Helping After Devastation: Farm Rescue

One day on a long flight over the Pacific Ocean, a fellow airline pilot asked Captain Bill Gross what he would do when he retired. Without hesitation, Bill answered, “I’m going to be this Good Samaritan that buys a tractor and goes around helping farm families plant their crops when they have a major injury or illness.” That generated some laughter until his coworker realized Bill was serious. For 20 years now, Farm Rescue has organized volunteers and resources to help farmers who have gone through devastating events, including natural disasters, in a nine-state area.

Dan Erdmann, Director of Communications at Farm Rescue, tells stories about neighbors helping neighbors. He talks about how Farm Rescue had to remind farmers that the help coming into their fields and pastures was a “hand up” and not a “hand out.”