Oregon Farm Bureau offering relief funds for farmers & ranchers impacted by wildfires
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Thursday, September 5th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – Though the wildfire season may be winding down, at least in some areas, that doesn’t mean the damage to private and public lands will heal overnight. For many agricultural producers especially, the 2024 fire season has been particularly devastating. There is some reprieve however, as the Oregon Farm Bureau is offering relief funds for farmers and ranchers in need.
In particular, the Wildfire Relief fund, as written in a recent OFB news release, “will focus on rebuilding infrastructure, reseeding forage, supplying replacement feed, and other urgent recovery efforts.” A substantial portion of the relief funds are being provided via donations from members of the public, local farmers and ranchers, various financial institutions, and even the Oregon BottleDrop. As written by Austin McClister, Communications Director for the OFB:
“We are still in the process of collecting donations, but the support from the community has been phenomenal up to this point. While these funds won’t be able to undo the damage that has been done, we hope we can provide enough to help provide relief.”
No administrative fees are being collected during the process, with all donations going directly to those in need. For farmers considering applying for relief, there are no stipulations or prerequisites, though members of local County Farm Bureaus will be contacting farmers to better understand their unique situations. Likewise, there is no maximum funding cap for individual farmers/ranchers, but funds will be distributed on an as-needed basis.
Aside from momentary relief, the OFB is also collecting donations of hay and livestock feed to be directly donated to ranchers in need. Heavy emphasis is being placed on these direct feed donations, with anyone capable of providing feed and hay asked to contact Austin McClister at 503-399-1701 or austin@oregonfb.org.
For more information on the program and general donation links, visit http://oregonfb.org/donate
