According to the Farm Rescue website, the organization has expanded and now serves seven states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.
“Farm Rescue was founded by Bill Gross, a native of North Dakota. Like many farm boys before him, it was not possible to continue the family’s farming legacy at a young age due to financial constraints. His parents encouraged him to seek higher education in pursuit of a better life. Bill went on to attend the University of North Dakota to secure an undergraduate degree in BBA and was later awarded an honorary Doctorate degree of Human Letters. During his time at the university, he also secured several pilot ratings and an Airline Transport Pilot certificate.”
“However, his heart never left the farming and ranching community. From a bird’s eye view as a Boeing 747 Captain, flying back and forth across our nation at 40,000 feet, Bill kept looking at the farms below. The changing demographics of rural America – fewer farms, less children per family, fewer neighbors – troubled him. And always in the back of his mind, he remembered his father’s concern about what would happen to their farm should anything debilitating happen.”
“One day on a long flight over the Pacific Ocean, another pilot asked Bill what he was going to do when he retired. Without hesitation, Bill answered, “I’m going to be this Good Samaritan that buys a tractor and goes around helping farm families plant their crops when they have a major injury or illness.” That generated some laughter until his coworker realized Bill was serious. “Well, why wait until you retire?” he challenged.”
“Bill Gross launched Farm Rescue in 2005 and continues to serve in a volunteer capacity as Chairman of the board. The nonprofit has become a well-known, successful organization with dedicated volunteers throughout the nation and a strong following of supporters.”
Headquartered in the small town of Horace, ND, Farm Rescue, has helped over 1,000 family farms and ranches by providing planting, haying, harvesting and livestock feeding assistance free of charge to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster.
Like Eugene and Katie Birklid, near Fort Ransom, ND, for example. Eugene had underwent his fourth brain surgery to combat a cyst. This intensive procedure required up to 6 weeks of recovery, which conflicted with the family’s crucial harvest operations. Farm Rescue was honored to provide equipment and volunteers to assist with the Birklid’s soybean crop.
Farm Rescue assisted its very first family in 2006. Since then, the nonprofit has continued adding services to help a larger number of rural families stricken by unexpected crises.
According to their website, the organization has expanded and now serves seven states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.
If you or someone you know is a farmer or rancher who has experienced a major illness, injury, or natural disaster applications for assistance are currently being accepted and can be obtained at 701-252-2017 or www.farmrescue.
For more information go to their website and learn about all the people they have helped through the years.
The above information is taken directly from the Farm Rescue website under “History.”
