Aug 31, 2020Cooperatives donate $200K to Midwest derecho storm relief
Four of the nation’s leading cooperatives serving agriculture and communities across rural America today announced they are partnering to support the American Red Cross in the wake of the derecho that ravaged Iowa, Illinois and other Midwestern states in early August.
According to a news release, CHS, CoBank, Farm Credit Services of America, and Land O’Lakes Inc. will together donate $200,000 to aid relief efforts in the impacted region.
The derecho, a rare and severe inland storm, hit the Midwest on Aug. 10 with winds equivalent to a category 4 hurricane. The 14-hour storm damaged property and crops across 800 miles from the Dakotas to Ohio. Though the damage was widespread, Iowa saw the most significant effects, including wide-scale utility disruptions, destruction of residential and commercial property, and severe damage to more than 10 million acres of crops. Damage to trailers, silos and other equipment used for grain transportation and storage has added concerns about handling the 2020 harvest from remaining crops.
The American Red Cross has been providing food, water, shelter and other relief services since the storm hit. In Iowa and Illinois, the organization has provided more than 50,000 meals, distributed nearly 20,000 relief items and provided more than 1,900 overnight stays in hotels or congregate shelters. Red Cross volunteers and disaster workers continue to provide aid and comfort to those unable to return to their homes due to damage and ongoing power outages.
“The impact of this devastating storm on local cooperatives, farmers and rural America in an already challenging year won’t be fully known for a while, but we know it will be significant,” said Jay Debertin, president and CEO of CHS. “Farmers and communities in rural America are resilient. The cooperative spirit living in these communities will help as they rebuild their businesses, their homes and their lives.”
“Rural communities across the nation have been affected by unprecedented challenges this year due to the effects of Covid-19,” said Thomas Halverson, CoBank’s president and CEO. “Now, America’s heartland has been hit with a significant natural disaster that could not have come at a more difficult time. Our hearts go out to those whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted. Our organizations hope that this joint contribution will help to ease the most immediate suffering and assist our customers, members, partners and their communities as they begin the journey to recovery.”
