Farm Operating Loans and Loan Guarantees

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers direct and guaranteed loans to farmers and ranchers to promote, build, and sustain family farms for a thriving agricultural economy. The goal of FSA’s farm loan program is to provide supervised credit and management assistance to eligible farmers to become owners or operators, or both, of family farms or to continue such operations when credit is not available elsewhere. Operating loans (OL) must be essential to the success of the farm operation and should establish and/or maintain financial viability. Guaranteed loans are available to farmers who may not meet loan qualifications from a commercial lender. Guaranteed loans are made and serviced by commercial lenders, such as banks, Farm Credit System institutions, or credit unions.