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Posted: Monday, January 7th, 2013 9:35 AM HST

Veterans to Farmers program graduates first class

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

Graduation ceremonies were held on Saturday for 14 Waimea residents in the first pilot class of the state’s Veteran to Farmer program. The goal of the program is to provide participants with the technical and business skills needed to start small, agricultural operations, while holding down full-time employment. The 14-member class began the program in June and have all built greenhouses and have begun farming on their homestead land. The University of Hawai`i at Hilo, which will make the course eligible for veterans to use their GI Bill education benefits, will shortly approve the curriculum.All of the graduates are residents of the Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders Association and many are veterans.