Georgia

Hurricane Helene Wreaks Havoc for Cattle Producers in the Southeast

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 22:04:27 GMT

A cross made from logs still stands, a testament to faith and prayers for protection. Beyond that, miles of trees strewn about or snapped in two. Outbuildings lie smashed to pieces. Downed fences. Flooding everywhere. That’s the scene Georgia cattlewoman Stephanie Miller describes after Hurricane Helene hit the morning of Sept. 27.

“It literally looks like a scene out of a twister movie,” Miller recounts. She and her partner, Kye Lamm, share a rural home in Rockledge, about an hour southeast of Macon.

During the pandemic, many Georgians put up these crosses during a ‘Faith Over Fear’ campaign. Several were still standing after the storm.

(Stephanie H. Miller)

“We could feel the storm come in about 1:30 in the morning. By 2 a.m., we had completely lost power, and we just laid there. I was like, ‘Lord, please let everything hold on.’ About 4:45, we thought it was stopping because it literally sounded like a freight train. Living in Georgia, we know what tornadoes sound like. It felt like and sounded like a tornado for about three and a half hours. At 4:45, we opened the front door because it had got calm. Little did we know that’s when the eye was passing over.”

As the storm ramped up, a 60-year old pecan tree in their front yard came down right in from of them, narrowly missing the house.

“The storm passed through a lot of our area,” Miller says. “In our area in Georgia, we have a lot of cattle. Many of our farmers who row crop also have cattle. We’re right here in the middle of harvest season. We’ve been pretty much throat punched.”

Miller and Lamm own Sundown Cattle Company and background yearlings. They also help other producers with herd management, consulting and putting together lots to send to the Midwest and Texas. They have spent the days since the storm helping with clean up, gathering and recovery efforts.

Sundown Cattle Co. has opened up their backgrounding yard for any cattle producers who need to hold cattle until facilities can be rebuilt.

(Stephanie H. Miller)

“There’s so much loss, both human and livestock,” she shares. “We had to put down nine of our cattle as they were just mangled under the trees.”

With the lack of power and cell service, Miller says it’s been hard to communicate. She says friends, neighbors and other cattle producers have been trying to coordinate help for each other.

“We’re probably about 12 counties linked together, and a lot of us know what we’re all going through,” she says. “Everybody is swapping out services and cell numbers. When we do have cell phone service, we’ve just been lining up everything this week, asking if people need help.”

Miller says they have been calling on each other to help get cattle off the river, bringing in portable corrals, horses and dogs, doctoring cattle and cutting through downed trees with chainsaws to make a path.

There is very little water, and the water that comes in is used quickly. Everyone is without power. Gas for generators is scarce, Miller says.

“People where we’re at today are having to drive 40 to 50 miles to get gas because the gas stations here are mom and pops, and there’s lines. People line up for two or three hours just to get gas,” she explains the reality they are facing.

One of the biggest power providers, Altahama EMC’s entire territory was without power and is slowing starting to come back online.

“None of us have power. No power. No showers. Without power people aren’t able to run wells and water livestock,” she says.

With all of the rain, the ground is saturated and trees that didn’t fall during the storm are falling now and taking down more fences.

“We’re trying to cut our way to the pasture to get some portables in and get those cows off the river,” Miller says.

Cattleman Kye Lamm cuts through downed trees to make a path to get cattle off the river.

(Stephanie H. Miller)

The reality of the storm’s devastation and long-term impacts have started to sink in.

“A lot of our row croppers have been on the urge of just throwing their hands in the air,” Miller says. “They have farmed this land for generations and now are having to make impossible decisions. When you’ve got miles and miles of fence down, and not the time or money to wait for equipment, they’re saying, ‘Sell them; I need them gone.’”

In addition, many farmers still haven’t harvested their crops.

“The peanuts, if you don’t get them out, they’re going to rot in the field,” she adds. “Some hard decisions have to be made.”

Many producers in Georgia are having to make tough decisions to sell cattle now.

(Stephanie H. Miller)

Miller says she’s not sure if the outside world really understands what Georgia and the Southeast are going through. In addition to the cattle business, Miller also hosts a morning radio show about faith, family and farming. While the power was restored to the station, there still is not power to the tower.

“We haven’t really had access to the internet or TV, so I’m not broadcasting right now. I can’t even use that to link people together because we don’t have that access right now,” she explains.

