Statewide Iowa — The Iowa Concern Hotline is seeing a boost in calls from farmers and those who depend on agriculture-related businesses.
Hotline director Margaret Van Ginkel says that sector of the economy was thriving just a couple of years ago, but three straight years of low commodity prices are pushing things in a different direction now.
Large equipment manufacturers are also feeling the pinch. Quad Cities-based Deere and Company has idled more than three-thousand workers since 2014. Van Ginkel says the Iowa Concern Hotline is not just for farmers, as for more than 30 years, counselors have been offering advice to anyone who asks. Phone calls are free and confidential.
Van Ginkel says the economy is usually one of the main topics of discussion. She says they often hear from families who wonder how they’ll make their budget stretch if food prices and other costs continue to rise. The hotline was set up by Iowa State University Extension to offer advice to farmers back in the mid-1980s. The hotline is open round-the-clock at 800-447-1985.
