The North Dakota Agriculture Department is partnering with North Dakota Farm Management Education to provide credit counseling services.
This comes at a time of depressed farm prices, and farmers and ranchers facing financial challenges. The service will be provided through the North Dakota Mediation Service.
"In the last few months, we've seen a 200 percent increase in services requested in our mediation program," North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring told Bismarck reporters. "This is an opportunity to have another set of eyes looking at those balance sheets, to help provide some resources, and a better understanding of what some of the options might be."
Goehring said unlike the farm crisis of the 1980s, farmers have had good yields this year, and payments from the farm bill’s safety net programs have helped.
"But the need and the issue and the concern is still there," Goehring said.
Farmers can sign up for mediation services by calling 1-800-242-7535.
Goehring said while the mediation service helps with the financial issues, he’s also encouraging farmers who may be feeling emotional stress to call 2-1-1, the statewide crisis and intervention help line.
"We've seen some growing concerns in that area also," Goehring said. "And we want to make sure that our agricultural producers are aware of that."
