To qualify for Farm Credit financing, a person or legal entity (or the loan request) must satisfy borrower eligibility in one of the following ways.
1. Eligibility as a Farmer
- Own agricultural land, or are engaged in the production of agricultural products.
- Are a full-time farm producer (more than 50% of your income or assets are farm related).
- Are a part-time producer (generate ag income, but rely on off-farm employment or other sources of income).
- Generate, or intend to generate, annual gross farm income (on a sustained basis) of at least $500 annually.
2. Eligibility as an Agribusiness
- Own or operate an agribusiness that produces, processes and/or markets agricultural products. Farm Credit agribusiness customers range from large-scale multi-national, corporate enterprises, to large-scale family or individual agribusinesses involved in every facet of the food and fiber chain. These include poultry, beef, dairy, catfish, timber, timber milling/processing & marketing, grains and specialty crops, wine and more. The agribusiness should have some portion of its owners' assets in production or generate some "through put" that is processed, manufactured or marketed.
- Own or operate a farm-related business that derives 50% or more of its income by furnishing farm-related services to farmers and ranchers that are directly related to their agricultural production. Examples include large-animal veterinarian, feed or fertilizer delivery.
3. Eligibility for Home Financing
- Full or part-time farmers are eligible for all Farm Credit home financing programs.
- Rural residents who are not farmers or do not own agricultural assets are eligible for Farm Credit home financing programs to buy land or a home site, to build, buy or refinance a home provided the site, or home, is in a rural area or within a city or town with a population of 2,500, or less.