Agri-Pulse reports:
USDA and state officials are assessing the damages from wildfires that have ravaged portions of the Texas panhandle.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller told Agri-Pulse Wednesday the wildfires had potentially wiped out “tens of thousands” of cattle, although it’s too early to determine the extent of the damage.
Texas has over 11 million head of cattle and most of them are in the panhandle, where the fires are sweeping across the state. To help producers, the department has set up livestock evacuation centers and has activated the hay hotline for individuals to donate money or hay to producers in need.
By the way: Miller is also encouraging people to donate money to the Texas Agriculture Relief Fund to help producers rebuild infrastructure that was decimated by the fires. Miller said producers impacted by the fires should use the Agri-Stress Hotline, a mental health and suicide hotline for farmers in the state of Texas.