‘We Take Care of Our Own’: Wildfire Relief Reaches 87 Nebraska Farm and Ranch Households

For many farm and ranch families in western Nebraska, the horror of this spring's wildfires was only the beginning.

"It was a terribly scary night," one rancher recalled in a letter to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

The fires swept across more than 800,000 acres, with the Morrill Fire becoming the largest in Nebraska history. When the flames passed, the immediate danger gave way to a different kind of uncertainty: how to keep an agricultural operation running when so much of what it depended on was gone.

In response, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation activated its Disaster Relief Fund to collect donations and distribute $5,000 in direct financial assistance to each qualifying farm and ranch household affected by the wildfires.

In applications, farmers and ranchers described the devastating toll. Some lost nearly all their grazing land, including both owned and leased pastures, along with miles of fencing needed to safely manage their cattle. Many faced unexpected costs to move livestock, secure temporary grazing, or purchase additional feed, while others reported disrupted breeding plans, lost grazing income, and uncertainty about how quickly burned rangeland could recover.

The disruption to livestock production could extend long after the fences are rebuilt and the grass returns. While the fires may have been concentrated in western Nebraska, their lasting effects serve as a reminder that what happens on farms and ranches matters to everyone who depends on the food they produce.

But as the extent of the devastation became clear, so did the willingness of others to help.

Through the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund, donors contributed $435,000, allowing the Foundation to provide $5,000 in direct financial assistance to each of the 87 farm and ranch households that qualified. With every eligible applicant receiving a check, the Foundation has officially closed the relief effort.

"These families were suddenly facing incredibly difficult decisions, and many of those decisions couldn't wait," said Mark McHargue, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. "Our hope was that this assistance would give them some breathing room to address their most immediate needs and begin figuring out what comes next."

The response extended well beyond Nebraska's borders, with contributions arriving from 34 states. Donations ranged from modest personal gifts to a $100,000 contribution from the Walmart Foundation, the largest single donation to the fund.

Many donations arrived with personal notes expressing the same hope: that even a small contribution could make a difference. Together, gifts of all sizes became part of a much larger effort to help agricultural families facing extraordinary losses.

And behind many of those contributions were stories of their own.

One donation arrived with a funeral program honoring a lifelong farmer, the gift made in his memory. Others were accompanied by handwritten notes, prayers, and messages of encouragement. One donor shared that they prayed every night for the farmers and ranchers navigating the difficult road ahead.

Another included a simple request.

"Please make sure that this gets to the farmer/rancher who needs it. We take care of our own."

That same spirit was evident in the letters that came back from those who received assistance. Their words offered glimpses into the realities of rebuilding and the significance of knowing that others were standing behind them.

"This was a devastating fire, and it is so wonderful to see so many individuals come together and support their neighbors and many people who they may have never met," one recipient wrote.

Some of those receiving assistance were also finding ways to support others. One recipient planned to share a portion of the donation with local fire organizations, while another reflected on the experience of helping neighbors while needing assistance themselves.

"It has been a blessing to both help our friends and neighbors while also receiving help ourselves."

The relief checks cannot undo what was lost, but the letters received by the Foundation suggest the assistance carried significance beyond its dollar value.

As one recipient put it, "In agriculture, home and livelihood are often closely tied together, so this loss has been deeply personal, but your support reminded us that we are not alone."

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