Neighbors helping neighbors: Iowa farmers step up after Nebraska wildfires
By Pepper Purpura
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A convoy of kindness is heading west.
In the wake of devastating wildfires that burned hundreds of thousands of acres of ranchland across Nebraska, farmers in central Iowa are stepping up — sending truckloads of hay to help keep cattle fed.
For Brock Hansen, a soybean farmer in Baxter, the effort is both urgent and familiar.
A community effort takes shape Over the past several weeks, neighbors across Jasper and Marshall counties came together to gather and load hay — organizing a large-scale donation effort in just a matter of days.
“The neighborhood put together 203 bales through 17 different farmers of Jasper and Marshall counties,” Hansen said.
The hay, loaded by the dozen and hauled by a mix of local farmers and trucking companies, is headed to a distribution site in Nebraska, where it will be shared among ranchers impacted by the fires.
Local businesses also pitched in. A Baxter restaurant is providing breakfast for volunteers before they begin the long drive west — another example of the small-town support behind the effort.
A critical need after wildfire devastation Wildfires have scorched vast stretches of pastureland across Nebraska—land that typically sustains one of the largest cattle populations in the country. With more than 6 million head of cattle statewide, ranchers depend heavily on grazing to feed their herds grazing to feed their herd.
Now, with grass burned away, many are scrambling for alternatives.
“It’s the most important commodity to them right now besides their families and the livestock,” Hansen said.
Hay becomes the lifeline — providing the only reliable source of feed until pastures recover enough to support grazing again.
“They’ll have something to survive and feed their livestock in the meantime,” he said.
How far the donation goes The 203 bales collected in Baxter represent a significant contribution.
Based on standard feeding estimates, that amount of hay could feed a herd of about 100 cattle for roughly two months — helping bridge the gap until new grass begins to grow.
But while pasture recovery may come relatively quickly, other challenges will last much longer.
Recovery goes beyond the grass Wildfires don’t just burn grass — they destroy infrastructure.
“Not only do they need the hay, but fences, supplies,” Hansen said.
Even as pastures begin to green up, damaged fencing and other infrastructure can prevent ranchers from fully using that land. Rebuilding those systems takes time, labor, and money — extending the recovery timeline well beyond the initial disaster.
That means hay — and outside support — will continue to be essential in the weeks and months ahead.
Supporting neighbors—and the economy For Hansen and others involved, the effort is about more than immediate relief.
“(Cattle ranching) is a big economical thing,” he said. “And with the economics of everything right now — higher fuel prices, higher fertilizer inputs — things are stacking up. And this is just a little something we can do to help out.”
Agriculture is deeply interconnected, and disruptions in one region can ripple across the broader economy. Helping ranchers maintain their herds supports not just individual operations, but the stability of the livestock industry as a whole.
Paying it forward For the Baxter community, this effort is also personal.
Hansen says the support feels like a way to give back after central Iowa farmers received help following the 2020 derecho that caused widespread damage across the region.
Now, they’re returning the favor — one truckload at a time.
As the convoy heads west, it carries more than just hay. It carries a reminder that in agriculture, resilience often depends on neighbors willing to lend a hand.
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