Photo courtesy of Kubota
In honor of Military Appreciation Month, Kubota Tractor Corporation and the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) announced the selection of the 2024 "Geared to Give" farmer veteran recipients of new Kubota equipment during a special ceremony at the 2024 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals at AT&T Stadium.
In honor of Military Appreciation month, Kubota Tractor Corporation and the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) announced the selection of the 2024 "Geared to Give" farmer veteran recipients of new Kubota equipment.
This year's five awardees, which include both veterans and currently serving members of the Armed Forces, were honored during a special ceremony on the dirt at the 2024 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in commemoration of Armed Forces Day. This year's honorees are:
- Adam Cason, U.S. Army veteran, Sulphur, Okla.
- Lieutenant Col. Rob Moore, U.S. Marine Corps, Fredonia, N.Y.
- Chris Pedersen, U.S. Army National Guard veteran, Almena, Wis.
- Capt. Blaine Underwood, U.S. Air Force, Westville, Fla.
- Master Sgt. Pangia Xiong, California Army National Guard, Fresno, Calif.
"The ‘Geared to Give' program is Kubota's way of honoring our Nation's veterans for their service in the military, but also to empower them with the tools they need as they serve their communities a second time, by helping to feed them," said Alex Woods, Kubota senior vice president and a veteran of the Army National Guard.
"Veterans play an important role in strengthening our rural communities and we are honored to be a part of their journey by providing them with much-needed tools to build their farming operations so they, too, can give back to the areas they serve."
In addition to receiving new Kubota equipment, the five farmer veteran recipients and their guests received an all-expenses-paid trip to Arlington, Texas, to attend the 2024 PBR World Finals in Kubota's dirt suite. As part of the weekend's events, the group also met with Kubota executives, received a behind-the-scenes PBR tour at AT&T Stadium, and were brought out onto the dirt for a special ceremony during the PBR World Finals.
Kubota is the official tractor of the PBR Unleash The Beast, Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour and Camping World Team Series.
"PBR wants to thank farmer veterans for their service to our country and their hard work putting food on our tables," said Josh Baker, chief revenue officer, PBR. "We also extend our gratitude to our valued partners at Kubota for supporting farmer veterans in a meaningful way through the ‘Geared to Give' program."
The 2024 "Geared to Give" program received more than 500 applications through FVC's Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, and in the end, one recipient was selected by and for each of Kubota's five operating divisions across the United States.
- Central Division: Adam Cason served seven years in the U.S. Army which included four deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cason and his wife, Stephanie, own and operate Little Coos Cattle Company, a cow/calf operation, in Sulphur, Okla., where they raise American Highland Cattle Association-registered, mini- and micro-mini Scottish Highland cows and beef cattle. Kubota is awarding Cason an M7060 utility tractor and a Land Pride bale spear and rotary tiller. Cason is supported by his local dealer, Great Plains Kubota in Ardmore, Okla.
- Northern Division: Lieutenant Col. Rob Moore currently serves in the U.S. Marine Corps and has more than 19 years of combined service in the Marines and U.S. Army, which includes two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and one deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Moore and his partners, Marine 1st Lieutenant Ryan Deas and Markus Deas, a commercial airline pilot, own and operate Range Ranch in Fredonia, N.Y., where they raise chickens, dairy cows and bees, and grow concord grapes and hay. Kubota is awarding Moore a BV4160 PREM hay baler and he is supported by his local Kubota dealer, Monroe Tractor in Springville, N.Y.
- Midwest Division: Chris Pedersen served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army National Guard which included two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Spartan Shield. Pedersen and his wife, Abbey, who currently serves in the active-duty Army, own and operate Snowshoe Valley Christmas Tree Farm in Almena, Wis. Kubota is awarding Pedersen an L3902 compact tractor and a Land Pride rotary cutter, stump grinder and pallet forks. Pedersen is supported by his local Kubota dealer, Johnson Tractor in Baldwin, Wis.
- Southeast Division: Captain Blaine Underwood is in his eighth year of service as an engineer in the U.S. Air Force. Underwood and his wife, Robin, own and operate Underwood Farm LLC, a grass-fed cattle and sheep farm, in Westville, Fla. Kubota is awarding Underwood an MX5400 utility tractor and a Land Pride bale spear, rotary cutter, and rear auger. Underwood is supported by his local Kubota dealer, Crystal Tractor & Equipment in Panama City, Fla.
- Western Division: Master Sgt. Pangia Xiong has been serving in the California Army National Guard since 2005. Xiong and her husband, Ge, who also currently serves in the California Army National Guard, own and operate Sunshine's Farm, a U-Pick strawberry farm in Fresno, Calif. Kubota is awarding Xiong an RTV-X1140 utility vehicle and a variety of accessories including a canopy, winch kit, and front and rear LED work lights. Xiong is supported by her local Kubota dealer, Pioneer Equipment Co., in Fresno, Calif.
"Kubota is an amazing longtime partner of the Farmer Veteran Coalition," said FVC CEO Jeanette Lombardo. "Over the years, our work together on the core mission of FVC has continued to expand and the original project that started it all was the 'Geared to Give' program, which is the highlight of my year. The impact that Kubota makes on the lives of our beginning farmers and ranchers and their families is lifechanging. To witness someone being given keys to a new tractor is heart-warming and a moment filled with emotion and hope. I'm so grateful for Kubota and its continued support for our members, their futures, and their dreams."
Every year, one veteran from each of Kubota's five operating divisions is selected to receive new Kubota equipment through the "Geared to Give" program, and since it was established in 2015, Kubota has provided more than $1 million to FVC in the form of organizational support and grants to veterans, along with an additional 46 pieces of donated Kubota equipment to farmer veterans.
The Kubota program also offers exclusive discounts to Veteran Members of the Farmer Veteran Coalition with instant customer rebates for purchasing select Kubota equipment at all 1,100 authorized-Kubota dealerships nationwide.
Each year, farmer veterans can apply to the FVC Fellowship Fund to be considered for donated Kubota equipment through the "Geared to Give" program.
For more information on FVC's 2025 application process, visit farmvetco.org. For more information on the "Geared to Give" program, visit Kubota Cares.
This story also appears on Agricultural Equipment Guide.
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