09/05/05 Ag responds to hurricane victims

Farm and Ranch September 5, 2005 Like other Americans, the agricultural community has responded to provide aid for the people stricken by Hurricane Katrina.. The American Farm Bureau Federation says that contributions to established charities are the best way to supply immediate aid to hurricane victims, but to provide longer-term assistance to affected farm and ranch families and rural communities, the Farm Bureau has initiated a nationwide effort to raise money and collect food donations. The American Farm Bureau is making a donation to its long time partners at America's Second Harvest to provide immediate food relief. U.S. Wheat Associates urges people to make contributions to the American Red Cross. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is encouraging donations and has made the NCBA Disaster Relief Fund active. That will be coordinated by the National Cattlemen's Foundation and NCBA president Jim McAdams says: McAdams " We have already set up an infrastructure and a vehicle where ranchers can contact NCBA and then we will be developing a database as to what is needed and where it needs to go." Disbursement of donations will be coordinated by the Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana Cattlemen's Associations. Dairy Relief in conjunction with the National Milk Producers Federation has set up a special fund for dairy farmers and other interested parties to donate money which will be sent to the American Red Cross. Some of the efforts by U.S. agriculture to help those stricken by Hurricane Katrina. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.