Four cooperatives serving agriculture have announced they will provide relief Iowa, Illinois and other Midwest states after the derecho ripped through farmland in the region.
CHS, CoBank, Farm Credit Services of America and Land O’Lakes will donate $200,000 total to the area.
“As a nearly 100-year-old, farmer-owned cooperative, we know that we do better when we look after our neighbors and work together to help when things like the Midwest derecho storm hit,” said Beth Ford, President and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc. We’re proud to join other national cooperatives to do our part in supporting the vibrant, rural communities that continue to feed our country,”
Winds in the high-powered storm reached those of Category 4 hurricane and damaged crops and property over 800 miles, including severely damaging more than 10 million acres of crops.
“Rural communities across the nation have been affected by unprecedented challenges this year due to the effects of Covid-19,” said Thomas Halverson, CoBank’s president and CEO. “Now, America’s heartland has been hit with a significant natural disaster that could not have come at a more difficult time. Our hearts go out to those whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted. Our organizations hope that this joint contribution will help to ease the most immediate suffering and assist our customers, members, partners and their communities as they begin the journey to recovery.”