Agricultural News
Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Pledges Support to Producers Recovering from Fire Damages
Thu, 16 Mar 2017 14:53:11 CDT
The fires that started earlier this month on March 6, got out of control so quickly, many farm families in Northwest Oklahoma were taken by surprise and suffered massive damages to their operations. Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Michael Kelsey, visited Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays in studio this week to talk about some of the ongoing efforts to provide relief assistance to farmers now in need. You can hear their conversation by clicking the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of this story.
He recounts that on the evening of March 6th, he and the OCA staff were in Woodward, Oklahoma for their Northwest District Spring Round Up and says the air was thick with smoke and ash from the fires burning out in Texas. He says it wasn't until the next morning that Tuesday, that everyone began to realize the devastation that had broken out during the night.
"That's when we kicked our fund into action," Kelsey said. "We started working with the folks we could work with to try to get some aid, start heading the hay that way."
Since, then Kesley claims the generosity of people donating hay, money and trucking has been nothing short of amazing.
"That's so typical of the cattle and agricultural community," Kelsey remarked. "You take it for granted until you see it in action."
As efforts continue to collect funding and hay for producers affected by these fires, Kelsey and his staff are working diligently to figure out the best way in which to distribute the resources they have received. Kelsey asserts that 100 percent of these funds will be distributed to affected producers, within a target window of 90 days.
"We're going to get that done so they can start recovering their lives," Kelsey insisted. "This is a yearlong recovery process and we're committed to be there with them through the entire process in whatever way we can."
As part of this promise, the OCA is working with the Farm Service Agency to host an informational meeting for victims in their respective counties. Click here for more information on those meetings. If you are interested in making a donation to help with OCA's ongoing relief efforts, you can contact the OCA by calling 405-235-4391 or visit their website at www.okcattlemen.org.
Kelsey will join Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays for his weekly In the Field segment on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m.
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