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3 July, 2023
Kherson farmers will receive 10 harvesters and 5 tractors!
Howard G. Buffett, chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, announced last week the transfer of ten John Deere combines and five tractors to the Victory Harvest Charitable Foundation, which will be given exclusively for use by Kherson farmers for harvesting and during the next sowing campaign. The transferred John Deere equipment includes five S770 combines, five S760 combines and five 8430 tractors, and has an estimated commercial value of over $5 million.
The announcement coincided with Mr. Buffett's visit to the Kherson region, where he met with the head of the regional state administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, to discuss the challenges posed by the Russian invasion and the recent destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam. The primary issue was the urgent need for demining and assistance to Kherson farmers.
"Russia's war against Ukraine has become especially devastating for the residents of the Kherson region. The flooding of lands caused by the destruction of the Kakhovskaya dam has now been added to the constant shelling," said Mr. Buffett. "Our foundation aims to extend support to farmers with these special harvesters and is also working to accelerate demining in the region."
This donation to the Foundation is the addition to agricultural equipment previously donated to the Victory Harvest Foundation with a total value of more than $27 million. All equipment, such as tractors, combines, planters, harvesters, grain trailers, sleeves, etc., is provided free of charge to Ukrainian farmers for temporary use not only for sowing and harvesting, but also for storing and transporting their harvest. This spring, "Victory Harvest" equipment helped sow almost 2,000 hectares in Kherson and surrounding regions, but Ukrainian farmers in the Kherson region still need additional resources and agricultural machinery to preserve their crops.
This donation to the Foundation is the addition to agricultural equipment previously donated to the Victory Harvest Foundation with a total value of more than $27 million. All equipment, such as tractors, combines, planters, harvesters, grain trailers, sleeves, etc., is provided free of charge to Ukrainian farmers for temporary use not only for sowing and harvesting, but also for storing and transporting their harvest. This spring, "Victory Harvest" equipment helped sow almost 2,000 hectares in Kherson and surrounding regions, but Ukrainian farmers in the Kherson region still need additional resources and agricultural machinery to preserve their crops.
"Farmers are one of the most stable and courageous Ukrainians during the war," Dmytro Solomchuk, head of the Supervisory Board of the "Victory Harvest" charitable foundation, is convinced. "Thanks to the continued support of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the small and medium-sized Ukrainian farmer continues to feed our country and the world during the Russian aggression, and will continue to do so when the Victory of Ukraine brings peace to us all."
Farmers can apply for agricultural equipment by contacting the Victory Harvest Fund at +38(098)4743651, or by writing to victoryharvestua@gmail.com, the application form is available at https://docs.google.com/ .../1-YJpsAPmL.../mobilebasic
In addition to funding and supporting agricultural machinery, the Howard H. Buffett Foundation is also working to de-mine the region. Two DOK-ING minesweepers along with metal detectors, vehicles and other demining equipment were handed over to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Thanks to this technique, more than 20 hectares of land in the Kherson region have already been cleared and more than 72 explosive objects have been removed.
In addition to funding and supporting agricultural machinery, the Howard H. Buffett Foundation is also working to de-mine the region. Two DOK-ING minesweepers along with metal detectors, vehicles and other demining equipment were handed over to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Thanks to this technique, more than 20 hectares of land in the Kherson region have already been cleared and more than 72 explosive objects have been removed.
"We are incredibly grateful to "Victory Harvest" and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation for the opportunity to collect such a valuable and complex crop this year, and for the support of the Ukrainian agricultural producer in general! We hope for further productive cooperation," said Valery Mykolayovych Shkuropat, a farmer from the Kherson region. His equipment was destroyed during the war. In order to deal with this situation and not allow the harvest to perish, the "Victory Harvest" fund provided him with a combine harvester for free use.
The purpose of the "Victory Harvest" charity fund is to provide assistance to small and medium-sized farms that have suffered from the full-scale invasion of Russia. The motto of the fund: "Our priority is to ensure food security not only in Ukraine, but also in the whole world."
About the Howard H. Buffett Foundation
Founded in 1999, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation is an American private family foundation that works to improve food security, mitigate conflict, improve public safety, and combat human trafficking. In Ukraine, the Fund started working in 2022, shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion, and is focused on solving the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War. The Foundation's work in Ukraine is extensive and includes supporting farmers in a situation of increasing food insecurity caused by the conflict, both at the local and global levels.
About the Howard H. Buffett Foundation
Founded in 1999, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation is an American private family foundation that works to improve food security, mitigate conflict, improve public safety, and combat human trafficking. In Ukraine, the Fund started working in 2022, shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion, and is focused on solving the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War. The Foundation's work in Ukraine is extensive and includes supporting farmers in a situation of increasing food insecurity caused by the conflict, both at the local and global levels.