WACO, Texas — Texas Farm Bureau has established a relief fund to address the agricultural losses inflicted by Hurricane Harvey. The category four storm struck Texas with a vengeance, flooding Texas farm communities, small towns and major cities.
Those farm and ranch families are now left facing overwhelming odds following high winds and unprecedented rainfall.
“It’s an historic storm and a disaster for many farmers and ranchers. The torrential rainfall wreaked havoc on Texas agriculture at the worst possible time—harvest season,” Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said. “Hurricane Harvey struck an area of the state known for cattle, cotton, rice and other row crops.”
There’s much work ahead in rebuilding, but that’s what farmers and ranchers intend to do.
Texas Farm Bureau’s Agriculture Research and Education Foundation has established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund to aid in the recovery efforts following the devastating storm.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to the foundation to assist farmers and ranchers. Donations to this fund will be dispersed via an application process directly to the farmers and ranchers affected by the hurricane.
The area declared as a disaster by Gov. Greg Abbott contains about 1.2 million cattle, which is roughly 27 percent of the state’s cowherd.
Boening noted the cotton crop on the Texas Gulf Coast was expected to be a good crop, which was needed after several years of low prices and high costs. The losses from Harvey will reduce the expected two million bale harvest by as much as 400,000 bales, according to estimates from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
“Texas agriculture suffered major losses,” Boening said. “Some of that will be covered by other means, but much of it will not. Farmers and ranchers are left to pick up the soggy pieces.”
Harvey was the strongest storm to hit the U.S. since 2004, dropping several feet of rain.
“Harvey roared into Texas and overstayed his welcome,” Boening said. “But now we look ahead—to recovery and rebuilding the farms and ranches in that part of our great state.”
Click here to make a tax-deductible donation.
Applications for assistance will be posted on the Texas Farm Bureau website at a later date.
–Texas Farm Bureau
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