Organization Helps Farmers In Crisis
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Bill Gross is a UPS airline pilot who was raised on a family farm. In 2006, he established "Farm Rescue", a unique nonprofit organization that helps small farmers get through financial hardships caused by natural disasters, illness, or injury. He got the idea after reading about the declining numbers of farms and the fewer number of children on farms.
"This trend is making it increasingly difficult for rural neighbors to help each other in times of crisis. Farm Rescue is all about neighbor helping neighbor, but on a larger scale," he explains. "The organization is run by volunteers and it doesn't give cash handouts. Qualifying farmers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, may be eligible to have their land planted or harvested free of charge by volunteer workers. We currently have 67 agribusiness and individual sponsors whose donated funds are used to purchase fuel, insurance and operational supplies. We plant or harvest up to 1,000 acres on each farm, and RDO Equipment Co. donates machinery. Farmers must supply their own seed and fertilizer."
Farmers with 3,000 acres or less are eligible to apply for help, but these requirements may be waived in the case of illness, according to Gross.
Gross is always looking for more volunteers and donations so he can further expand the locations and services that Farm Rescue provides. People from all over the nation continue to contact him, wanting to provide support.
Donations are tax-deductible and volunteers' names are kept in a database so that if enough are available in a given location, working areas can be expanded.
A six-member volunteer board of experts assists Gross in reviewing applications and so far, the organization has helped 24 families since its inception.
Farm Rescue has also been awarded the "Innovative Program of the Year" from the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Farm Rescue, Box 1100, Jamestown, N. Dak. 58402 (ph 701 526-0947; fax 888 726-7597; info@farmrescue.org; www.farmrescue.org).
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Organization Helps Farmers In Crisis MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 31-4-5 Bill Gross is a UPS airline pilot who was raised on a family farm. In 2006, he established "Farm Rescue", a unique nonprofit organization that helps small farmers get through financial hardships caused by natural disasters, illness, or injury. He got the idea after reading about the declining numbers of farms and the fewer number of children on farms.
"This trend is making it increasingly difficult for rural neighbors to help each other in times of crisis. Farm Rescue is all about neighbor helping neighbor, but on a larger scale," he explains. "The organization is run by volunteers and it doesn't give cash handouts. Qualifying farmers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, may be eligible to have their land planted or harvested free of charge by volunteer workers. We currently have 67 agribusiness and individual sponsors whose donated funds are used to purchase fuel, insurance and operational supplies. We plant or harvest up to 1,000 acres on each farm, and RDO Equipment Co. donates machinery. Farmers must supply their own seed and fertilizer."
Farmers with 3,000 acres or less are eligible to apply for help, but these requirements may be waived in the case of illness, according to Gross.
Gross is always looking for more volunteers and donations so he can further expand the locations and services that Farm Rescue provides. People from all over the nation continue to contact him, wanting to provide support.
Donations are tax-deductible and volunteers' names are kept in a database so that if enough are available in a given location, working areas can be expanded.
A six-member volunteer board of experts assists Gross in reviewing applications and so far, the organization has helped 24 families since its inception.
Farm Rescue has also been awarded the "Innovative Program of the Year" from the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Farm Rescue, Box 1100, Jamestown, N. Dak. 58402 (ph 701 526-0947; fax 888 726-7597; info@farmrescue.org; www.farmrescue.org).
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