Iowa Legal Aid implemented a Farm Law Project (FLP) to provide legal assistance to farmers who are threatened with losing their farms. This project was launched in the mid-1980s in response to the farm crisis that led many small farmers to lose their homesteads. Program attorneys provide legal representation and advice to farmers as they go through mediation with their creditors. Attorneys also assist farmers in restructuring their debts which enables farmers to continue owning their farms. While the focus of the FLP is to prevent foreclosure on family homesteads, staff members also work to protect a farmer's machinery, crops, and real estate in order to ensure the farm can continue operating.
This project is funded entirely through allocations from Iowa's State Legislature. Consequently, to be eligible for assistance, farmers must have an annual taxable income under $20,000 and a debt asset ration of 50%. ILA staff estimates that at least 85% to 90% of the farmers who receive assistance through this project would be eligible under the Legal Services Corporation's eligibility guidelines. Since the project's inception, FLP staff members have witnessed a significant decline in the number of small farmers in Iowa. The FLP primarily works with farmers who are indebted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA). The FSA provides credit to new or disadvantaged farmers.
Contact Information:
Scott Hartsook Iowa Legal Aid 1111 Ninth Street, Suite 230 Des Moines, IA 50314-2527 Phone: (515) 243-2151 Fax: (515) 246-6075 Email
LSC:
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