Farm and Rural Helpline

Looking at the cash prices for corn and beans this morning pretty well tells the story of the financial stress on farm families right now. Cash corn at $2.86 a bushel and beans $9.06 does not come close to covering expenses for most farmers. Compounding the stress is that prices have not been good for a couple years and 2018 does not look any better. Older farmers remember the farm crises of the 1980's and no one wants to see that again.

In response to the difficult times the Minnesota Department of Agriculture has launched a Farm and Rural Helpline. The service is available to farmers and others facing financial stress. State Programs Administrator Meg Moynihan said the issues facing agriculture can be overwhelming. " That can be true for the principal operator of the farm and others involved, spouse, kids or employees. The helpline is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. The number is 833-600-2670. Thank you to Farm Business Management Instructor Jeff Schultz for being aware of the helpline and spreading the information.