A series of tornado outbreaks across the South and Midwest in mid-December was devastating for states like Kentucky and Tennessee.
According to AgDay, eight states were hit by the tornado and deemed the deadliest December tornado in history.
AgDay traveled to Tennessee to see the aftermath. In Cool Springs, Tenn., farmer Chris Minton was still sorting through a tangled mess.
“I had a farm shop sitting right back here where this remaining equipment is still sitting,” Minton says, pointing across his farm. “We’re trying to get it dragged out so the people can assess it for insurance purposes.”
University of Kentucky’s research station in Princeton was destroyed in the storm. Princeton is more than three hours away from Lexington, Ky., which is the home of the University of Kentucky, but the Princeton location is a pinnacle piece of the University of Kentucky Extension’s crop research efforts.
Mayfield Grain Company, which is family owned and operated, took a direct hit from the tornado. The storm tore the roofs off of grain bins, and buildings were unrecognizable as the structures were in pieces.
BASF Sends Financial Relief
As clean-up continues, a GoFundMe account continues to collect money from those wanting to help Kentucky agriculture, as well as farmers and ranchers impacted by the storm. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation are joined forces earlier this month to create Kentucky Agriculture Relief Fund.
Individual agricultural companies are also stepping in. BASF announced this week the company donated $30,000 to help survivors, while also saying they’ll match employee donations to disaster relief organizations.
The donation includes:
- $10,000 to the Kentucky FFA Foundation
- $10,000 to Feeding Kentucky
- $10,000 to Arkansas Food Bank
“Our goal is to help the families, workers and community members who are struggling during this crisis receive the resources they need the most,” says Paul Rea, Senior Vice President, BASF Agricultural Solutions North America. “We also hope our donations inspire others to help in any way possible.”
BASF says the goal is to not only support those impacted by the devastating tornado, but to also continue the fight against hunger year-round.
“During these challenging times, it’s especially important to support non-profits like the Food Bank, so adequate assistance is provided for those who need it most,” says Scott Kay, Vice President, US Crop, BASF Agricultural Solutions.
