EPISODE 205 DETAILS How Hurricane Helene Affected Cattle Producers & How To Help Plus Beef Industry News  Cattlemen’s Groups Help Those Affected By Hurricane Helene Our thoughts and prayers are with the farmers and ranchers impacted by Hurricane Helene and the floods following her path. This Category 4 hurricane affects producers across the Southeast from Florida northward into the Appalachians. Below is a list of resources for cattlemen and women to give and seek aid. North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association The N.C. Cattlemen’s Association is accepting donations that will be remitted to support recovery efforts through trusted organizations. If you would like to make a donation, please make your check payable to NC Cattlemen’s Association, 2228 N Main Street, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 and include in the memo- Hurricane Helene Response. Please note that NCCA will not be able to provide a charitable donation receipt.  The NC Baptists on Mission also has the capability to accept donations and coordinate volunteers to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. Donations can be accepted through their website Baptists on Mission - Donations. If you would like to make a donation by check, please make your check payable to NC Baptists on Mission PO Box 1107 Cary, NC 27512 Their NC Disaster Relief is funded primarily by donations. 100% of your designated gift will be used in disaster relief efforts  You must designate that the funds are designated for Hurricane Helene Response- Agriculture Needs if that is your intent or it will go to their general response fund.  If you have groups interested in volunteering to support recovery efforts, we encourage you to work through their volunteer program at Baptists on Mission - Get Involved. They will need support for the coming months to help the western region of our state recover from this devastating storm. We encourage those that have expertise on farms to designate “agriculture” in the skills support section when completing the volunteer engagement form.  Florida Cattlemen’s Association Producers in Florida can find resources from the Florida Cattlemen's Association here.For those wanting to donate to relief funds via check, please mail to: Florida Cattlemen’s FoundationHurricane Helene ReliefP.O. Box 421929Kissimmee, FL 34742-199 Georgia Cattlemen’s Association To support Georgia cattle producers, donations can be sent via mail to: Georgia Cattlemen's Association 100 Cattlemen's Dr. Macon, GA 31220 Contact Georgia Cattlemen's Association at (478)-474-6560 or [email protected]. Latest Beef Industry News Strike Shuts Ports On East, Gulf Coasts Agricultural exports screeched to a halt Tuesday as dock workers walking off the job on the East and Gulf coasts, after the International Longshoremen’s Association’s contract expired Tuesday at midnight. The poultry industry — concentrated in southeastern states and still reeling from Hurricane Helene — could be hardest hit in the meat sector, but extended port closures would quickly be felt nationwide, with 13% of beef, 15% of poultry, and 25% of pork production exported annually. Erin Borror, U.S. Meat Export Federation vice president for economic analysis, said that the strike-hit Eastern and Southern ports are responsible for at least $100 million a week worth of pork and beef exports, with a typically faster pace of outbound shipments in the fourth quarter. Senators Introduce Bill To Amend Federal Meat Inspection Act U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., along with Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., introduced the Livestock Owned by Communities to Advance Local (LOCAL) Foods Act. The legislation aims to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 to support small-scale meat producers in rural areas by updating the "personal-use exemption." The bill would allow consumers to purchase live animals from local producers and designate agents for slaughter and processing, easing bottlenecks caused by the limited