The future of American agriculture depends on the next generation of food and fiber producers.

If you are new to farming or ranching, you might need all the mentoring and other help you can get, whether that be through financing, bookkeeping advice or developing a business plan.

With Farm Credit, you can find that kind of support and more. Serving the credit needs of young, beginning and small (YBS) producers is a part of the Farm Credit mission. It is even written into the federal legislation that outlines our lending authorities.

Each Farm Credit lending cooperative has a program for furnishing sound, constructive credit-related services to borrowers who fit the following categories:

Young: age 35 or under
Beginning: farming for 10 years or less
Small: less than $250,000 in annual sales

Here are some ways that Farm Credit lenders can help creditworthy YBS customers obtain financing:

• Offer flexible underwriting standards, loan terms and costs
• Help borrowers pursue state and federal government loan guarantees (see “Agriculture Guaranteed”)
• Ease some loan requirements if the borrower has a strong cosigner

To find out how Farm Credit can assist you, contact your local lending cooperative.

On the following pages, Landscapes introduces you to a number of young, beginning or small-scale producers who represent the next generation of farmers and ranchers. Some are young and just starting out; others have turned to agriculture after enjoying success in other careers. Farm Credit is pleased to support them all as they pursue their farming or ranching goals.