About 80 per cent of calls to an Ontario farm crisis phone line now come from beef farmers anxious about their future in the wake of two mad cow scares. "There's a lot of financial trouble in agriculture at the moment," The Farm Line co-ordinator Susan Klein-Swormink said. "They need a place to vent."

A single case of mad cow detected in an Alberta cow last May prompted the U.S. to shut its border to Canadian beef, clobbering the industry whose Ontario production is concentrated in the Southwest.

Then, last month, the U.S. reported its first case of mad cow in Washington state -- an animal U.S. officials say came from a Canadian herd.

Now, the U.S. is feeling the pinch of international borders closed to its beef and Canadian producers fear the fallout could further depress their industry.

Meanwhile, any hope Canadian cattle producers had of the U.S. soon reopening its border to Canadian beef took another hit yesterday, with American officials putting off a decision on resuming live cattle trade with Canada until the U.S. finishes investigating its case of mad cow.

A public comment period closed yesterday on whether the U.S. should start importing cattle under 30 months of age, which are considered unlikely to contract the disease.

"We have decided that we will not take any action at this point on that rule," said Dr. Ron DeHaven, the U.S. Agriculture Department's top veterinarian.

The decision will be made "after we have all of the relevant information from that investigation" and have considered public submissions.

"There's been no limit in terms of the options that might be considered," said DeHaven, including changing the rule completely.

Most callers to the Ontario crisis hotline are worried about their futures and how the stress of plummeting prices -- and increased debt -- affects their family life.

"A lot of families are telling us they can hang on, but they don't know how long they can hang on," said Klein-Swormink.

Many farmers have said they're under more stress since beef exports dried up and prices dropped by half virtually overnight after the Alberta cow was found with bovine spongiform enceph-alopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease).

Now, with the Washington state mad-cow case adding to the uncertainty, the frustration and anger is mounting, Klein-Swormink said.

Regardless of fluctuations in beef prices, loans come due and bills must be paid. Financial worries top caller concerns.

"It isn't just cattlemen," Paul Mistele, a local director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said of the stressed-out ranks in farming. "It's sort of a contagious type of thing."

He said pork farmers are also hurting from poor market conditions, as are several other commodity producer groups. "You know there are people out there with a lot of hurt."

A year ago, the farm crisis line had about 10 calls a week, many from callers looking for information on how to pass farms on to successive generations, said Klein-Swormink.

Now, about 15 calls come in a week -- almost all from beef and dairy farmers "at the end of their rope," she said.

The confidential free service provides a listening ear and, if necessary, refers callers to other agencies that can help, including farm debt counselling. In an emergency such as a farm accident or tragedy, The Farm Line will send counsellors to the site.

Calls to the federal Farm Consultation Service are up slightly over last year -- an increase Ontario general manager Jean-Denis Methot attributed partly to fallout from the mad cow scare.

The Farm Line number is 1-888-451-2903.

DEALING WITH STRESS ON THE FARM

- Listen to your body: Pay attention to signs of distress, such as fatigue, carelessness, aches and pains.

- Treat yourself well: Get rest, exercise and eat properly.

- Balance work and play: Plan time for activities that give pleasure. Get away from the farm, even if it's just a trip into town for a coffee, if pressure gets too high.

- Talk it out with peers, family, neighbours or a professional counsellor if needed. Keep phone numbers for mental health agencies and crisis lines near the phone.

- Stop worrying what the neighbours think.

- Source: Ontario Agriculture Ministry and The Farm Line