. >> reporter: small hog farmers, working even closer to the margins, like mike schouten, have had the toughest time. >> americans aren't buying the cuts of meat like they used to. you know because of the financial problems our country's going through and other countries aren't importing our products like they use to because of the worldwide recession that's going on. >> reporter: a new disease, popularly called "swine flu," has hurt business as well. >> you know, people have the perception that by eating pork they're going to get the flu and that's not the case at all. this flu scare has definitely had a major financial impact on the swine industry. >> reporter: after 11 years of hog farming, schouten is calling it quits. >> i thought i could weather this storm, but i have had enough, you know. i've done enough bleeding that i want to quit before i'm bled out. >> reporter: luckily, schouten also has a full time job, with benefits running the a.g. department at nearby dordt college. still, stories like his are starting to worry folks in sioux center. >> i can tell you of two, three now

>>eporter: after 11 years of hog farming, schouten is calng it quits. >> i thoht i could weather this storm, but i ha had enough, yoknow. i've done engh bleeding that i want to quit before i'm bl out. >> reporter: luckily, scuten also has a full time job, th befits runni the a.g. department at near dordt college. still, stoes like his are starting to worry folkin sioux ceer. >> i can tell yoof two, three now that are gng bankrupt. and ey aren't going to survive this. sohat's going to happen pretty soon the only way we can get out th thing is to get... cut producti. and th's going on right now. >> reporter: oa typical morng, farmers gather at d's to discuss crop and commody prices over coffee on ts day, they talked with us about how hard it is f family farmers to stay inusiness. just getting a tracto a combine, a planter, a fid cultivator, maybe a spader, you've got a millionollars, boom. and now you haven't t seed, fertilizer, help... noing. >> reporter: y've got to live in debt. no one has a millionucks. >> eher that ohave an awful ri daddy. >> reporter:hat insulated farmers earlier