BERTHOLD - The founder of Farm Rescue, an organization that helps farmers in need, has announced there's a new program under the organization's banner.
At a press conference held Friday at the Berthold Farmers Elevator, Bill Gross explained the "Give A Bushel" program.
"The program is where farmers can give a few bushels," Gross said. "That helps out other farm families in the area that have experienced an unexpected major injury, illness or natural disaster."
Pam Musland, director of operations for Farm Rescue, said the act of farmers donating part of their crops to charity is "a common practice," and that is has been done for years.
"From that standpoint, the concept isn't anything new," she said, although for Farm Rescue, it is new.
Grain elevators throughout the state have information on the program and if a farmer wants to participate, they should let the elevator's bookkeeper know they would like to donate a specified number of bushels, Musland said. Then, the grain is sold and converted to cash, with the money going to Farm Rescue operations, she added.
The cost of the bushel depends on market price of the day for the commodity, Musland said.
Farm Rescue, launched in 2005, provides planting and harvesting assistance to farm families that have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster. According to a map of 2011 projects found on the organization's Web site, Berthold will be the next site for help.
"We'll be assisting a young family up there," Musland said, noting they would be "on target for the third week in September."
Musland explained that a farmer was injured on his farm while digging a water line. While he was in a ditch to repair a line, the ground caved in and he was practically buried alive.
"But he dug his way out. He's lucky to be alive," Musland said, noting that the farmer had a broken hip and a broken femur, "so obviously he can't be harvesting in that condition, so we'll be harvesting that crop."
Regionally, completed planting cases were done near Flaxton, Glenburn, Stanley and Halliday, and harvesting is currently in progress near Kief. In addition to North Dakota, Farm Rescue services South Dakota, western Minnesota and eastern Montana. More than 140 farm families were assisted since 2006, the Web site stated.