Farm Rescue Bringing Critical Support to Farmers When It’s Needed Most

Farm Rescue

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In agriculture, resilience is often worn like a badge of honor. But even the toughest farm families face moments when help is needed—and that’s where organizations like Farm Rescue step in.

Founded more than two decades ago, Farm Rescue was born from one man’s experience during one of agriculture’s most challenging periods.

“It was one man’s idea,” explained Tim Sullivan of Farm Rescue. “And that man is Bill Gross, our founder and president still today after 21 years.”

Bill Gross didn’t just build a nonprofit—he built it from lived experience. Growing up on a large farm in central North Dakota during the 1980s farm crisis, Gross saw firsthand the toll financial hardship could take.

“His family went through a lot, like a lot of families did,” Sullivan said. “They lost a lot of land, lost a lot of cattle. It devastated their family in some respects.”

Though Gross ultimately left farming and pursued a career in aviation, the idea of helping farm families never left him. In fact, it took shape thousands of feet in the air.

“This idea of Farm Rescue came about 30,000 feet in the air,” Sullivan said. “On one of his flights, he turned to his co-pilot and said, ‘I want to start a nonprofit when I retire and help farm families going through tough times, just like my family did.’ And the co-pilot said, ‘Wait a minute—don’t wait. Do it now.’”

And he did.

Today, Farm Rescue serves families across multiple states, with Missouri recently becoming the organization’s 11th state of operation.

What Farm Rescue Does—Day to Day

While the mission is simple—help farm families in crisis—the work itself changes with the seasons.

Right now, the team is gearing up for planting season, especially in southern regions where fieldwork begins earlier.

“In a month, we’ll be possibly planting in states like southern Illinois, Kentucky, and southern Kansas for families that have already applied,” Sullivan said.

Farm Rescue provides critical labor and equipment during key times like planting and harvest—moments when delays can mean the difference between profit and loss.

For families in need, the application process is intentionally simple.

“It’s very streamlined and not complex at all,” Sullivan explained. “Families can go to our website, fill out a few questions, and then we follow up to get more details.”

But the organization’s work isn’t limited to planting and harvesting. When disaster strikes, Farm Rescue shifts quickly to meet immediate needs.

With recent wildfires in southwest Missouri, the team is already mobilizing.

“That changes things,” Sullivan said. “We’re actually going into hay hauling mode right now. We’ve got one truck going down next week and two more to follow.”

By sourcing donated hay and delivering it to impacted farmers, Farm Rescue helps fill urgent gaps.

“Just to get them to go another week or another two weeks—and hopefully through that process help them along the way,” he said.

Breaking the Barrier to Ask for Help

In an industry built on independence, asking for help can be one of the hardest steps.

Farm Rescue recognizes that challenge—and works to meet farmers where they are.

The organization is entirely supported by partnerships both within and outside agriculture, allowing it to provide services at no cost to farm families. As it expands into new states like Missouri, those partnerships are critical.

“It takes a lot of dollars to make those things happen,” Sullivan said. “We’ve been in the process of entering Missouri for four years. It just has to be the right timing—and now it’s the right timing.”

Ultimately, Farm Rescue exists to ensure that no farm family has to face hardship alone.

And whether it’s planting a crop, harvesting a field, or delivering hay after a wildfire, the mission remains the same: step in when it matters most.