Farm Business & Financial Management
Beginning Farmer Loan Program Guide
A guide to finding and using loan programs for beginning farmers, including where to ask and what to prepare. For people starting out or in their early years of farming.
Download free PDF1 page, US Letter, prints clean in black and white
GuideFarm Business & Financial ManagementFree PDF
The steps on this page
- Confirm how programs define a beginning farmer
- Contact the local FSA office
- Review available loan types
- Compare with lender and Farm Credit options
- Build a business plan
- Prepare financial statements
- Look into training or mentor programs
- Submit the application
- Follow up and keep records
How to use this guide
Walk a new hand through the steps once, then let them use the page on their own. Add your own notes as you learn what works.
Where to check the details
This sheet is a general template, so confirm specifics with your own manuals, labels and local rules. For current official guidance, start with FSA Farm Loans and Farmers.gov.
For more in this area, see the farm loans, grants and taxes. Between chores, farm.FM has farm humor, including I Wanna be a Farmer, and agribusiness farm stories.