The financial future continues to look dismal for farmers, according to theIowa Economic Forecasting Council, which predicts another year of lossesahead. Council chair Beth Ingram says farm income fell by about a third lastyear, and the downtrend will likely continue.Ingram, who’s also an economics professor at the University of Iowa, saysmost people in the agriculture industry will be facing tough times again.Ingram says the Council predicts Iowans who AREN’T in the ag industry willsee nearly a five percent RISE in personal income this year.Based on a variety of factors, the group of economists predicts a 4-point-7percent growth in the income of Iowans during 1999. That’s up two percentagepoints from the group’s prediction of just three months ago, as Ingram saysthe expected economic slowdown hasn’t hit.
