Farmers are facing difficult times during the COVID-19 outbreak. Agriculture market prices have seen drops of 10 to 40 percent and the demand for meat products is increasing with processing facilities slowing operations, but resources are available to those who are in need of help. Iowa State Extension Grain Markets Specialist Chad Hart has seen the impact of COVID-19 locally and shares what resources are available to farmers who need help, “Through Iowa State University Extension, we have our traditional Ag decision maker website which basically has tools for farmers both in good and bad times. We have our farm financial associates that are a volunteer team around the state that works one on one with farmers that are facing financial downfalls where they need to work through and sort of analyze what’s happening on the farm. We have the Iowa Concern hotline which was created during the farm crisis of the 1980s. We’ve kept it alive since then, but it’s there as a general call that’s available to not only farmers but it’s open to the entire public. But it’s 24/7 staffed by folks that help folks when they aren’t sure where to turn and looking for help.” 

Hart says while market prices have dropped, this could be an opportunity in disguise. Feed prices are low giving livestock producers ways to keep their animals fed. On the other hand, crops are beginning to be planted giving crop producers time to plant their crops and allow time for market prices to increase again.