National Farm Rescuer Day Date in the current year: March 20, 2025

Farming is hard work that cannot be postponed because nature waits for no man: seeds must be planted, hay must be baled, and crops must be harvested at the right time, not to mention animals that must be fed and cared for. When a crisis strikes, be it illness, injury or natural disaster, the livelihood of farming families is put at risk. Without outside resources and help, they could lose everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

This is where farm rescuers come to the rescue (no pun intended). Farm rescuers are people who volunteer their time, talents or money to help farmers in need, helping them overcome unexpected difficulties. Farmers helping each other through tough times is a long-standing tradition, but it was taken to a new level in 2005 when the nonprofit organization Farm Rescue was founded.

Farm Rescue was launched by Bill Gross, a North Dakota native who grew up on a farm and, despite his parents encouraging him to pursue a different career, remained a farm boy at heart. He wanted to provide farm and ranch families with the support they needed in times of crisis, and so Farm Rescue was born.

Farm Rescue is a nonprofit organization guided by five main principles:

• Farms Feed Communities: Successful farms feed successful communities and societies.
• Farmers Have Friends: Everyone needs help sometimes, even the most independent farmers, and there is nothing wrong with reaching out to a friend and asking for help.
• Strength in Numbers: When people work together, anything is possible.
• Today Impacts Tomorrow: Making a difference today will not only have an immediate impact, but will also help the next generation thrive.
• Giving Is a Blessing: Sharing your talents and time with others is one of the most meaningful things you can do in life.

Farm Rescue helps farmers in need by providing equipment and manpower at no additional cost. Since its inception, the nonprofit has helped more than 1,100 farm and ranch families across the country. In 2024 alone, the nonprofit helped 102 families in 12 states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin) by providing planting, harvesting, haying and hay-lifting assistance and clocking in nearly 16,000 volunteer hours.

In 2017, Farm Rescue established National Farm Rescuer Day and registered it with National Day Calendar to raise awareness of its mission and recognize all volunteers who help farmers overcome crises, as well as all donors, grantors and business partners who provide financial support. The holiday is observed annually on the third Thursday in March.

There are several ways to get involved with National Farm Rescuer Day. You can volunteer if you have time and relevant skills, donate to Farm Rescue, and spread the word on social media using the hashtags #FarmRescuerDay and #BeAFarmRescuer.