared to Give program, click here. And to learn more about the Farmer Veteran Coalition, visit www.farmvetco.org.