A person in a plaid shirt and brown pants is working with a cow behind a rusty metal gate in a rural field. The person is holding the gate, and a black truck is parked nearby. There is a background of green trees and a utility pole under a cloudy sky.

Loans for Beginning & Young Farmers

Start your farm or ranch with financing that fits your operation:

Getting your operation off the ground shouldn’t require the track record a conventional lender wants to see. We connect beginning farmers and ranchers with FSA guaranteed loans and joint-financing programs through USDA-approved participating lenders — built for producers in their first ten years.

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90% Loan to Value Financing

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Cover loans up to $2,343,000

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 Up to 30 year loan term

Get Started

Loan Program Details

  • A vast green farm with neatly planted crops and a distant tree line under a blue sky with contrails.

    1. Program Overview


    Flexible financing programs for new and young producers just starting their operation, including FSA-guaranteed loans and joint-financing arrangements that don’t require the years of history a standard commercial loan does.

  • A cowboy on horseback herding cattle across a grassy field with mountains in the background and two additional cowboys on horseback in the distance.

    2. FSA Guaranteed Loans


    Through participating lenders, FSA guaranteed loans can finance up to 90% of the loan-to-value, with fixed or variable rate options and amortization up to 30 years. The FSA guarantee itself can cover loans up to $2,343,000, giving lenders the confidence to extend credit to producers who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for a standard commercial loan.

  • A person driving a red utility vehicle through an orchard with rows of apple trees bearing red apples on the left and a grassy path on the right, with signboards and trees in the background.

    3. FSA Beginning Farmer Joint Financing


    Built specifically for producers in their first 10 years of operation, this program splits financing roughly 50/50 between FSA funds and a participating lending institution, with a combined loan ceiling of just over $1.8 million.

  • Holstein cows standing in a row along a feeding barrier on a farm under a blue sky.

    4. Eligibility


    Generally available to producers within their first 10 years of operating a farm or ranch, including those who couldn’t otherwise qualify for conventional financing due to limited credit or operating history.

  • Rolling vineyards on a hillside at sunset with a winding road and a large house at the top.

    5. How to Apply


    Talk to a loan advisor about your operation and timeline — we’ll walk you through which FSA program fits and connect you with a participating lender.

Our Process

Tell Us About Your Operation

First we'll want to learn about your farm, ranch, goals, financial situation and what type of financing you are looking for.

Complete Your Application

We'll review your financials to make sure your application accurately represents your operation and is ready to be presented to lenders.

We Compare Lending Options

Once your application is ready, we'll present it to our select network of agricultural lending partners and compare loan options to find the best fit for your operation.

It’s Time to Close Your Loan

After you've been approved for the loan, we'll guide you through the closing process and be available to answer questions every step of the way.

Beginning Farmer & Rancher Loan FAQs

For USDA's Farm Service Agency, a beginning farmer generally has operated a farm or ranch for 10 years or less. Other lenders and programs may use their own definitions.

Who counts as a beginning farmer?

1

Possibly. FSA's Down Payment Loan Program lets eligible buyers put down as little as 5%, with FSA and a commercial lender financing the rest. FSA-guaranteed loans can also help a lender approve a smaller down payment.

Can I buy land with a small down payment as a beginning farmer?

2

Lenders want to see experience, but it can come from working on a family farm, an internship, an ag degree or managing part of someone else's operation. A solid written plan helps.

What if I don't have much farming experience?

3

Does Ag Lending Group work on FSA loans?

4

Yes. We work with lending partners that do FSA-guaranteed loans and can help you figure out whether an FSA program fits.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you're purchasing farm ground, buying a ranch, or refinancing your existing agricultural mortgage, we're here to help you find the right financing solution.

Send it over and let's start the conversation.