The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) is teaming up with several entities to provide hay for Texas cattle producers after a string of catastrophic wildfires.

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) and the Alabama Trucking Association (ATA) are working to get hay from Alabama farms to Texas, and have announced five drop-off points.

Officials this month said the Smokehouse Creek Wildfire, the largest recorded blaze ever in Texas, is the second largest in U.S. history. The fire has burned more than a million acres in the Texas panhandle, and killed more than 7,000 head of cattle.

The true toll may not be known for months, as some cattle with injuries may eventually be euthanized. More than 85 percent of the state’s cattle population is located in the area where the wildfires occurred.

Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Rick Pate said Alabama’s efforts will go toward providing affected farmers with hay.

The Cattleman’s Association has established a website for farmers who are willing to donate hay by the truckload or individual bales here. The site will also accept tax-deductible donations.

Hay drop point locations are:

• Alabama Livestock Auction, 800 US Hwy 80 E, Uniontown.
• Baldwin County Coliseum and Fairgrounds, 19477 Fairground Rd., Robertsdale.
• Cullman Agricultural Center, 17645 US 31, Cullman.
• Frisco City Stockyard, 20 Houston St., Frisco City.
• Northwest Alabama Livestock on March 29 & 30, 14330 AL-243, Russellville.

The Alabama Trucking Association will provide transportation for the hay.

“During any crisis, truckers answer the call. When we reached out to Alabama truckers to solicit their help to deliver much needed hay to Texas, the response was immediate: ‘just tell us when and where,’” said Mark Colson, president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association, said.