FSA Farmer Loan Programs

Please join the Iowa Organic Association, Brian Gossling and Luke Hawkins from the Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) for a webinar on Tuesday, May 25 at 12 p.m. CST, to learn about a few loan programs offered by FSA.

Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) provide low-interest financing for producers to store, handle and/or transport eligible commodities they produce. A producer may borrow up to $500,000 per loan, with a minimum down payment of 15 percent. Loan terms are up to 12 years, depending on the amount of the loan. Producers must demonstrate storage needs based on three years of production history. FSA also provides a microloan option that, while available to all eligible farmers and ranchers, also should be of particular interest to new or small producers where there is a need for financing options for loans up to $50,000 at a lower down payment with reduced documentation.

• Acquire, construct or upgrade new or used, portable or permanently affixed, on-farm storage and handling facilities;
• Acquire new or used storage and handling trucks; and
• Acquire portable or permanently affixed storage and handling equipment

Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) provide short-term (9 month) interim financing to help agricultural producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. This enables producers to delay selling the commodity until more favorable market conditions emerge. Storing production at harvest allows more orderly commodity marketing throughout the year.

Farm Operating Loan (FOL) offers a variety of loan options to assist producers with funding their farm operations, including loans to assist operations with transitioning to organic farming. FSA loans can be used to fund operating needs, purchase livestock and equipment, and to purchase or improve real estate. FSA offers beneficial repayment terms and interest rates, including rates as low as 1.5%. Iowa has the largest FSA loan portfolio in the nation with over $2.3 bullion in loans and loan guarantees.

Presenters:

• Brian Gossling is the Director of the FSA’s Farm Loan Programs in Iowa. He has been in lending with FSA for the last 30 years and has been in his current role for 16 years.
• Luke Hawkins is a Price Support Chief Program Specialist for Iowa FSA. He provides group training and technical support pertaining to the specific program areas to all of Iowa’s field offices that are based in most Iowa counties. Luke has been with FSA for 6 years.