We grieve with and pray for all the families who lost their loved ones in the Texas flooding last week. Authorities are still in “recovery” mode searching for the 100s of lost souls and we pray for the missing children and their families.
Last week on Newsmax, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that TDA had re-activated a program called the “STAR” fund, which stands for “State of Texas Agriculture Relief” fund to assist local farmers in Central Texas who lost their homes, crops, equipment, and livestock. Money for the STAR fund is raised from private individuals and private entities to help rural and farming communities affected by natural disasters.
On July 4th, Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster proclamation which qualified agriculture producers to apply for assistance from the Texas Department of Agriculture’s STAR fund and suspended any and all state statutes that would prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the disaster.
The proclamation covers the counties of Bandera, Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Coke, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reeves, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson.
If you are able, go here to donate to the STAR fund to help these farmers and ranchers get back on their feet.
Commissioner Miller stated he wants to help farmers “buy new wire, new tee posts, whatever they need to get them going…” and has also announced a Hotline (see below) to provide farmers with hay and animal feed and called for anyone with “a truck and trailer” who can help transport and deliver it.
“We’ve got families that have lost loved ones; they’ve lost everything; their homes are gone”… and “We have friends that are ready to help and can help you…get through this.”
The TDA Hotline number is 833-897-2474.
If you are a landowner who had losses due to the flooding, apply for STAR funds here.
