As we continue to move through the devastation of the novel coronavirus outbreak, more and more public gatherings and store fronts are closing down operations. While there are many business owners severely affected by this outbreak, farmers and fishers might be looking at even more long-term negative effects than any type of retail operations.
The COVID-19 outbreak has led to countless farmers’ markets, outdoor year-round markets, local groceries, and many other food sale outlets to be shut down. These closings are creating a serious deficit in family-owned farmer and fisher incomes. If you are struggling with these shutdowns as a family farmer or fisher, Behm Law Group Ltd. can help you find debt relief through Chapter 12 bankruptcy in Windom, MN.
Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a chapter of the bankruptcy code that is specifically designed for family-owned farming and fishing operations that are struggling to make debt payments from month to month. If at least 50% of your annual income is sourced from your farming/fishing operation, you can qualify for Chapter 12 bankruptcy relief.
As a reorganization type bankruptcy, Chapter 12 works to structure your debts into a manageable repayment plan that is suited to your income and through which the debts in your farming or fishing operations can be paid back under terms that are much more favorable to you than the loan terms you may have now. While maintaining fair treatment to your creditors, you can repay your debts under the supervision of a trustee with pre-determined monthly payments during a three- to five-year period.
With prices of farm goods already tipping many farmers and fishers to the point of dipping into their savings, the new blow that COVID-19 outbreaks have had on the global economy and the shutdown of many public markets puts local agriculturalists in a precarious position. Without a clear idea of how commerce will continue to move forward into the growing season, many farmers are unsure of how to plan for the coming months. If coronavirus shutdowns and bans against public gatherings continue in some areas, farmers and fishers may have to file for Chapter 12 bankruptcy relief or find other sources of income.
The additional uncertainty farmers have with the upcoming presidential election only adds more pressure to an already stressful situation. If you are a local farmer or fisher, and you find that your debts are piling up with no clear idea of how they will be resolved, you can turn to the relief provided in a Chapter 12 bankruptcy. Those filing for Chapter 12 are not alone, and many other farmers or fishers have found long-term debt relief through the process. Chapter 12 bankruptcy can provide the long-term relief that farmers and fishers need to constructively address overwhelming debt and stabilize their businesses.
If you are considering filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy in Windom, MN, we can help. Contact Behm Law Group Ltd. at (507) 387-7200 or stephen@mankatobankruptcy.com for more information.
