Facts About Getting USDA Farm Loans

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By Jaclyn Hurley


People who own farms may need to take out an agricultural loan to meet their financial needs. Many kinds of farm loans are available but farmers have to know where to get them and how to apply for them. Government agencies that offer agricultural loans usually require applicants to own farms or use the funds to purchase farms. The US Department of Agriculture offers loans through its agencies such as the Farm Service Agency. The USDA is responsible for coming up with and executing federal government policies on food, forestry and agriculture.

USDA farm loans can help you improve your existing farmland, finance closing costs, build farm structures, complete conservation projects or purchase new land. If you apply for a farm ownership loan, you will be expected to pay it within a time frame of less than 40 years. If you get a farmland operating loan, you will be expected to pay it within a time frame of less than seven years.

Besides getting a loan from the FSA, you can get a loan guarantee through its agricultural loan program if you are not able to obtain credit elsewhere to buy, sustain or expand your farm. FSA loan officers can help you apply for a loan. You can also seek advice from business advisers when developing a business plan, which is often required when applying for funding.

A business plan should be detailed and display future cash flow projections. This helps lenders determine the amount of money an applicant needs and how much he or she can be able to repay. Farmers can create well projected business plans by reading magazines that offer information on how to create an agricultural business plan.

The situations of farmers differ and this means that the process you will follow when applying for funding may not be similar to the one followed by other ranchers or farmers. Prior to applying for a loan, you should start by determining the type of funding you require. You may opt for different kinds of funding if you want to use the funds for different purposes.

You can apply for a farm ownership loan when you need to buy or enlarge your farmland or pay for soil and water conservation. If you want to buy livestock or equipment or meet minor real estate repair costs, you should apply for a farm operating loan. If you have suffered losses due to a natural disaster that affected your farming operations, you can apply for an emergency loan.

The other kind of loan available is a conservation loan. It helps meet the need of farm owners who need to complete conservation practices in an approved conservation plan. After they get approved for a loan from the USDA, farmers are required to repay the principle plus a certain amount of interest. The total amount of interest to pay usually depends on the repayment period of the loan and the rate of interest charged. The interest rate can be either fixed or variable.

The USDA also has a microloan program. With this program, disadvantaged producers, veterans and small scale farmers can borrow 35,000 dollars or less. This is a good financing option if you are starting out. It will provide you with the funding you need to start profitable farming operations and increase your equity. Once you repay a microloan, you can qualify for commercial credit that can help you expand your operations.




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