La. Farm Bureau Connects Farmers During Disasters

By Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau News

Louisiana farmers and ranchers now have an online resource to connect with one another in times of need via Facebook, just in time for the peak of hurricane season. 

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Disaster Response Facebook Group is where farmers and ranchers can post their needs before, during or after natural disasters. Others in the group will receive alerts when posts are made and can respond to those needs. 

“The connections we have with each other is the strength of Louisiana Farm Bureau,” said Louisiana Farm Bureau Second Vice-President Scott Wiggers. “The grassroots structure of our organization really lends itself to connecting people. We saw that during the 2020 hurricanes when poultry farmers in North Louisiana were running out of diesel for generators and farmers in South Louisiana brought what they could spare from their tanks. It really made a difference then and we’re trying to build on that.”

You do not have to be a member of Farm Bureau to join the Facebook group, according to Wiggers. 

“The more people involved in agriculture we have in the group, the better it will be,” said Wiggers. “The idea is that we can get people the help they need in hours, rather than days, by having farmers and ranchers connect directly.”

The La. Farm Bureau Disaster Response Committee is also working with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) to ensure the needs of the agricultural community are known to those who directly respond to hurricanes, floods, wildfires and freezes. 

“The biggest lessons we’ve learned from GOHSEP are that you need to be prepared before a disaster and that you should get to know the people who are in your local Office of Emergency Preparedness,” added Wiggers. “They're the ones who can give clearance for needed fuel and supplies to come in after a disaster and they’re the ones who can run requests up the chain to the state level, if needed.”

In addition to the Facebook group, the La. Farm Bureau Disaster Response Committee set up a cell phone text based backup that members of the group can access once they join. According to Wiggers, that’s for when data or internet service is not available and text messages are the only method of communication available.

The La. Farm Bureau Disaster Response Facebook Group is a closed group, which means you’ll have to wait for an administrator to approve your request to join before posting. You can ask to join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/lafarmbureaudisasterresponse