BBU has been in contact with many Beefmaster breeders located in the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. The ones we have spoken with are safe, but have the daunting task of rebuilding and recovering from the destruction left behind by Hurricane Harvey and its flooding.

Are you a livestock producer affected by Hurricane Harvey or flooding? The USDA Farm Service Agency has multiple resources for agriculture disaster relief programs. Or contact your county judge or emergency management coordinator to request state assistance for stranded livestock.

How can you help livestock producers affected by Hurricane Harvey? You can donate to the State of Texas Agriculture Relief (STAR) Fund. Managed by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), the STAR Fund provides emergency assistance to Texas farmers and ranchers affected by disasters. Funded exclusively by private donations, STAR funds are often used to rebuild fences vital to livestock businesses, restore operations and pay for other agricultural disaster relief.

Texas Farm Bureau’s Agriculture Research and Education Foundation is also accepting tax-deductible donations to aid in the relief effort following the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. This fund will collect and distribute monetary contributions only. One hundred percent of the donations to this fund will be dispersed via an application process directly to farmers and ranchers located in counties that have been designated as disaster areas by the federal government for this event. Donate online or if you prefer to pay by check, it should be made out and sent to:

Texas Farm Bureau Agriculture Research and Education Foundation
Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
P.O. Box 2689
Waco, TX 76702-2689
Attn: Cyndi Gerik

Donations, supply points

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agents have set up the following Animal Supply Points and are requesting square bale horse quality hay, various types of hay for cattle in round or square bales, all-stock feed and range cubes/protein supplements at this time. They are not currently taking donations for fencing supplies.

Before collecting or delivering donations, contact the AgriLife Animal Supply Point Hotline at 979-845-7800 to confirm needs and delivery.

San Patricio County Animal Supply Point:
San Patricio County Fairgrounds
219 W 5th St, Sinton

Brazoria County Animal Supply Point:
Brazoria County Fairgrounds
901 S. Downing St., Angleton

Harris County Animal Supply Point:
La Porte High School
301 E. Fairmon Pkwy, La Porte

Chambers County Animal Supply Point:
Winnie-Stowell Park
335 Spark St., Winnie

Additional Animal Supply Points will be set up in other regions as the conditions allow.

Other organizations/agencies accepting donations

A New Day: Texas Agricultural Education Disaster Relief Fund
This fund will help FFA chapters and agricultural education programs rebuild following natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey. Donations to this fund will be dispersed via an application process directly to the programs and chapters affected by the storm. Click here for more information.

Texas 4-H Relief Support Campaign for 4-H Programs Affected by Hurricane Harvey
The Texas 4-H Youth Development Program and the Texas 4-H Youth Development Foundation are facilitating a monetary campaign to directly support 4-H clubs and county programs in the hurricane zone. Click here for more information.

Resources for farmers and ranchers

Animal Shelters and Holding Facilities
If you are seeking a large or small animal shelter/holding facility in your area or in your evacuation area, call 2-1-1 or contact the emergency management department in the area you are seeking shelter. Click here to view a list of Texas animal holding facilities and shelters.

Lost or Found Livestock
If you find stray livestock, call Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) at 817-332-7064. Visit www.tscra.org for more information. If you find cattle or other livestock with official identification, document the number, location of the animal(s) and call the TAHC at 512-719-0733 or 806-354-9335 and TAHC will contact the owner.

If livestock have strayed onto your property, you must report them to the sheriff’s office in the county you are located in within five days of discovery to be eligible for reasonable payment for maintenance of or damages caused by the estray livestock. For more information regarding Texas’ estray laws visit, Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 142.

Hay Hotline
To access TDA’s Hay Hotline, call 512-463-9360 or visit TDA’s Hay Hotline webpage.

Livestock Indemnity and Assistance
USDA-FSA Producer Hotline: 866-680-6069

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers many safety net programs to help farmers and ranchers recover from eligible losses, including the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) and the Tree Assistance Program.

The FSA Emergency Conservation Program provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters.

Farmers and ranchers located in counties that received a primary or contiguous disaster designation are eligible for low-interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. USDA encourages farmers and ranchers to contact their local FSA office to learn what documents can help the local office expedite assistance, such as farm records, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.

Animal Disposal
Animal carcasses on public property: Animal carcasses found on public property or right-of-ways should be reported to the local jurisdiction (county or city) to be handled through the jurisdiction’s debris management plan.

Animal carcasses on private property: Animal owners and operators are responsible for the proper disposal of the animals on their property. To learn about common methods of non-diseased animal carcass disposal, visit TAHC’s Disaster-Related Carcass Disposal Guide.