The Farm Credit System: how I got a land loan with no prior farming experience

I secured a loan with Farm Credit East for 6.74 acres of agricultural land without ever farming a day in my life.

Like most people, I always assumed if I wanted to obtain a loan for farming, agricultural endeavors, or farmland, I would need prior farming experience. That makes sense, right? Why would a lender take a risk on a person who hasn’t demonstrated they are able to ‘work the land’ correctly?

But, like most people, I arrived at my 6.74 acres of rural land last summer with preconceived notions that were just not true.

Today, I find myself singing the Farm Credit System’s praises across my social media because I am in daily disbelief we were not told about this financial system anywhere in our upbringing. I am not saying that we were purposely not told about this system… but I am also not surprised something this life-changing was not engrained in our teaching.

I have spent a lot of time combing through Farm Credit East’s website and the incredibly informative emails they send us loan holders every month. The more I dig, the more passionately I want to share what I am finding with everyone reading along with me here.

Note: this article is not sponsored by Farm Credit. I genuinely believe their system can change millions of American’s lives and help save the environment.

I had never farmed a day in my life when I received a pre-qualification for my loan with Farm Credit East. The requirements to obtain the loan, for me, were as follows: