Relief efforts are underway nationwide to assist Texas and Louisiana cattlemen hammered by the effects of Hurricane Ike. The campaign is being spearheaded by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and coordinated by cattlemen’s organizations in the affected states.
In the Texas counties of Jefferson and Chambers, only 15,000 cattle have been accounted for out of an estimated 40,000 head. Roaming cattle have no fresh water or feed and concern exists that they will have trouble surviving long under current conditions. While troughs for fresh water are an immediate need, new fencing materials will be required in the short term.
Currently there are approximately 7,000 cattle trapped in water or on levies from Cameron to St. Bernard Parishes in Louisiana. Fresh water is a concern here as well, and hay is a critical need to those in Louisiana.
In-state relief efforts are already underway by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, as well as the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association. The National Cattlemen’s Foundation effort is also being coordinated with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Contributions of hay and fencing and other supplies are also welcome. To make arrangements for hay contributions to Louisiana producers, contact Bob Felknor, executive vice president of the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association, at 225-343-3491.
NCBA is coordinating this effort in cooperation with the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) and state and local cattlemen’s associations. Monetary donations can be made to the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. These donations are tax deductible, and 100 percent of every contribution will directly assist families struggling to keep their farms and ranches operating under these difficult conditions. To date we have recieved over $95,000 in contributions. Click here to see the list of donors.
Credit card contributions can be made by calling 1-866-BEEF-USA (866-233-3872) with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Online contributions can also be made by selecting “Make a Contribution” on the left-hand side of the screen on the home page.
Contributions by check can be made payable to National Cattlemen’s Foundation, with “disaster relief” included on the memo line. These checks can be mailed to:
National Cattlemen’s FoundationDisaster Relief FundPO Box 17826Denver, CO 80217Those wishing to donate hay, trucking services, or equipment should contact Courtney Pollock of NCBA at 303-850-3393.