Alpaca farmer’s business remains closed

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    PROPHETSTOWN, IL (WQAD ) — This is Velvet, she’s one of Tracy Livesay’s 67 alpacas’.

“Their social life has been affected a little bit.” Tracy says these ladies are struggling with self-isolation, out on their Propetstown property

“All our events have been cancelled… All of our ag tourism has been cancelled,” she says.

During the summer tour groups would usually come through the Deitricks Alpaca Ranch to learn about and pat the alpaca’s but because of the COVID pandemic, that’s no longer the case.”

“We typically do these big shows, they are our biggest money makers. Its how we sustain ourselves.”

COVID-19 stopped all the fun.

“Yarn con is our biggest seller.”

Economists say alpaca fibre prices have dropped 30% since the start of the pandemic.

“When you’re looking at alpaca wool even cotton, we’ve seen prices decline,” says Dr. Chad Hart, an economist at Iowa State University.

Part of Tracy’s income comes from her store. From yarn, to socks to beanies, coronavirus forced her to close her doors.

“We’ve had to find new ways to generate some income.”

Instead selling these goodie boxes. Tracy says this isn’t an alpaca-lypse, she’s just waiting for the light at the end of the pandemic.

“We recognize we are going to lose some income right now, but we won’t lose it forever.”

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