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Texas Farm Bureau fund to assist Harvey ag losses

The Texas Farm Bureau opened a relief fund for agricultural losses inflicted by Hurricane Harvey.

“There’s never a good time for a hurricane to hit,” said Texas Farm Bureau spokesman Gene Hall, “but certainly the harvest season, or the end of a harvest season for two major crops is probably the worst time.”

The category four storm hit land in the middle of a bumper cotton harvest, according to Hall, much of which was packed in modules waiting to be ginned.

“The wind blew the modules apart,” Hall told Brownfield Ag News Friday.  “The rain and flood water pretty much ruined it; it’s unlikely that any of that can be salvaged.”

The disaster area is home to more than a quarter of the Texas cow herd – about 1.2 million head.  Hall says there is not yet a count on cattle losses.
He says the Texas Farm Bureau Foundation is accepting tax-deductible donations to assist farmers and ranchers.

“Cash is one thing that’s fungible and can always be used to meet whatever need in a situation like this,” he said, “but we know that they’re going to need hay, they’re going to need feed, they’re going to need volunteers.”

Funds, said Hall, will be dispersed through an application process directly to producers affected by the hurricane.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Whatley / Whatley Farms

AUDIO: Gene Hall (7 min. MP3)

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