$50,000 Cargill donation to help western Kansas ranchers

Cargill is donating $50,000 in new fencing materials to ranchers in western Kansas.

The company’s Wichita-based North America protein business is donating the materials to ranchers in the Ashland area in Clark County, according to a news release.

It’s estimated as much as 100,000 miles of fencing in Kansas pastures for cattle were destroyed in wildfires last week, Cargill said.

“We know there are a lot of cattle producers that lost herds, buildings, fences and grazing land, and it’s their hard work that helps us produce beef enjoyed by Americans and people around the world,” Casey Mabry, strategic supply manager in Cargill’s cattle procurement team, said in the release.

“When we contacted the Kansas Livestock Association, they told us what was needed more than anything is fencing materials to rebuild what was lost to fire. We knew time was of the essence and that we needed to help as much as we could, as quickly as possible.”

The Cargill Wichita team purchased two semi-tractor-trailer loads of fencing materials from a supplier in Chanute for delivery Tuesday in the Ashland area. From Ashland, fencing materials will be distributed to local ranchers.

The Kansas Livestock Association on Tuesday posted a plea for donations of fencing supplies on its Facebook page.

“There is an immediate need for fencing supplies for ranchers in the wildfire affected areas,” the post said.

Specific needs include creosote corner posts, hedge corner posts, barbed wire and steel T-posts. Anyone willing to donate these supplies is encouraged to call the association’s office at 785-273-5115.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 12:59 PM with the headline "$50,000 Cargill donation to help western Kansas ranchers."