To put this storm into perspective, Millers says Lamm has done a lot of work in Florida and helped cowboy down there during Hurricane Charlie. He said we’re not built for hurricanes up here.

“We’re built for tornadoes, but not for hurricanes,” she says. “We’ve lost so much of our pecan trees. We’re talking 60-to-80-year-old pecan trees. They’re gone. They have a shallow root system. The planted pine trees looked like they could have been harvested at any point this year. Now they’re laid over. If they’re not laid over, they’re snapped in two. We’re a big logging community down here. Every other truck is a rock truck or a log truck. They can only salvage trees for pulp wood now.”

Millers says people have memories of surviving Hurricane Michael in 2018.

“It came through the same path,” she says. “Everybody tried to prepare, but there was no way to prepare for this — miles and miles and miles of destruction and flooding.”

With the port strikes, Miller fears the additional pressure on the supply chain. The meat processing plant in Augusta was also closed due to lack of power.

“When you start to think about the supply chain, it could really be broken,” she says.

Even with all the destruction and despair, Miller remains optimistic.

“We’re still surviving, and we’re working together to make sure everybody is taken care of,” she says. “That’s been the beautiful thing — to see people of all ethnicities, all political backgrounds, no matter what they believe in, they’re coming together and working together to get through this. Something that could easily divide us is actually bringing us together.”

Miller says she sees so much resiliency in the people of the Southeast.

“We feel like we’ve taken it from every direction with this hurricane,” she explains. “But you see people on the side of the road, they may be strangers, but they’re working together. I was riding my horse on the river, when we were trying to push a set out, and I was thinking all these people are literally the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Your next read: Producer Resources for Hurricane Helene Relief

Producer Resources for Hurricane Helene Relief

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:43:27 GMT

As farmers and ranchers impacted by Hurricane Helene and the floods following begin assessing damages and loss, resources are available to help. The Category 4 hurricane affects producers across the Southeast from Florida northward into the Appalachians. Below is a list of resources for cattlemen and women to give and seek aide.

Florida
The Florida Cattlemen’s Association is collecting donations through their Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation: https://fca.memberclicks.net/foundationdonation#!/

For those wanting to donate to relief funds via check, please mail to:
Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation
Hurricane Helene Relief
P.O. Box 421929
Kissimmee, FL 34742-199

Georgia
To support Georgia cattle producers, donations can be sent via mail to:
Georgia Cattlemen’s Association
100 Cattlemen’s Dr.
Macon, GA 31220
Contact Georgia Cattlemen’s Association at (478)-474-6560 or gca@gabeef.org.

The Georgia Cattlemen’s Association is asking for donations of fencing materials. More information can be found on their Facebook page.

North Carolina
The North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association has asked for donations by check:
NC Cattlemen’s Association
2228 N Main Street
Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Memo- Hurricane Helene Response

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture has asked for donations to be made to:
• The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund: https://pay.payitgov.com/ncdonations
• Red Cross - North Carolina Region: https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina.html

Tennessee
The following resources were compiled by the Southeast TN Young Farmers.

Appalachian Sustainable Development has an extensive list of resources:
https://www.asdevelop.org/hurricane-helene-emergency.../

RAFI also has great information:
https://www.rafiusa.org/blog/helene-disaster-support/

For those of us outside the area that want to help:

UT is putting together a list of people who can house and transport livestock for those in need. If this is something you can help with please fill out the form below:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSc3Wd5LujFedW.../viewform

For those wanting to offer hands-on assistance... Blue Ridge Women in Ag, based in Boone, is organizing a farm recovery volunteer corps. Here’s the sign up sheet:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSf6K4HCqmSRrm.../viewform

Also if you want to donate money specifically to farmer support, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is still taking stock and checking in on farmers but will be offering farmer support into the future. https://asapconnections.org/donate

USDA Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also reminds communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Helene that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices stand ready and are eager to help.

USDA partnered with FEMA and other disaster-focused organizations and created the Disaster Resource Center . This central source of information utilizes a searchable knowledge base of disaster-related resources powered by agents with subject matter expertise. The Disaster Resource Center website and web tool now provide an easy access point to find USDA disaster information and assistance. USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool specifically targeted to rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster.

USDA also encourages residents and small businesses in impact zones to contact a local USDA office to determine which assistance programs might meet their individual needs.

