Farm Crisis Response: Extension and Research Activities in the North Central Region
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 286 706 RC 016 447 AUTHOR Lasley, Paul, Comp.; And Others TITLE Farm Crisis Response: Extension and Research Activities in the North Central Region. INSTITUTION North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, Ames, Iowa. PUB DATE 86 NOTE 73p.; A network organized by Paul Lasley and Rand Conger, Iowa State University. PUB TYPE Guides - Non-Classroom Use (055) -- Collected Works - General (020) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCC3 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Agriculture; Community Action; Community Problems; *Economic Status; Extension Agents; *Extension Education; Family Problems; *Farmers; Higher Education; Institutional Role; *Land Grant Universities; Program Descriptions; Program Effectiveness; Regional Characteristics; Regional Programs; Rescrch Needs; Responses; Rural Areas; *Rural Extension; Stress Management IDENTIFIERS Cooperative Extension Service; Economic Impact; *Farm Crisis; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Nebraska; North Dakota; Ohio; Response Patterns; South Dakota; *United States (North Central); Wisconsin ABSTRACT The 12 states comprising the North Central Region have been affected in similar ways by the farm crisis of the 1980s. Statewide surveys show sizeable proportions of farm operations that are experiencing moderately high levels of financial stress. The problems caused by chronic stress on family structure and functioning, the loss of mainstreet businesses, and bank closing are felt throughout the region. The Cooperative Extension Agencies in the states have approached the problems in similar ways. They have developed new programs with long- and short-term efforts, and they have adapted existing programs with short-term or temporary activities and long-term commitments. Extension has been most heavily involved iu developing new, relatively short-term programs such as the use of hotlines, crisis intervention teams, and bankrupcy or bank closing response teams. New long-term programs include projects and research designed to achieve economic and agricultural diversification. The addition of resources to the existing farm management programs is a good example of an existing short-run program. Many existing, long-term Extension and research programs have been helpful in meeting immediate needs. This document provides 12 papers summarizing the farm crisis and programs designed to deal with it in each of the North Central states. Research needs are enumerated. (JHZ) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** C N 4O Co C L I Farm Crisis Response: Extension and Research Activities in the North Central Region U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS Oltice of Educational Research and Improvement MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY EDU TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproducedas received from the person or organization oroginahng it Mono, changes have been made to improve reproduction QualItY Points of view or opinions stated in this docu TO THE EDUCAIIONAL RESOURCES mint do not necessarily represent official INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" OERI position or poky The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development Iowa State University BEST COPY AVAILABLE Farm Crisis Response: Extension and Research Activities in the North Central Region A Network Organized by Paul Las ley and Rand Conger, Iowa State University cl C:1 ni Cgo 9 EA The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development CD 1968 CM C) ECil 3 Contents Contributors iii Missouri Extension and Research 37 Activities in the Rural Crisis Foreword iv John T. Pelham and Judy Heffernan Summary and Conclusions 1 Short-term and Long-term Approaches42 Paul Las ley, Rand Conger, Curtis Stofferahn to Easing the Farm Crisis: The University of Nebraska's Response Extension and Research Programs 5 Deborah Rood and John De Frain on Rural Financial Stress in Iowa Kathleen Beery and Robert W. Jolly Coping with the Farm Crisis 50 in North Dakota Illinois Extension and Research 14 F. Larry Leistritz, Arlen Leholm, Response to the Farm Crisis and Harlan Hughes H. J. Schweitzer Ohio Farm Financial 53 Farm Crisis Response: Indiana 19 Management Programs Extension and Research Activities David R. Miskell and LeRoy Hushak David C. Petritz and Dixie Porter Johnson Responses to Farm Crisis by 57 Farm Crisis Response in Kansas 22 South Dakota Institutions William M. Eberle and S. L. Ward Ardelle Lundeen Responses to the Farm Crisis: 26 Farm Crisis Response: University of 61 Michigan Report Wisconsin-Madison Extension and Research Julie Hales Jess Gilbert and Glenn S. Thompson Project