DALLAS (BP)–The first load of Midwestern hay arrived in Texas in late August, destined to feed hungry south Texas cattle.
Dick Talley, a member of First Baptist Church in Dallas, delivered the tractor-trailer load of 38 round bales of hay — about 48,000 pounds — to Mount Lebanon Encampment near Dallas after receiving it at the Cold Water Creek Ranch near Louisberg, Kan.
The hay is destined to feed cattle at South Texas Children’s Home near Beeville, said John LaNoue, a staff member with Texas Baptist Men.
Texas Baptist Men is arranging to load hay in Missouri and Kansas for delivery to hungry Texas cattle, LaNoue said. The Midwest has had bountiful wheat and corn crops this summer.
A Missouri bivocational pastor, Tom Hemby, who serves near Eolia, Mo., called Jan Daehnert, director of the Texas Baptist bivocational/ small church ministries department, and said the church wanted to help a similar church in Texas, LaNoue added.
“He said he woke up one Sunday morning with the conviction that the farmers of his church should send some of their surplus hay to the farmers of Texas,” LaNoue said. “When he got to church, one of the deacons came up to him with the same idea.”
A load of hay from Eolia will be delivered to farmers who attend church at Fairy, Texas, where Bob Ray is the bivocational pastor.
“We are looking for trucks and drivers to help with the effort,” he said, noting the prolonged heat wave and drought have caused severe problems for Texas farmers and ranchers. Last week, state government officials estimated drought-related farm losses to be $2.1 billion and agriculture-industry losses at $5.8 billion, both records.
Bob Dixon, retiring executive director of Texas Baptist Men, said hay delivery costs from Kansas to Texas are about $500, and costs from Missouri are about $750.
Donations are being accepted to help with the relief effort. Contributions may be sent to: Treasurer, Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington, Dallas 75246. Mark contributions for hay relief.