NCBA Relief Resources
As more information becomes available, please visit our website for more resources and ways to assist at ncba.org/producers/disaster-relief-resource s.

Seminole Tribe of Florida Sells its Interests in Salacoa Valley Farms

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 17:07:54 GMT

The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., announced the sale of its interests in Salacoa Valley Farms of Fairmount, Ga. The purchasers are Ricky Cleveland, owner of Quail Valley Farms in Oneonta, Ala., and Erik and Kim Wiley of Wiley Ranch in Effie, La. The sale price was not disclosed.

Salacoa Valley Farms is one of the nation’s largest cattle operations focused on purebred Brangus cattle. It is primarily a seed stock operation and produces purebred bulls and heifers for cattle operators who want to improve the quality of their herds.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., purchased the Salacoa Valley Farms brand and existing cowherd of more than 1,000 head in 2013, as well as embryos and semen, plus equipment used in the cattle operation. It has leased several thousand acres of Salacoa Valley Farms land to operate the business since the 2013 purchase.

The sale announced today includes assets purchased in 2013, plus additional equipment and a herd that has grown to approximately 1,300 head of Brangus cattle.

Among reasons for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., initial purchase of Salacoa Valley Farms was the potential to improve genetics among the cowherds of Seminole Tribe cattle operators on the Brighton Seminole Reservation and the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in Florida. Members of the Seminole Tribe are cooperative owners of one of the largest cow-calf operations in the state.

“Tribal herds have improved from Salacoa genetics,” said Aaron Stam, Natural Resources Director for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. “Individual cattle owners have purchased Salacoa bulls and cows, which have helped to increase yearling weights and weaning weights of Seminole cattle.”

Stam said the Tribe has renewed its focus on continuing to improve cowherds and cattle operations on its reservations. He said the sale of Salacoa Valley Farms is part of a reallocation of Tribe resources to focus on its Florida herds.

About the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., the non-gaming business development arm of the Seminole Tribe, operates convenience stores and service stations, as well as the Seminole Petroleum fuel distribution company. In addition to its cattle operations, it also manages citrus groves.

Georgia Farm’s Beef Reduces Atmospheric Carbon

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:59:10 GMT

White Oaks Farms, a southwest Georgia operation known for its pasture-raised meats, says a third-party sustainability science firm has validated its claims that the farm is storing more carbon in its soil than pasture-raised cows emit during their lifetimes.

The results indicated that White Oak Pastures offsets at least 100% of the 3,200-acre farm’s grass-fed beef carbon emissions and as much as 85% of the farm’s total carbon emissions.

Scientists at Quantis, an environmental research and design firm, conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on beef raised by White Oak Pastures to “account for the energy and environmental impacts of all stages of a product’s life cycle, such as [the] acquisition of raw materials, the production process, handling of waste byproducts, and more.” Using both soil sampling and modeled data from 2017, the LCA analyzed the farm’s overall greenhouse gas footprint.

The study included enteric emissions (belches and gas) from cattle, manure emissions, farm activities, slaughter and transport, and carbon sequestration through soil and plant matter. The scientists said, “based on historical sampling, White Oak Pastures’ holistically managed fields went from 1 percent soil organic matter to 5 percent.”

White Oak Pastures is a multi-generational 3,200-acre farm that owner Will Harris is committed to returning to its ancestral roots in regenerative farming. He transitioned his conventional farm operations in 1995 to a grassfed, pastured program. Today, White Oak Pastures is the largest Certified Organic farm in Georgia, raising 10 species of livestock: cattle, goats, sheep, hogs, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and guinea fowl.

As part of the farm’s zero-waste philosophy, White Oak Pastures also produces skincare products, soap, and candles from beef tallow, along with pet chews and leather items from cow hides.

Related stories:

Niman Ranch Vows To Double Sustainable Network In 10 Years

Florida and Georgia Stores Remove Cattle Feed After Increase in Deaths

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:23:08 GMT

Florida officials are investigating an apparent increase in cattle deaths across the state, with investigators focusing on one particular brand of feed.

The Florida Times-Union reported Saturday that state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said no specific cause of the cattle deaths has been pinpointed. But stores in Florida and southeast Georgia are voluntarily removing from shelves Producer’s Pride 20% All Natural Cattle Cube, manufactured by Purina Animal Nutrition.

