News Release in Word Format

                              FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN FARMERS, INTERNATIONAL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                                                        For More Information Contact:
                                                        Dennis Schlagel, FCFI Executive Director
                                                         309-530-7004, fellowship@fcfi.org, www.fcfi.org
                                                         Melvin Bell, FCFI Rapid Response Coordinator
                                                         217-249-2549, mmbell@tswireless.net
                                                         John Adams, FCFI Rapid Response Coordinator
                                                         Ph/fax 502-241-4122, Crestwood, Kentucky

SUPER TUESDAY TORNADOES RELIEF CAMPAIGN BEGINS

“Cleaning Up Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky Farms following February 5th Tornadoes”

Lexington, Illinois( March  3, 2008)  The Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International is announcing, today, its campaign to help farmers and ranchers in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky clean-up and re-build following the February 5th  “Super Tuesday Tornadoes”.  The tornadoes reached  EF-4 and were on the ground for over an hour following I-40 from Memphis to northeast of Nashville.   The Fellowship of Christian Farmers is organizing its relief effort for Tennessee counties, Macon, Sumner and Trousdale.  Downed trees need to be cleared and temporary repairs need to be made on homes.   The tornadoes spread trash all across  fields and hay ground that will need to be removed ahead of the spring planting.   Electric fences and high tensile fences being used in pastures for cattle grazing were destroyed and need to be re-built.    Collegiate Agriculture students are invited to spend their springbreak in Lafayette, Tennessee where lodging and meals has been procured for the duration of their stay.  Greenhouses used to start tobacco plants were destroyed and need to be repaired. Under normal conditions, tobacco seeds would be planted in these greenhouses the last week of February.  

     Over 550 volunteers from 12 states responded to the need to re-build South Louisiana farms following Hurricane Rita in September 2005 and in the four counties surrounding Greensburg , Kansas in May of 2007. 

Melvin Bell, FCFI Rapid Response Coordinator will be organizing work projects and assessing what types of equipment will need to be shipped to Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky for the clean-up campaign.  Retired Trousdale County Extension Director, Mark Beeler, is the on site coordinator for FCFI.  Contact John Adams, Melvin Bell or the FCFI Home office for details

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International is a 501(3)(C) non-profit organization headquartered in Lexington, Illinois.