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Rising from the Ashes

Resources and links relating to March’s wildfires.

An outbreak of wildfires left a path of destruction across Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas earlier this month. The fires burned more than 700,000 acres in 21 Kansas counties, with more than three-quarters of that acreage burning in Clark and Comanche counties. More than 23,000 acres burned near Amarillo, Texas, threatening more than 150 homes; a fire in the Texas Panhandle near the Oklahoma border burned more than 156 square miles. In Colorado, more than 45 square miles burned in Logan County, threatening nearly 1,000 homes and forcing the evacuation of three schools. Fires in Kansas caused thousands to evacuate their homes and left many in shelters.

At least five human lives were claimed, along with thousands of cattle and other livestock.


Conditions remain favorable for wildfire flare-ups, and the threat of more fires remains. Farmers and ranchers now face the challenge of disposing of carcasses, treating injured cattle and caring for orphaned calves.


Soon after the March 6 blaze, Angus Media’s Jena McRell shared ways to contribute to wildfire relief efforts in the affected states in her story “When Disaster Strikes, Band Together.” Read that story in its entirety at http://angus.media/News/Article/739/When-Disaster-Strikes-Band-Together.


USDA offers assistance
According to a USDA press release, the USDA has announced the availability of more than $6 million in funding to implement practices that will help private farmers, ranchers and forest landowners affected by the wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.


The funding, made available by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), will assist local producers as they begin to restore scorched grazing land, rebuild fencing, protect damaged watersheds and implement various conservation measures to mitigate losses.


EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to help plan and implement conservation practices that address priority local and state resource concerns. Producers must submit a complete program application, establish “farm records” and other documentation to support eligibility to be considered for financial assistance through EQIP. Step-by-step assistance can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.


States will begin accepting applications in the near future. Producers in the affected counties are encouraged to check with their local NRCS service centers for additional information.


Texas closing supply points
As March comes to a close, supply points in Texas are winding down as the need for hay and feed has largely been filled. Fencing supplies are still short and monetary donations are still appreciated.


Supply points in Gray County and Lipscomb County, Texas, will cease operation on March 24. Hemphill County will continue to receive semi-loads of feed for the next three to four weeks.


For more information, see “Winding Down” on this page of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA.


North Dakota pitches in
The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) and North Dakota Stockmen’s Foundation (NDSF) have pledged $15,000 of their own to the relief efforts in the impacted states.


The NDSA and NDSF have also established the “Rising from the Ashes” Wildfire Disaster Relief Program as a means to connect individuals who want to provide their own financial support with those ranch families who are in need. Donation checks can be sent to the NDSF at 407 S. 2nd St., Bismarck, ND 58504 with “Rising from the Ashes” written in the memo. The NDSA and NDSF will compile these financial gifts and work with the respective cattlemen’s organizations in the affected states to distribute 100% of the money raised to the victims.


The NDSF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so gifts can be deducted for income tax purposes.


For more information about the “Rising from the Ashes” Wildfire Disaster Relief Program, call 701-223-2522 or visit www.ndstockmen.org.


Kansas 4-Hers foster orphaned calves
According to a news release by Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension, the Four Leaf Clover 4-H Club in Meade County, Kan., has rallied together with clubs in Elkhart, Ness City and Russell, with more clubs joining every day, to help ranchers save their calves.


So far, the groups have rescued at least 85 calves and placed them in care.


For more information, find the group on Facebook by searching for “Orphan Calf Relief of SW Kansas” or call Rachelle Schlochtermeier at 785-483-0421.


Send donations to Ashland Feed and Seed, 1975 County Road U, Ashland, KS 67831 or call 620-635-2856; Meade Co-op, P.O. Box 220, Meade, KS 67864 or call 620-873-2161; or Country Feeds, 11205 US Highway 56, Montezuma, KS 67867 or call 1-800-711-6092.


Read the full release at http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/news-stories/2017-news-releases/march/orphaned-calves.html.


Document losses and ask for help
A K-State Research and Extension news release urges those affected by recent wildfires to document lost structures and property, and to ask for help when the emotional strain is too strong.


Don’t rely on your memory, the release states. Record or write down the specifics of the loss including:

For more information, read the full release at http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/news-stories/2017-news-releases/march/wildfires-property.html.


Feeding donated hay
A generous outpouring of hay donations have flooded supply stations across the four states ravaged by wildfires earlier in March. Ted McCullom, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist in Amarillo, reminds producers to feed the hay wisely.


Read the full Texas A&M AgriLife Extension news release for McCullom’s tips at http://today.agrilife.org/2017/03/14/producers-affected-wildfires-advised-feeding-value-donated-hay/.


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