Wallace's Farmer, IA
02-28-07
Power Outage Is Threatening Livestock
Rod Swoboda rswoboda@farmprogress.com
The Iowa Department of Agriculture on Tuesday Feb. 27 announced it has
developed a Website listing sources farmers can contact if they need an
electrical generator to provide power to livestock buildings.
The storm that hit the state this past weekend dumped heavy amounts of ice and
snow across central and eastern Iowa. It has left many livestock producers
without electricity to power their facilities. "Widespread electrical outages are
causing havoc for livestock farmers, primarily in eastern Iowa," says Bill Northey,
Iowa secretary of agriculture.
The Website will connect those producers in need of generators with any
available local resources. A link on the department's homepage will connect
producers in need of generators with potential sources of generators. The site is
www.agriculture.state.ia.us. A list of generators needed and generators available
is posted for producers to access. Producers and generator providers can edit
the list as circumstances warrant.
Other sources of help available
Northey says farmers who have other questions or problems they need help with
can call or refer to the following sources of information.
The Iowa Concern Hotline can be notified by farmers and generator suppliers of
updates to the generator list at 800-447-1985.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture has posted its hay and straw directory on the
Website's front page for producers with a critical feed shortage.
Northey adds, "Livestock farmers with a critical need for generators to power fans
heaters and other environmental controls--and to supply water for livestock-should contact their local Iowa State University Extension office or county
Farm Service Agency office. Likewise, if you've suffered significant livestock
mortalities or are in an emergency situation, you should contact these two
offices."
Be awhile before power is restored
The Iowa Department of Agriculture on Tuesday morning hosted a conference
call with FSA offices and ISU Extension in the hardest hit counties to identify
critical needs. "Several counties are reporting ongoing electrical outages
affecting 80% to 90% of their customers in the rural areas," says Northey.
"Electric customers in these hardest hit areas of the state will probably be without
power for the next 7 to 10 days. For some of them it may be longer. The hardest
hit areas are in east central and northeast Iowa."
Northey says five or six counties are reporting 80% to 90% of their rural areas
are still without electricity as of today, February 27. There is no estimate of
livestock losses yet, but there were reports of calves dying. "We don't have solid
numbers on this. But we have heard of some cattlemen losing calves," he says.
Utility companies are concentrating on getting electricity back on in cities and
towns, says Northey, "to take care of the people first."
Livestock farmers rely on electricity
He's heard reports of a dairy building and three hog buildings collapsing from the
weight of ice and snow on roofs, and reports of diesel tractors too cold to start
because without electricity they couldn't be warmed. An elevator lost its electricity
and couldn't grind corn for feed, so it is delivering whole corn to customers.
"Livestock farmers can last a day or two without power. Then it becomes much
more of a challenge on the third, fourth and fifth day," says Northey. "There is
real concern about another storm system coming in on Wednesday or Thursday."
Jim Sage, a farmer from near Waterloo, says his son and other farmers in the
area have been hauling water to livestock since there is no power to pump it.
One farmer in eastern Iowa who is glad he has a generator is Dale Vincent who
feeds hogs near West Branch. In 1997 he built two hog buildings and had
generators installed in each. His wife convinced him to run a line from the
generators to the house so they could keep the home's electricity running if the
power went out. "I feel very lucky," says Vincent. "We've been able to sleep in a
warm house and cook our food. And the hogs are all doing great. You wouldn't
know there was an outage." Of course his neighbors, and many other farmers in
Iowa this week, aren't as lucky.