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Texas Agriculture Archive

April 7, 2006

Wildfire: Here's how you can help!

By Gene Hall
Publisher

I didn't think there was this much hay left in Texas, much less the 1,500-plus large bales that were sent to the fire-ravaged eastern Panhandle over the past few weeks. That is just the Farm Bureau part of this effort. There were other groups doing the same. The months-long Texas drought has made hay a scarce and precious commodity. Still, many were willing to share what they had with others that had none.

Add to that about 280 tons of cake feed, range cubes and the like that have been shipped to the Panhandle. Truck drivers have donated their rigs and time to transport, and in one case, the Texas Baptist Men's Association found a pastor on his way to a revival in the Panhandle. On the way, he delivered three pallets of cubes, donated by Farm Bureau members and a local feed store. The hay and feed part of the effort, is starting to wind down a bit, is still ongoing, so these numbers will grow.

The Texas Farm Bureau Agriculture Research and Education Foundation is accepting donations to help the ranch families of the Panhandle in various ways. So far, about $60,000 has been collected. Other organizations have also collected funds toward the recovery of the fire area.

It sounds like a lot, but the needs are huge. More than 3,500 miles of fences were completely destroyed and the rebuilding costs will run into the millions. As many as 5,000 head of livestock may have been destroyed, and ranchers face a daunting task in feeding the survivors. Most of the damaged range land will not be suitable for grazing for many months.

More help is on the way, though. Cowboy singer, property rights activist and Texas Farm Bureau member Michael Martin Murphey has scheduled a benefit concert at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 at the Amarillo Globe Center. Proceeds from that event will also help those impacted by the fires. Murphey and other entertainers will perform without pay to help the victims of the fires.

You can still help. Checks payable to the Texas Farm Bureau Agriculture Research and Education Foundation are tax deductible. Funds collected for wildfire relief will be totally directed to the assistance effort.

I am no longer surprised by the generosity of farm and ranch families in time of crisis or by the willingness of all Texans to help when others are in need. Instead, I am grateful, along with everyone at Texas Farm Bureau, for the overwhelming response to this great need.