Drovers, a Farm Journal Media franchise, and the Farm Journal Foundation have announced acceptance of a challenge by global philanthropist and American farmer-rancher Howard G. Buffett to raise at least $2 million to help ranching victims of the devastating wildfires that burned 1.6 million acres in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado in March. All monetary donations to the Drovers/Farm Journal Foundation Million Dollar Wildfire Relief Challenge will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, up to $1 million. 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime disaster that left ranchers with both immediate and longer-term needs to rebuild what they’ve lost,” said Howard G. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and part of the ranching community in southeast Arizona. “We are pleased to partner with Drovers and the Farm Journal Foundation in this recovery effort and hope our matching contribution pledge inspires others to show their support.” 

While the agricultural community rallied around those impacted by delivering hay and other in-kind contributions, the expensive, long-term job of rebuilding has just begun. For example, an estimated 18,000 miles of fencing needs to be replaced at a cost of up to $10,000 a mile. 

All donations will be administered through the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, a respected national nonprofit dedicated to assisting working ranch cowboys and their families in times of need. More information is available at www.WildfireReliefFund.org.