The flooding in western Iowa and threats of flooding in much of rest of the state come at a very uncertain time for the state’s farmers. Even before the waters began rising, Iowa farmers were facing pressure from depressed commodity markets, ongoing trade tensions and a variety of other issues brought on by erratic weather in the past couple years.

But there is one thing you can count on in these uncertain times: the generosity of Iowa farmers when others are facing tough times.

Even as the flood waters had begun to rise in western Iowa and Nebraska, I started to hear about farmers from across the state. I received calls, emails and saw plenty of posts on social media by farmers looking for ways to help.

Many farmers offered hay and fencing to help devastated livestock raisers. Others offered eq­­uipment to help farmers empty grain bins threatened by flood waters. And several groups set up drives to gather donations or organized hot meals for those knee-deep in flood cleanup.

Farmers are also contributing through their organizations. The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation last week donated $35,000 for flood relief efforts to help manage some of the immediate needs of Missouri River flood victims. The donation includes $20,000 to the Red Cross and $15,000 to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Fund.

As farmers from many parts of Iowa know all too well, recovery from flooding isn’t easy and takes a long time. Still, it’s good to know that you’ve got a lot of people out there who are eager to lend a hand.