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Tractor Supply Company Announces Grant Donation for Farmer Veterans

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.– Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, is celebrating the Fourth of July by honoring the men and women of the Armed Forces. On Sunday July 4th, Tractor Supply stores will offer a biannual 15% discount to all active military, veterans and dependents. Additionally, the Company donated $100,000 to Farmer Veteran Coalition, including awarding $1,000 gift cards to 50 military veterans nationwide to support their agriculture businesses and $50,000 from the Tractor Supply Company Foundation to support additional programming and grants.

“As the country celebrates Independence Day, Tractor Supply is honored to celebrate our service members who work vigorously to defend and protect our freedoms,” said Colin Yankee, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Tractor Supply and former U.S. Army Captain. “The Farmer Veteran Coalition does amazing work assisting veterans embarking on careers in agriculture. It is our privilege to honor these individuals during our nation’s birthday with these grants so that they may continue to share their unique talents and products with their communities. We thank them, and all of the men and women in the Armed Forces, for their service.”

Each year, Tractor Supply partners with FVC to assist farmer veterans from all branches of service. In the last four years, Tractor Supply has donated a total of $250,000 in gift cards and monetary funds, assisting more than 200 farmer veterans. This year’s 50 gift card recipients were selected based on need to support their agriculture projects and businesses and represented four branches of the military across 29 states. The supplementary $50,000 donation from the Tractor Supply Company Foundation will provide grants to seven additional farmer veterans and support FVC’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to support the journey toward racial equity in agriculture.

FVC is a national nonprofit organization that assists more than 30,000 active duty and veteran members of the Armed Forces embarking on careers in agriculture. The organization provides education, resources and small grants to help military members launch their own farming operations or find meaningful employment in the agricultural industry.

Military members supported through this year’s grants include Elizabeth Riffle, an active-duty Navy Nurse Corps officer who owns and operates a West Virginia bison farm committed to providing customers with ethically raised meat. Riffle intends to use the grant to grow her farm to further support her community and promote regenerative farming practices. This year, she is one of 17 women receiving a Tractor Supply grant.

Air Force veteran David Conley, another recipient, opened Athol Orchards Antique Apple Farm, an heirloom apple orchard and food manufacturing company, after more than 20 years of military service. Conley will use the grant to maintain rare and historic apple varieties, produce and sell top-quality products and provide farm-based educational experiences for all ages.

“Our partnership with Tractor Supply has had an incredible impact within our farmer veteran community in providing members with the supplies they need to launch or support their farm businesses,” said Rachel Petitt, Program Director at Farmer Veteran Coalition. “With so many of our members struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic, and Tractor Supply being such a great resource, our community is especially appreciative of these grants. For many farmers, this relief ensures their survival.”

In addition to the grant program and July Fourth discount, the retailer supports the military year-round through programs and initiatives like Dogs on Deployment, paws4people, Operation Stand Down Tennessee and its annual Veterans Day discount.

To learn more about Tractor Supply’s FVC partnership, visit TractorSupply.com/Military.

About Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, has been passionate about serving its unique niche, targeting the needs of recreational farmers, ranchers and all those who enjoy living the rural lifestyle, for more than 80 years. Tractor Supply offers an extensive mix of products necessary to care for home, land, pets and animals with a focus on product localization, exclusive brands and legendary customer service for the Out Here lifestyle. With more than 42,000 Team Members, the Company’s physical store assets, combined with its digital capabilities, offer customers the convenience of purchasing products they need anytime, anywhere and any way they choose at the everyday low prices they deserve. At March 27, 2021, the Company operated 1,944 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at www.TractorSupply.com.

Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services. At March 27, 2021, the Company operated 177 Petsense stores in 23 states. For more information on Petsense, visit www.Petsense.com.

To stay up to date on all things for Life Out Here, follow Tractor Supply on FacebookInstagram and Twitter.

About Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC)
Farmer Veteran Coalition is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization assisting veterans and active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces embarking on careers in agriculture. With the mission of mobilizing veterans to feed America, it provides education, resources and small grants, and fosters the collaboration of the farming and military communities to cultivate a new generation of farmers and food leaders. FVC simultaneously offers veterans a new purpose on America’s farms. Established in 2008, its in-house programs include the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund small grant program, the nationally recognized Homegrown By Heroes label for veteran-grown products, and national and regional conferences. FVC has been successful in getting millions of dollars of USDA funds appropriated for farmer veteran and the groups that support them. They have built an extended community of organizations that look to them for leadership and guidance as the pioneer in this military-to-agriculture movement. Learn more at www.farmvetco.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram at @FarmerVeteranCoalition and Twitter at @FarmVetCo.

From Tractor Supply Company website as first published on -(BUSINESS WIRE)-

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