The Dec. 10 EF4 tornado that demolished Kentucky towns and farms was the deadliest tornado in state’s history, killing 58 people. In addition, the 200-mile destructive path obliterated a research farm vital to the state’s ag industry. A local resident reports that even after six weeks of clean-up, its difficult to tell how much progress has been made. As farmers and residents rebuild, material prices have climbed along with equipment shortages. Other issues plaguing livestock producers is the lack of fencing making it difficult to discern property lines. The tornado has also made grazing cattle vulnerable to debris such as nails or other harmful items. A local feed mill had close to six million bushels of grain destroyed, not even salvageable for poultry and leaving the 200 farms it supplies in need of livestock feed. Reports of “agriculture helping agriculture” bring hope to the damaged areas, where farmers have stepped up to help in the line of duty.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation created a GoFundMe to help relief efforts. Read more on the historic damage here. Donations to aid impacted farmers can be made here.