CoBank Announces $150,000 Matching Fund to Support Wildfire
Relief Efforts in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
DENVER (March 16, 2017) – CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations throughout the United States, today announced it is launching a $150,000 charitable fund to support wildfire relief efforts throughout the states of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
Recent fires have impacted farming and ranching communities in all three states, burning hundreds of thousands of acres, destroying property and killing livestock. In Kansas, an estimated 700,000 acres have burned throughout more than 20 counties in the state’s southwest and central regions. In Oklahoma, the Forestry Service has estimated that approximately 400,000 acres have burned and a state of emergency has been declared in 22 counties. An estimated 325,000 acres have burned throughout the Texas panhandle.
“These wildfires have had a devastating impact,” said Tom Halverson, CoBank’s president and chief executive officer. “CoBank is committed to working hand-in-hand with our customers, other Farm Credit organizations and local relief agencies to support farmers, ranchers and other victims of these fires in impacted communities.”
All five Farm Credit associations in the state of Kansas have already committed to using the fund to support relief efforts in that state. American AgCredit, Farm Credit of Ness City, Farm Credit of Western Kansas, Frontier Farm Credit, and High Plains Farm Credit have pledged $80,000, which will be entirely matched by CoBank.
The remaining $70,000 in the fund is available to all active CoBank borrowers as well as Farm Credit banks and associations. Contributions to relief efforts will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis and coordinated through the bank’s Corporate Communications Division. Customers interested in taking advantage of the fund can call 303-740-6518 for details on how to apply.
About CoBank
CoBank is a $126 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.
CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
For more information about CoBank, visit the bank’s web site at www.cobank.com.