How do I learn more about USDA funding options?
Updated
by Steward Team
Steward's participated loans are often one piece of the farm finance puzzle. While many diversified farms struggle to obtain traditional funding through their local agricultural lending agency, there still are a number of options available to diversified regenerative and sustainable farms in the form of grants and low-interest loans.
Steward is committed to assisting farms with all things farm finance and will continue to build out this list of resources. Given the constantly changing federal funding landscape be sure to check which programs are available at any given time.
Helpful Links & Resources:
- USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans
- USDA Programs in the Local Food Supply Chain
- USDA Farm Loan Discovery Tool
- USDA Service Center Locator Tool
- USDA Financial Resources for Farmers and Ranchers
- USDA Access to Land & Capital Tool
- Navigating USDA Funding by Food System 6 Blog
While USDA grants and low-interest loans can be a great option, be prepared for a longer time to capital wait period when applying to these programs. Additionally, many programs have a % matching component to receive the loan. Steward funding can be a great option to stack on top of USDA loan and grant programs and we are happy to work with farms using a blended source of capital to meet farm finance needs.
Note: This is by no means an exhaustive list of resources. Please reach out to your local USDA rep to receive the most up-to-date information.
