Saturday, March 8, 2014

Tips On Applying For USDA Farm Loans

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.

Your business plan should be detailed and should show how your cash flow will look in the future. This will help your lender know the amount of money you need and how much you can be able to pay back. To create a well projected business plan, you can read through a copy of Business Plans for Agricultural Producers.

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.

Farmers who need to purchase or enlarge their farms or meet the costs of water and soil conservation can apply for farm ownership loans. Those who need to purchase equipment or livestock or meet the costs of minor repairs can get a farm operating loan. Ranchers and farmers who have suffered huge losses as a result of natural disasters that affected their farming operations can get 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 for small scale farmers, disadvantaged producers and veterans. This program allows them to borrow an amount of up to 35,000 dollars. You apply for such a loan if you are starting out. It can provide you with the resources you need to begin operating profitably and help increase your equity. After repaying a microloan, you can be able to obtain commercial credit in order to expand your operations.




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