State Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey is asking livestock producers who need help following the weekend storm to call the state Emergency Operations Center. Northey says the snow and ice storm, and loss of electricity, has created numerous problems for rural Iowans trying to keep their livestock alive.
Northey says the lack of electricity makes it tough to keep livestock warm. Northey says many of the operations use electricity to feed their livestock. Northey says they’ve had calls from farmers who can’t get their diesel equipment running to get out and feed their livestock because the electric heaters weren’t working.
Northey says his office is trying to get temporary power to the producers who’ve lost electricity. Northey says they’re trying to match up the handful of generators they know of and find any other generators. Northey says farmers have been working together to get through this. He says some farmers have been sharing generators, running them for a few hours at their farm to get heat and water going, and then they take the generator to the next farm.
Northey says there were some livestock that died in the storm. Northey says there were some dairy and hog confinements collapsed, and there are some reports of losses from cows that were calving. Northey says they don’t have a number yet on the animal losses. Northey is asking livestock producers to call if they need or can provide help.
Northey says you can call the state Emergency Operations Center at:515-323-4267 if you need some help, or he says if you have a generator you’d like to donate or rent. Northey says it is important to get help to everyone before the next storm comes through. The Governor has declared 60 Iowa counties disaster areas in the wake of the storm.