(NAFB.com) – Retired Army Colonel Joe Ricker  of Indiana is the first winner of the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence presented by the American Farm Bureau Federation with support from Farm Credit. Ricker served 30 years in the Army before retiring from a Pentagon logistics post in 2022. Since leaving the Army, Ricker started At Ease Orchard, a nonprofit that introduces veterans, first responders, and their family members to beekeeping and other farm activities. He also founded Veterans in Farming, which provides vets in Indiana with training and support to succeed in farming. Ricker has also served as a veteran outreach coordinator for AgrAbility. “We’re proud to elevate and celebrate Col. Joe Ricker for his past service to our country and current involvement in agriculture and local communities,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We greatly appreciate the sacrifices of veterans and their services, and I’m delighted to highlight their contributions to agriculture, too.”