BISMARCK — A disaster of historic magnitude. That’s what some are calling the drought of 2017. There have been many relief efforts out there by government agencies, be it the FSA opening the CRP acres for grazing, and then haying. Or whether it’s maybe some help from the state; some declarations by the governor allowing more distance to be traveled by farm trucks to go and get those feedstuffs if they so need.
Those are just a few things that are being done by the government side of the relief. But then there’s the personal side, there’s the charitable side. There are those that want to give and help out. And we at NDFB will be kicking off a drought relief effort starting this week where people can make donations — be it money, be it hay, be it trucking, be it some sort of assistance – to help those in need. And also those that are in need, and need some assistance, can fill out an application explaining what type of assistance that they may need.
It’s kind of ironic. The very folks that stood up when we undertook a wildfire relief effort, in which we raised over $150,000 to go to those four states affected, are now those very folks that find themselves in the position of need from a natural disaster.
These things are never fun to go through, but we are resilient in this state. Agriculture will survive, will prosper, we just might need a little help and a little extra effort. And at NDFB we’re here to provide that assistance through some drought relief.
And for those that want more details, whether to donate to the relief effort or to apply for some relief, go to www.ndfb.org and you’ll find all the information right there on our home page.
For questions or comments, please contact Dawn Smith-Pfeifer.
— Daryl Lies, president of North Dakota Farm Bureau
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