HORACE – Farm Rescue has two new tractors to power its operations and a lot of people to thank for it.

North Dakota-based Farm Rescue is a nonprofit organization that provides planting, haying, harvesting and livestock feeding assistance free of charge to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster,

Last year, the organization began raising funds to purchase two John Deere 9620R four-wheel drive tractors to pull its seeding equipment in 2019 and beyond. The first tractor was acquired using grant monies awarded through the Engelstad Foundation. The second tractor purchase was made possible through contributions from many individuals and businesses. The fundraising effort recently came to fruition at John Deere’s Tractor Works facility in Waterloo, Iowa, as Farm Rescue staff and volunteers had the opportunity to see the new tractors completed.

More than 135 individual and family donors contributed to the tractor fundraiser, which offered supporters a chance to have their name displayed on the tractor with a gift of $250 or more.

In addition to the Engelstad Foundation, several other Farm Rescue business sponsors also increased their annual giving dollars to assist with the tractor purchases. Hess Corporation, CoBank, CHS, Glacial Lakes Energy, Oneok and First International Bank & Trust all contributed to the campaign’s success, helping fulfill a crucial need for the nonprofit’s assistance efforts.

“We wish to thank everyone who supported the tractor fundraiser,” said Bill Gross, founder and president of Farm Rescue. “The tractors are essential to our planting operations and will allow us to help hundreds of families.”

The new John Deere tractors are already being put to good use during Farm Rescue’s planting assistance operations, which began in late April.