Disaster relief avenues and resources are being organized by several organizations in an effort to help and support those affected by the Nebraska wildfires.
Many local fire departments have expressed thanks for the outpouring of support through tangible items since the beginning of the fire. In fact, many departments and organizations have said they are so overwhelmed with the amount of great help they have gotten through donations that if the community wants to make a donation to do so monetarily.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the Nebraska Cattlemen are two organizations that have organized efforts to assist farming and ranching families and their livestock.
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Those who have hay, feed, fencing materials, equipment, household supplies, etc. that you are willing to donate can contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 1-800-831-0550. You should be prepared to share your name, contact information, and what you have that you are willing to donate and the amount, along with your location.
Producers impacted by the wildfire that need hay, feedstuffs, fencing materials, volunteer help, equipment, etc. can contact the same number to indicate what assistance you are seeking and how urgent your need is. From there, the NDA will share where resources can be obtained.
Fencing supply and hay drop-off and pick-up points established already include Crusty’s Feed Store in Arthur, Kraupies Northport Lot in Bridgeport, the Grant County Fairgrounds, Heartland Lumber in Oshkosh, Oshkosh Truck Stop, and Gordon Livestock Market in Gordon. (Contact information for those locations can be seen in the image in this story)
A list of disaster relief resources for Nebraska farmers and ranchers is also available online at https://nda.nebraska.gov/disasterresources. It includes links to USDA Farm Service Agency programs including the Livestock Indemnity Program and information from the Nebraska Extension.
Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund
The Nebraska Cattlemen are accepting monetary donations and relief applications to assist beef cattle producers who are being impacted by the fires.
The Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund has been activated and is accepting monetary donations until further notice. 100% of the donations are going to be distributed to producers impacted.
As the relief fund is a charitable organization, donations made may be tax deductible and receipts will be sent upon fund deposits. The funds will only be distributed to producers who experienced property loss or damage in areas where a fire was reported through NEMA’s watch center. As of Monday, that included the Morill County fire (impacting Morrill, Garden, Arthur, and Keith Counties) and the Cottonwood fire (impacting Lincoln, Dawson, and Frontier counties).
Membership in Nebraska Cattlemen is not required for applicants to receive relief and applications can be submitted immediately until further notice. Funds won’t be distributed until the application period closes.
To donate to the Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund online or by check via mail, visit NebraskaCattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund.