Tractor Supply Company voluntarily has removed the feed from all 40 stores. Fried says Purina Animal Nutrition has initiated a voluntary market withdrawal of the product as well.

It’s not clear how many cattle have been affected. Statewide, there are an estimated one million cows, bulls and heifers that produce approximately 800,000 calves annually with a total value over $1 billion.

Walmart Partners to Establish Its Own Angus Beef Supply Chain

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:22:36 GMT

A partnership that starts from ranch to grocery store has been spearheaded by the country’s largest retail store and has the potential to get more Angus beef to consumers.

Walmart has been working with 44 Farms , a Texas-based Angus seedstock operation, to create a branded beef program for the past year . The strategy was formally announced by Walmart on April 24 and includes the following cattle and beef businesses in the supply chain:

Cattle will be sourced by 44 Farms through the seedstock operation’s newly created Prime Pursuits feeder calf program .
Feeder cattle will be fed at Mc6 Cattle Feeders outside Hereford, Texas.
Cattle will be processed at Creekstone Farms in Arkansas City, Kansas. The new venture is expected to create an additional 250 jobs for the packing plant.
Further beef packaging will be done in Augusta, Georgia at FPL Foods . From there the case ready meat will be sent out to Walmart stores. FPL Foods expects to add an additional 200 jobs.

Walmart plans to market a number of Angus beef cuts such as steaks and roasts. Starting out, the new branded beef will be sold at 500 stores located throughout the southeast such as Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

“As clean labels, traceability and transparency become more and more important to customers, we’ve made plans to enter into the beef industry creating an unmatched system that allows us to deliver consistent quality and value,” says Scott Neal, senior vice president of meat for Walmart U.S. “By enlisting a number of best-in-class companies to take part in the supply chain, we’ll be able to provide customers with unprecedented quality, provide transparency throughout the supply chain and leverage the learnings we gain across our business.”

44 Farms has already been operating its own branded beef program since 2012 by buying feeder cattle back from customers who purchase Angus bulls from the seedstock business.

“No bigger paradigm change has taken place in the beef industry than what is happening with Walmart bringing truly high-quality, all-natural, no-hormones-added Black Angus beef to its customers. This bold vision gives Walmart a special place at the table by contributing to the most enjoyable and memorable moments in the lives of its customers,” says Bob McClaren, president and CEO of 44 Farms. “It’s been four generations since we began, yet the traditional values of the McClaren family and 44 Farms are as relevant today as they were more than a century ago.”

Cattle bought by 44 Farms for the Prime Pursuits program must meet the following parameters:

No hormones added
Predominately Angus Strong genetics
Meet the USDA definition of Angus
Weaned for a minimum of 45 days
No more than 90 days age difference between the youngest and oldest calves in the group
Subject to a minimal sort by a 44 Farms representative to ensure uniformity

Mc6 Cattle Feeders has previous experience feeding cattle for 44 Farms’ own branded beef program prior to the Walmart venture.

“Walmart has listened to its hard-working customers and taken on the monumental task of providing steakhouse quality, natural Black Angus beef to their local stores. This bold vision will not only elevate backyard barbeques and family dinner tables across the country, but transform the entire supply chain,” says Hank McWhorter of Mc6 Cattle Feeders. “Mc6 Cattle Feeders is honored to help make this vision a reality. Mc6 is a family business that has been feeding and raising cattle on the same land in the Texas panhandle for four generations.”

After being fed at Mc6 Cattle Feeders, cattle will be taken to Creekstone Farms for processing. The Kansas-based beef packer has been marketing its own branded beef lines since 1997. Creekstone Farms is the 12th largest U.S. beef packer and was bought by Japanese trading house Marubeni in 2017 .

“Creekstone welcomes the opportunity to partner with industry leaders in providing premium quality Black Angus beef to Walmart customers while, at the same time, growing the number of jobs at our state of the art facility,” says Satoru Oura, president and CEO of Creekstone Farms.

FPL Foods has experience in “vertically integrated beef” through its own Châtel Farms brand and the company employs more than 600 people currently.

“Walmart’s ever-growing command presence in retail paints an optimistic future, one that proves beneficial for many involved,” says Francois Leger, president and CEO of FPL Food. “In addition to FPL employees, this will provide many opportunities for the Agriculture community to include farmers, ranchers and cattlemen alike. The positive impact will be felt by many.”