Richard Thorpe, president of the TSCRA, a 140-year-old trade association with 30 Special Rangers stationed throughout Texas who provide in-depth knowledge of the cattle industry and along with law enforcement, issued the following statement in response to Hurricane Harvey’s impact on ranchers:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and the catastrophic flooding that has resulted. TSCRA is working with state and local response agencies to coordinate relief and support efforts, and does have Special Rangers in the region to assist producers. However, many areas are still experiencing flooding, making it difficult for ranchers and response teams to safely assess the impacts to cattle herds. As the rain and flooding subside later this week, cattle raisers will be able to better assess their needs and TSCRA stands ready to assist.”
This is only the latest catastrophic blow to cattle ranchers in Texas, the U.S. leader in cattle production, an industry currently worth around $12.3 billion but still recovering from a years-long drought and affected by land development, among other issues.
Folks who want to help are being urged to donate to the State of Texas Agriculture Relief (STAR) Fund, managed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, which provides emergency assistance to Texas farmers and ranchers affected by disasters and is funded exclusively by private donations.
Head over to tscra.org/hurricaneupdate for additional information and resources on locating a holding facility, how to report missing or found cattle, and how you can help.
