Swine cooler

MOSES LAKE — It’s all for the pigs.

Northwest Farm Credit Services in Moses Lake has donated $7,200 to the Grant County Fairgrounds for upgrades to the livestock barns, including the installation of swamp coolers in the swine barns.

“We have these swamp coolers sitting around in storage, and we had always planned to put them in the swine barn,” said Brenda Adame, acting director of the Grant County Fairgrounds.

“Every year, it’s so hot during the fair we end up losing a few pigs or they get sick and it’s really devastating for the exhibitor who’s raising that pig because they can’t [take it to] market,” Adame said.

But the swamp coolers for the pig barns aren’t the only projects the Northwest Farm Credit gift is paying for. This week found volunteers at the fairgrounds hauling and raking new dirt into cattle stalls.

According to Adame, very little maintenance has been done on most of the livestock barns, and a few are in need of things like new electrical outlets and paneling.

“There’s lots of work to be done,” she said.

Wendy Thomas, a customer service representative with Northwest Farm Credit Service in Moses Lake, said the organization received $7,200 this year to give away to service projects, and they wanted one agriculture-related project they could be involved in over time.

“We were trying to pick something where we wouldn’t just be giving a one-time check,” Thomas said.

Northwest Farm Credit Services is marking its 100th anniversary this year, and is encouraging employees to volunteer in community projects as part of its “100% Committed” community service projects.

Adame said engineering and design for the swamp cooler installation is being donated by Del Green, the operations manager for Columbia Northwest Engineering. She hopes to have the swamp coolers installed in the pig barns by next spring.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com.