Loving the Lone Star

Last week, a picture appeared on my Facebook page that brought me to tears. It’s a photo of a rancher standing near charred fence posts and burnt, twisted, and broken barbed wire as he looks across scorched and blackened grazing land. Just a very small part of the half million acres destroyed by three wildfires in the Texas panhandle. The headline tells of the $27 million loss ranchers and farmers have suffered.

However, that $27 million loss is only the tip of the iceberg. The loss is far, far greater than that.

Some will say “Oh, there will be government programs to help them out.” And most likely there will. But that help, when placed against the total loss, isn’t very much.

Ranchers and farmers from other states have rallied to ship livestock feed to those ranchers in Texas who still have a herd or a semblance of a herd left.

As heartbreaking as the initial loss is, the resulting ongoing loss is just as tough and hard to handle.

The folks directly affected by the wildfires now face the question of rebuilding what it took years to put together. What of the ranchers and farmers, who are in their 50s, 60s [and] 70s, are going to be willing to take on the monumental task of starting over? Or the ones who are in their 20s and 30s and also have put everything they have on the line to follow their passion?

Immediate concerns are going to be loan payments, property taxes, how to pay for fuel and supplies, equipment repair and/or replacement. Not to mention living expenses -- mortgages, utilities, insurance, clothing, groceries, school expenses for those who have children. Even such things as that new dress for prom.

The livestock lost will need to be replaced. And that will take a considerable amount of money to do. And time.

Although it may seem frivolous to some, it’s also a necessary part and that’s vacations. We all need to have a break now and then from our busy lives to recharge ourselves, gain strength to keep going.

In the early 1980s, we suffered a major loss of our income that took us at least 10 years to come back from. And even then, you don’t fully recover. You simply do the best you can to rebuild.

It takes many hours of planning and even more hours of work to try to get back to where you were. The stress, worry, sleepless nights, all combine to take their toll on your health.

Added to the cost of the loss is the cost that will fall upon the general population. When there’s a lack of raw product, prices of the finished product rise. Consumers will wind up paying more for their food, fuel, everything they use in their lives.

Stop and think for just a moment. That new pickup or car a rancher or farmer was planning to purchase is no longer an option. So the car dealer has lost a sale. He needs the proceeds from that sale to pay his expenses, pay salaries, get in new inventory.

Perhaps this statement will help put things in perspective -- the agriculture dollar turns over seven times.

So maybe that will help people understand it’s not just the initial loss of $27 million that is of great concern - it’s the loss of future income as well - the loss of income not only for the farmer and rancher but the loss of income for everyone.

It’s also the loss of plans and dreams. Because some of them will never have the chance to materialize.

So if you hear of a way to help these folks, by all means do so. Even if it’s just an extra prayer or two for them.