BRENTWOOD, TENN. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Wednesday that Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S., has committed $50,000 to the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund (STAR), which is available through the Texas Department of Agriculture to provide aid to farmers, ranchers, producers and agribusiness owners adversely impacted by natural disasters.
“Many farmers and ranchers have been hard hit with the devastating fires and tornadoes that have occurred recently,” Miller said in a news release. “The generous donation will allow more victims to receive help and assistance and to get back on their feet. With many farmers in the middle of spring planting, Tractor Supply is helping fill a need at a critical moment.”
The donation, made through the Tractor Supply Company Foundation, comes as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to give back to the communities it serves and support organizations that promote the agriculture and farming lifestyle. In addition to the donation from the Foundation, local Tractor Supply stores have given additional funds, products and more than 300 bales of hay to help farmers and ranchers replace items lost in the fires.
“As a Texas resident, I’ve seen the negative effect these natural disasters have had on our communities firsthand and understand the effort and support needed to rebuild them,” said Sid Smith, who oversees nearly 60 of Tractor Supply’s Texas locations as regional vice president of operations. “At Tractor Supply, we’re passionate about serving the people we care about most – our neighbors and Team Members – and we’re always there during their time of need. As both a neighbor and friend, we hope this donation will help Texas farmers and ranchers restore their businesses and allow their communities to recover faster.”
The STAR Fund was created solely with monetary donations from private individuals and entities to fund disaster recovery efforts. STAR Fund money may be used to assist farmers, ranchers and agribusiness owners in rebuilding fences, restoring operations and paying for other agricultural disaster relief. It was designed to help Texans impacted by the wildfire, floods or tornadoes.
