Midwestern floods have ranchers and farmers fleeing for high ground — but the worst is yet to come.
By Laura Reiley Laura Reiley food, wine, agriculture, food systems, food justice Email Bio Follow March 19 at 7:00 AM Anthony Ruzicka, a fifth-generation Nebraska rancher, got the call at 6 a.m.: The nearby 90-year-old Spencer Dam was failing under pressure of a river swollen with snowmelt and rain.
“I’m 39 years old; I don’t have children. The cows are my children, and my farm is completely destroyed. Maybe it’s a sign from God to go and do something else,” Ruzicka said. For livestock, the loss is a combination of animal deaths and loss of productivity as well as loss of quality feed sources. For row crops, Nelson explained, farmers are very close to planting season, and fear they won’t have enough time to clean up the land.Those cleanup costs could be substantial, according to John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union. As big a threat as all that river water is, it’s also what in the water that is concerning.
The state’s National Guard has been airlifting hay and animal feed to marooned ranchers and farmers, and state authorities have set up a livestock shelter at a fairgrounds in Lincoln. Dickerson said they’ve been swarmed with volunteers and have begun functioning as a clearinghouse, connecting people who have animal feed with those who need it. The offer of feed doesn’t do much, though, once floodwaters have ravaged a ranch.
“We have some small towns along these rivers that are just going to be devastated. How do you identify needs beyond keeping them alive? And now all of this water is moving south. Hello, Kansas City.”
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