Mullen - America’s Lifeline Emergency Response Team Foundation (ALERT), a national 501(c)(3) disaster response nonprofit based in Mullen, Nebraska, is seeking assistance in transporting thousands of donated out-ofstate hay bales designated for Nebraska producers impacted by wildfires.
Since March 13, 2026, Patti Barnt, ALERT’s Co-Founder and CEO, has been actively coordinating the delivery of hay and vital livestock supplies to those impacted by wildfires in central and western Nebraska. To date, ALERT has delivered hay to producers affected by several devastating fires, including the Morrill, Cottonwood, Ashby, Atkinson, Pressey and Elm Creek. The current drought and persistent fire weather conditions have created an ongoing crisis for local ranchers, leaving many in urgent need of support.
ALERT is looking for drivers who can do backhauls from Minnesota, Oklahoma and Illinois as a donation with a fuel reimbursement or for a reduced rate. Barnt can be contacted at 308-280-0025.
“We understand producers will need hay through spring, as most lost this year’s hay crop from the fires. ALERT is diligently working to transport donated hay to producers in need. We have hay sitting in multiple states which needs hauled to Nebraska,” Barnt said.
“ALERT has been paying $6 a loaded mile, which is quickly depleting our funds. We have contacted logistic companies to coordinate backhauls to reduce rates. They have fallen through each time. The privately owned truck drivers we have been utilizing have been amazing and they wish they could donate their time and rigs, but they must make a living like everyone else.
They volunteered for multiple loads at the beginning of the disaster, they simply cannot afford to do so anymore.”
Some producers are still feeding hay, as they were unable to find summer grass to lease. Last month, ALERT delivered the first load to a Morrill Fire producer, a recent widow, who had one bale left. She will be feeding hay throughout the summer. Loads were delivered to two producers impacted by the Ashby Fire; all three producers had not received any donated hay prior to these loads. ALERT remains committed to aiding producers who have been overlooked.
Founded in 2017 and incorporated during the devastating 2019 floods, ALERT has been on the frontline of disaster response efforts across the nation for multiple natural disasters over the past nine years. In response to the Nebraska fires, the organization has partnered with the Texas Panhandle Livestock & Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund, another national 501(c) (3), to facilitate access to hay donors across multiple states and pool volunteer resources.
Community support is crucial to sustaining these relief efforts. Donations can be made online at https:// givebutter.com/c/Nebraskarises or by check, payable to America’s Lifeline Emergency Response Team, and mailed to: ALERT, PO Box 316, Mullen, NE 69152.
For updates on fire relief efforts, community members can join the Nebraska Facebook group at https://www. facebook.com/groups/NebraskaALERT.
Together, we can support Nebraska’s agricultural community during this difficult time.