Support Tackles Rural 32 Problems in Minnesota Kathy Mangum a 4 Contributors Kathleen Beery, Assistant State Leader, F. Larry Leistritz, Professor of Agricultural Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State Economics, North Dakota State University University Ardelle Lundeen, Professor of Agricultural John DeFezin, Associate Professor of Family Economics, South Dakota State University Studies, Department of Human Development and Family, and Researcher, Agricultural Research Kathy Mangum, Coordinator, Project Support, Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural University of Minnesota Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln David R. Miskell, Associate State Leader, William M. Eberle, Assistant Director, Community Agricultural Industry, The Ohio State Development, Kansas State University University Cooperative Extension Service John T. Pelham, Associate Director, Missouri Jess Gilbert, Assistant Professor, Department of Cooperative Extension Service, University of Rural Sociology, University of Wisconsin- Missouri and Lincoln University Madison David C. Petritz, Professor of Agricultural Julie Hales, Evaluation Specialist, Michigan Economics, Extension Specialist, Purdue State University University Judy Heffernan, Research Associate, Rural Deborah Rood, Communications Associate, Managing Sociology, University of Missouri for Tomorrow Program, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska- Harlan Hughes, Extension Livestock Economist, Lincoln North Dakota State University H. J. Schweitzer, Assistant Director, Agriculture Leroy Hushak, Professor, Agricultural Economics Experiment Station, University of Illinois at and Rural Sociology, The Ohio State University Urbana-Champaign Dixie Porter Johnson, Associate Professor of Glenn S. Thompson, Assistant State Program Consumer Science and Retailing, Extension Leader, Agriculture and Agribusiness Program, Specialist, Purdue University University of Wisconsin-Madison Robert W. Jolly, Assistant Dean of Agriculture, S. L. Ward, Director, Kansas Farmers Assistance, Iowa State University Counseling, and Training Service, Kansas State University Arlen Leholm, Extension Farm Management Economist, North Dakota State University UI 5 Foreword The magnitude and speed with which the In mid-February, 1986, the network met for present farm crisis has hit the midwestern states two days in Des Moines to review and evaluate the is perhaps unparalleled. The depressed financial involvement of each North Central institution in and economic condition of agriculture in the helping meet the farm crisis. A goal of this North Central Region is well documented. How the project was to explore and stimulate mutual farm crisie affects rural communities and rural interest in those areas where collaborative residents, especially farm families in the Efforts between the North Central land-grant region, is generally less well documented and universities might be possible. As the farm understood. Because of the severe consequences crisis broadens into other regions of the United of the farm crisis and the need for the States, we feel that many of the lessons the land-grant university system to respond to this North Central states have learned may benefit new set of conditions, the North Central Regional those in other regions. As one reviews the Center for Rural Development provided funds to responses of each institution, it is evident that bring together a group of Extension personnel and the magnitude and the consequences of the farm Agricultu.al Experiment Station scientists to crisis in regard to rural life has been examine and compare how the various land-grant dramatic. institutions in the North Central region are responding to the needs of farmers and rural The follrwing reports were written to share communities experiencing the present changes in with others the diversity of Extension and agriculture. Specifically, the objectives of the research activities. The authors were asked to Farm Crisis Network ince (1) to review the limit their reports to 10 pages; thus the activities of the land-grant universities in the chapters are overviews or summaries of the North Central region designed to help activities. individuals, families, institutions, and commurIties adjust to the new economic climate; Many observers have noted that the farm and (1) to identify areas needing additional crisis has often resulted in families and research and resources. communities "pulling together."The cooperation of the Experiment Stations, Extension Services, In talking with individuals from around the and the network representatives in the North region, we became aware that many land-grant Central region is evidence of a definite pulling Universities were developing ameliorative together. We believe this volume contains