Farm Rescue to the Rescue

By Louise Oleson - Managing Editor
Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 2:35 PM CDT

Brad and Jill Weber got 400 acres of wheat planted in just a couple of days earlier this week. They farm just north of New Rockford and were uncertain about even having a crop this year after Brad suffered a stroke in January.

He went in for a minor procedure on January 15 and although the risk was considered low - they were given a 1 percent chance that anything like a stroke would happen - Brad suffered a stroke on both sides.

“He’s come a long way,” Jill explained, “In fact his recovery has been miraculous.”

And thanks to volunteers from around the state and donations from many different sources like RDO, the John Deere equipment distributor, Bremer Bank, Bank Forward and the Cando Farmers Grain and Oil with Farm Rescue, a sizeable portion of their crop is in despite Brad’s difficulties.

The Weber’s 21 year old son had been working 18 to 20 hour days trying to get the crop done and Jill was worried that he would injure himself in the process, hurrying to get his dad’s fields planted.

So they contacted Farm Rescue and asked for help. Initially, according to Jill, they weren’t on the list because their operation was nowhere near any of the other farms the group was scheduled to help. “Then we got the call, Farm Rescue was ahead of schedule and had a couple of days they could give us,” she said.

For two days a number of volunteers helped out, but the number one source of help for this farm couple was the organization, Farm Rescue, that is three years old and growing each year.

Bill Gross is a commercial airline pilot whose home is North Dakota. Gross wanted to develop a way to help the farmers of his home state when they were in crisis. Three years ago he founded Farm Rescue. They take applications from farmers who have been injured or because of illness or some crisis cannot get their spring’s work or fall harvesting done.

“We come in and do everything in just a couple of days,” Gross explained. “Last year we did only 14 farms all total in the spring - this year we will be doing 28 - double what we did last year.”

He attributes the organization’s expansion to expanded help from their corporate sponsors. “RDO gave us more equipment this year, and we got a couple of brand new pickups to use from dealers, one in Bismarck and one in Fargo,” he said.

They’ve recently begun receiving donations from individual donors, as well, “Every donation helps farmers directly,” Gross said.

He also explained it’s not intended to help farmers who are financially in trouble, “We don’t have the means for that, no actual cash is given to the farmers,” Gross explained. The intention of Farm Rescue is to help those with viable operations get their work done - spring planting or fall harvesting - when some crisis has come along to make accomplishing that impossible.

Taken from their website, the following is a prepared statement from Farm Rescue’s founder: “I was raised on a family farm and understand the importance of a helping hand during a time of crisis. It has become increasingly difficult for farmers to make a living and some may require help to save the family farm during a time of crisis.

Family farms are the foundation of agriculture. Not only do the farmers provide a safe and abundant food supply for everyone in America, an increasing number of them are growing crops, which are used to produce environmentally friendly, renewable fuels.

Farm Rescue is a nonprofit organization that helps family farmers bridge crises so they may have an opportunity to continue viable operations.

Helping one another during difficult times is not only the right thing to do, it also strengthens our communities. Farm Rescue creates an avenue for businesses and individuals to help save family farms.

Farm Rescue operations are made possible by donations from individuals, small businesses and corporations that support the tradition of independent family farms, strong rural economies and a stable future in agriculture.”

“It’s a wonderful concept,” said Jill Weber, “we are so grateful for Farm Rescue’s help.”

The Webers are the 11th farm they’ve planted already this year. From the New Rockford area Farm Rescue is headed to a farm outside of Deering, N.D. - near Minot.

To apply for Farm Rescue’s help go to www.farmrescue.org for more information or call 1-701-252-2017.

(For a copy of this News story see the Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Journal) 04/30/08

Reprinted with permission of Devils Lake Journal, April 30, 2008.