WASHINGTON D.C. — Karis Gutter is the USDA’s first Military Veterans Agricultural (MVA) Liaison, and will coordinate USDA leadership across the department to provide information, resources and support for active duty military and veterans interested in agriculture.

Krysta Harden, USDA deputy secretary, made the announcement at the recent Farmer Veteran Coalition’s first national conference. The MVA position was created by the 2014 farm bill.

"In addition to being the liaison as it relates to government, one of the major responsibilities that I will have is working directly with veterans’ organizations as well as veterans themselves," Gutter said. "I will be the person who is consistently the drumbeat throughout USDA as it relates to veterans."

One of his chief responsibilities is to help recruit veterans to become more engaged in farming and agriculture programs, Gutter said. Several of the 17 USDA agencies have "Farm to Fork" programs. There are other programs that allow veterans to have access to capital.

"If you want to start a farm, you need financial resources, insurance, risk management, conservation programs, so that we can improve the quality of the land," he explained. "This farm bill created incentives so that it makes it easier for veterans to participate in USDA’s programs."

Since there are 17 USDA agencies, Gutter wants to make the veterans’ relationship seamless. He does not want them to have to chase down agencies to figure out what might be available to them.

"We want to be that one source of information in USDA that connects how these programs relate to one another, because when one agency’s programs end, another agency’s program may be beginning," he explained.

"As your operation matures, we want to make sure you’re not just getting into agriculture and farming, that you’re sustaining your operation through the right farm management practices."

It was an honor to have Gutter named to the position at the Farmer Veteran Coalition conference, said Michael O’Gorman, executive director of that organization. "I think he was the perfect person for the job," he said. "We’ve been working with Karis for a little over three years. Between his personal military background and his interest in the project and his enthusiasm about helping veterans, I couldn’t have thought of a better person."

Gutter has served the Obama admini-stration as deputy administrator for Field Operations of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, where he managed all of its field operations. Prior to USDA work, he was a legislative advisor. He began his career in public service enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, and worked in local government in Mississippi.

A native of Terry, Miss., Gutter earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Jackson State University and holds a graduate degree in legislative affairs from The George Washington University.

The connections between agriculture and the military are endless, O’Gorman said. It was natural to connect them on the governmental and individual level.

"I think it is tremendous," he said."I think it is something that we’re going to find is just starting to scratch the surface, just like we did when we started (the Farmer Veteran Coalition). There is no end to what you can do."

For more information, visit www.usda.gov/newfarmers