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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY - The Arizona Cattle Growers Association is creating a new fund called the Great Arizona Bale-out Fund to help ranchers from Eastern and Southeastern Arizona get back on their feet after being affected by the fires.

Longtime rancher David Lowell says with the Murphy Fire destroying most of his property, the number of cattle grazing in his green pastures is getting smaller.

"Had to move about half of our herd to another ranch and we had to sell prematurely 50 animals, "Lowell said.

And now he's having to rely on organizations to help him out with other supplies like hay, which doesn't come cheap.

"We haven't had any much help other than the farmers who shipped over these loads of hay that were distributed to ranchers," Lowell said.

Frank Ormsby at Amado Feed and Pet Supply said hay prices are the highest he's seen in 40 years.

"A man can't run a cattle ranch on $300 a ton on hay - that's impossible. You buy one or two loads to keep them going but then it ends, Ormsby said. "What do you do then?"

And once the hay season ends, Ormsby said the situation could get uglier for ranchers.

"Usually this year when you get the monsoons you get bad hay, and that helps the ranchers cause it's a cheaper price. As of yet we've had very little rain, so they have to buy the best hay," Ormsby said.

You can help by donating $15 which will purchase one bale of hay and feed a cow for three days. All contributions are tax deductible.

Click here for more information.