To ensure the availability of Iowa State resources to Iowans who may be affected by the decline in farm commodity prices, members of each of ISU’s eight colleges have formed a Farm Economy Team.

“The farm economy issues team is a group of people from all of the colleges, extension and the president’s office,” said Carol Bradley, assistant to the president and director of Governmental Relations.

“We want to be sure we have a good inventory of everything available to farmers during this period,” said Bradley, a member of team.

Bradley said she feels ISU is providing a great deal of assistance to farmers, and the group will identify those services and make sure Iowans can access them easily.

“[Everyone at the university needs to] know where there are other resources [so they can reference them] as they have naturally occurring conversations,” she said.

Bradley said ISU President Martin Jischke organized the team and asked Stanley Johnson, vice provost of Extension, to chair the group. She said Provost John Kozak assisted in identifying an individual to represent each college on the team.

John Miranowski, professor and chairman of economics, is the team member representing the College of Business.

“Prices for corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle are very low right now,” Miranowski said of the current economic situation.

Miranowski said he feels it is too early to assess the impact of the low prices, however.

“A lot of it will have to do with the duration of the low prices,” he said. “What we are really interested in … is to be in a position to respond [to the situation],” he said.

Miranowski said the team will be an ongoing activity.

Colleen Jolly, extension program specialist for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and member of the team, said the group is just getting started.

“I think what we’re hoping to accomplish is to make some of the resources of the university available [to those affected by the changes in the economy],” Jolly said.

“There are a lot of programs available through Iowa State University Extension … that can support and assist families in decision making, and help them understand the decisions they’re facing,” she said.

For example, Jolly said her department conducts a financial counseling clinic, which is primarily for students but can be available by appointment for other clients.

She said another resource Iowans can utilize is the Iowa Concern Hotline.

“[The hotline is] a service that has been around since the farm crisis in the 1980s,” Jolly said.

The hotline number is (800) 447-1985. Jolly said it is always answered by operators trained in crisis counseling.

“There are many, many things going on out in the state in Extension and we just want people to know about them,” she said.

Bradley said she wants citizens to know the university is being vigilant in its efforts to assist them.

“If you would sit in on one of those meetings, you would know that [the team members] really do care,” she said.

ISU Extension also is offering a new Web site on farm economy issues at http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/communications/farm98.