It's a season where farmers across the U.S. are strained, experiencing weak crop prices and high costs, according to Reuters.

Here in Ohio farmers agree, it's more of the same.

"Rising costs of input, you know, input costs, expenses verses income, you have world events that affect the stock market which then, you know, can affect trade with different countries, you know all of that has effect on the commodities," Blaine Winger of Columbiana said.

Winger made mention of historically high cattle prices that have trickled down to the consumer and he places some of the blame on Washington politics.

"I deal a lot in livestock, little bit in crops also," Winger said. "But a lot of the problem I think you know happens in D.C. in politics which can be a hot topic which unfortunately affects local farmers a lot," he said.

That's why the Ohio State Extension, Mahoning County, is offering four sessions full of information over the next few months, to help struggling farmers find a path forward, beginning with funding resources.

"Farm storage facility loans which are low interest loans that can help them build green storages on their land where they can keep their produce," Chevula Motswaledi, agricultural resources coordinator at OSU Extension said.

Financial assistance is also available to producers of non-insurable crops.

"The hope is that and also to make them aware that we are here as always we are extension, we provide resources when you don't know where to go we are here to help you, we can point into the right direction," Motswaledi said.

Thursday's meeting was part one of a series of events featuring 4 sessions between January and April.

The next event will cover farm succession planning on February 26th.

Session three will focus on local foods and farm markets on March 26th and the final session with be about invasive species and woodland timber management on April 23rd.

Each event takes place at 6 p.m. at OSU Extension Mahoning County in Canfield. Admission is $5 per session.