The National Young Farmers Coalition has published a guidebook to help young farmers and ranchers navigate the credit options offered by the Farm Service Agency.
Farm Service Agency Loans: The Ins and Outs of Growing a Farm with Federal Loans is written for farmers and ranchers who want to access low interest federal credit options that are aimed at family farmers. NYFC has worked with FSA to improve loan options for the young farmers who sometimes struggle to access credit. A historical number of young farmers are accessing microloans, yet 30% of young famers who took our 2017 National Young Farmer Survey reported that they were unfamiliar with federal programs. With this guide, we hope to help those farmers understand their options.
This illustrated guidebook provides:
- Charts of terms and rates
- Summaries of loan options
- Suggestions about timing and application
- An organizational chart to navigate FSA hierarchy
- Thoughts on how to weigh whether a loan is right for you
- Case studies of real farmers who received loans