Veterans sought for agriculture project

Two Taos nonprofits have joined forces to launch a program training veterans in agriculture.

Not Forgotten Outreach, Inc. and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps have launched VetCorps, a program sponsored by AmeriCorps that gives veterans and military family members a paid national service opportunity to grow food for their community.

“Through eco-therapy projects, VetCorps members will train and build agricultural skills in traditional and technological environments, support NFO community events and develop healthy coping mechanisms,” for dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other injuries, according to a press release from the organization.

VetCorps is accepting applications for the VetCorps leadership crew. This crew of five will train eligible veterans and military family members in agriculture and food production.

The VetCorps program was born from NFO’s Taos Veterans Farming Project. The goal is to use farming and agriculture as a positive transition force for veterans while providing leadership skills, agriculture knowledge, business plan development, and peer-to-peer mentorship, according to information from the organization.

“NFO’s VetCorps provides what NFO’s participants have been asking for since 2013: agricultural training while receiving a living wage stipend,” said Don Peters II, NFO’s executive director, in a statement. “With our esteemed partner, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, we were able to start a New Mexico VetCorps that we plan to duplicate across the nation.”

RMYC’s executive director Ben Thomas said the project is an opportunity for the two organizations to work together. “We are able to harness the expertise of each organization to bring a powerful program off the ground, this is a win-win,” said Thomas.

The project is supported by The LOR Foundation, The Conservation Fund, Quail Roost Foundation and the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism.

For more information and position descriptions visit NFO at