Americans Helping Americans

It was the beginning of October 2013 when a harsh blizzard killed thousands of cattle in South Dakota. Farmers aren’t rolling in the dough just because they own their own businesses. In fact most farmers struggle month to month to pay bills and provide for their families, borrowing money from banks and other sources of loans. They are one of the last groups to receive any help from government aid, if they are helped, and most are forgotten by the general public as long as grocery stores have what people need farmers aren’t even considered. They are working before the sun rises, even in the longest days of the year, and don’t come in from work until long after the sun goes down. Vacation is a foreign thought for the majority of farming families and hard work is the norm. They don’t receive paid holidays, employer paid health insurance, pensions, or sick days. I would have to say they are the hardest working citizens of this country and the least appreciated.

So when this blizzard struck in early October and killed off their herds there went the income they were depending on to put food in their children’s bellies, mortgage payments, car payments and money for machinery repairs leaving nothing in their pockets to help rebuild their herds. Government assistance was nowhere to be seen from Washington D.C. as they were battling each other over where to spend our money and not to mention the shutdown. Another oversight was the expiration of the Livestock Indemnity Program, another government assisted letdown to our country’s farmers.

So who steps in wearing the super hero cape for these suffering farmers? Other farmers! Ordinary people are able to donate funds to a group called Heifers for South Dakota and they purchase cattle and pay transportation costs to get them all the way out to the farmers of South Dakota. Other farmers, or ranchers, from around the U.S. are also donating heifers to the families of South Dakota. In one January 18th post on Heifers for S. Dakota’s Facebook page they write, “Value of the cattle we have gotten into the hands of those who are hurting is in excess of $1.25 million.” I would say that is a far better job than any government official could have done for these hard working Americans.

Hats off to these Americans helping Americans! To the farmers and ranchers who have stepped up, living with their own financial struggles and strains, to assist those in greater need them themselves at this time. To the non-farming Americans who have stood up and taken notice of the devastation on these South Dakota families and have offered their own hard earned dollars to get them back on their feet again. This is the America I am proud to belong to!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pledgeheifer