COALITION PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO LIVESTOCK FARMERS FOLLOWING THE DERECHO

09-21-2020 in Article

CONTACT: Brian Waddingham, Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers
800.932.2436, bwaddingham@supportfarmers.com

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – September 14, 2020 – In response to the damage caused by the derecho that ripped through Iowa on August 10, the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) is providing on-farm resources to help livestock farmers get their questions answered about options and considerations for their farms.

The sustained, high winds caused by the derecho flattened many corn fields, ravaged soybean fields, and damaged livestock facilities, throwing yet another devastating blow to Iowa’s farmers that are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  What was already shaping up to be one of the most challenging years in recent memory, just took on a whole new dynamic.

If your farm sustained damage to its livestock and poultry barns, open feedlots or even windbreaks, now may be a good time to have the Coalition come out to your farm and assess your best options for moving forward. Some farmers may just decide to replace damaged buildings while some may want to take the opportunity to relocate and improve facilities. If you are a farmer that has gone through the Master Matrix and took points for trees around your livestock barn that are now damaged or gone, you need to get a plan in place to replace them.

“If you have questions about what your options are, give the Coalition a call and a staff member will come out to your farm and visit about your particular situation – all at no charge and completely confidential,” says Brian Waddingham, executive director of CSIF.  “We’re passionate about responding to the needs of Iowa livestock farmers. We can provide a helping hand as an unbiased third party that can help in the planning and rebuilding process. I would encourage livestock farmers to visit supportfarmers.com to learn more about the Coalition and our services.”

If you are looking for disaster assistance due to the impacts of the August 10 derecho, please visit the USDA links below to see if you qualify for any of their technical and financial assistance programs to help Iowa farmers with significant losses caused by the derecho. Farmers should identify their local USDA Service Center and report the losses and learn about their options for livestock, infrastructure, land or crop losses and damages. They can also use an online tool that outlines the programs available to you. Available programs include Livestock Indemnity Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock, low-interest emergency loans, and several other options.

The Coalition is here to help you discuss the options available to you and can serve as a starting point for you to learn about the programs that might work for your farm. We would be happy to come to your farm, at no charge, for a personal consultation. You can reach the Coalition at 800-932-2436 or email bwaddingham@supportfarmers.com We will continue to work on options for assistance as you clear, clean, and rebuild on your livestock farm.

CSIF is a non-profit, non-lobbying organization that assists livestock farmers who want help interpreting rules and regulations, guidance on identifying good site locations for barns, counsel on enhancing neighbor relations and tips on how to protect the environment at no cost. This positive, solutions-based approach to helping livestock farmers grow is a collaborative effort involving the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and Midwest Dairy.

For more information, call 800.932.2436 or visit supportfarmers.com.

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