Farm Rescue Moves Grain for Iowa Family Farm

Volunteer drivers helped the Pitz family empty silos after the death of farmer Bill Pitz during harvest season.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Agriculture

Photograph of tall grey grain silos on a flat Iowa field with an empty truck on a gravel lane under a wide autumn sky. — Volunteer drivers with Farm Rescue hauled grain from the Pitz family farm near Farley, Iowa, to an ethanol plant after farmer Bill Pitz died September 1. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Farm Rescue volunteer truck drivers hauled grain from the Pitz family farm near Farley, Iowa, to an ethanol plant in Dyersville, Iowa. The effort came after Bill Pitz died on September 1, leaving his son Logan to keep the operation running through harvest.

Why it matters

The Pitz operation does not own grain trucks and would otherwise have had to hire them out during a difficult transition. The help reflects how nonprofit volunteer networks can fill gaps for family farms facing sudden loss in Iowa's agricultural communities.

Farm Rescue, a nonprofit founded in North Dakota in 2005, has now served its 1,300th farm, according to the organization's count this year. The extraction does not specify the volume of grain hauled from the Pitz farm or the cost of the service.

The players

Farm Rescue

A nonprofit founded in North Dakota in 2005 by Bill Gross that provides free machinery, equipment, and services to family farms in need.

Bill Gross

The founder of Farm Rescue, who established the nonprofit in North Dakota in 2005 to help struggling family farms.

The details

Farm Rescue trucks and volunteer drivers, including Carl Benck, made repeated trips throughout the day to empty the family's silos. Logan Pitz is running the farm with help from community volunteers, family, friends, and the nonprofit.

September 1: Bill Pitz died, leaving Logan Pitz to run the farm.
Earlier in 2026: Farm Rescue reached its 1,300th farm served.
2026 harvest season: Farm Rescue trucks moved grain to the Dyersville ethanol plant.

Market Landscape

Farm Rescue, which began in North Dakota in 2005, has grown to serve 1,300 farms through volunteer-driven assistance. The Pitz case shows that model applied in Iowa, where volunteers filled a logistics gap left by a farm without its own grain trucks.

Iowa family farms facing sudden loss may be able to request Farm Rescue assistance for harvest logistics and equipment. The service is free, so farms without their own grain trucks can avoid paying to hire outside haulers during critical weeks.

The takeaway

Community volunteer networks can keep a family farm running when a death disrupts harvest. Farmers facing similar loss can reach out to local nonprofits early to plan for equipment and hauling needs.