The Camp Fire in northern California has been the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported the fire was contained within 153,336 acres, and nearly 19,000 buildings and homes were destroyed. At least 85 individuals lost their lives, making this the nation’s deadliest blaze in a century.
As a result of the destruction from the Camp Fire, the G5 Syndicate – made up of Dewar Farms, Bakersfield, California; Lambert Ranch, Irvine, California; Macfarlane Livestock, Cottonwood, California; Schneider-Brown Ranch, Sloughhouse, California; and Wunschel Ranch, Plymouth, California – offered the heifer, raised by Dewar Farms, for sale in the annual Western States National Hereford Sale, with all proceeds going directly to those affected by the fire.
The G5 Syndicate was formed in 2016 at the Hereford Youth Foundation of America’s (HYFA) The Harvest event in Sonoma, California, and raises funds to provide scholarships, education and leadership for Hereford youth. After the syndicate purchased embryos at The Harvest’s live auction, they remained in contact with one another and began pooling funds to donate to various causes.
Emma sold as the first lot in the 2018 Western States National Hereford Sale for just over $11,000. She was donated back and sold two more times. More than $40,800 was raised when the gavel finally fell silent, with GKB Cattle of Waxahachie, Texas, placing the final bid and giving half interest on the heifer to Dewar Farms so the Dewars could retain interest on and continue to show the heifer throughout the year.
“It was very heartwarming to see all those Hereford breeders give whatever they could,” said Andrea Dewar of Dewar Farms. “We never expected to raise that much money; it’s amazing how an ag community can come together.”
The Dewar family agreed to donate the heifer if the G5 Syndicate could help raise funds to support the wildfire victims.
“The hardest decision was deciding which heifer we would donate,” said Madison Dewar of Dewar Farms and current California-Nevada Junior Hereford Queen. “It’s helped us realize that it’s not just about us, it’s about the Hereford family as a whole and coming together to help someone we don’t even know in their time of need.”
Hereford breeders and other cattlemen who donated to the cause are Mark and Stacy Holt, Jill Jess, Alto Livestock, Downing Cattle Co., GKB Cattle, Morrell Cattle, Wooden Shoe Farms, Potter Ranch Herefords, Bar One Ranch, Hildebrand Hay & Cattle, Blackhills Herefords, Scott Holt, Mrnak Herefords, Genoa Livestock, Red River Farms, Morrell Ranches, Logan Ipsen, Sierra Ranches, Colyer Herefords, Sticks & Stones Ranch, Barber Ranch, Barry Ranch, Hoffman Ranch, Sonoma Mountain Herefords, Pedretti Ranches, Brumley Farms, Wheeler Cattle, Hacklin Herefords, CX Ranch, Allison Hay & Herefords, 4M Livestock, AES (Amador/El Dorado/Sacramento) Cattlemen’s Association, Murray Hay & Cattle, Snedden Ranch, McDonald Farms, K Bar D Angus, Harfst Ranch and Wunschel Ranch. 
—From an American Hereford Association news release
PHOTO: Photo courtesy of the American Hereford Association.
