Calls to the Iowa Concern hotline reached a two-year high in March, a reflection of mounting financial and emotional stress in farm and rural communities, reports Tammy Jacobs, interim Iowa Concern and Hotlines coordinator.

“Some of the things we’re hearing from people are about the leases and (commodity) prices changing,” says Jacobs. “We did get a couple of calls where there were concerns of potential bankruptcies, but a lot of them want to find out what they can do with the leases and any changes that can be made.”

Farmers are facing their fourth consecutive year of declining farm incomes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency pegs U.S. net farm income at...