Farm Storage Facility Loan Program

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program is sponsored by USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). This program provides low-interest loans to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage and handling facilities. This includes storage for hay and renewable biomass, which could be relevant for a horse farm.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) provides low-interest financing so producers can build or upgrade permanent and portable storage facilities and equipment. Eligible commodities include grains, oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, hay, hemp, honey, renewable biomass commodities, fruits and vegetables, floriculture, hops, maple sap, maple syrup, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, meat/poultry (unprocessed), rye and aquaculture.

Eligible facility types include grain bins, hay barns, bulk tanks, and facilities for cold storage. Drying and handling and storage equipment is also eligible, including storage and handling trucks. Eligible facilities and equipment may be new or used, permanently affixed or portable.

Since its inception in May 2000, more than 33,000 loans have been issued for on-farm storage, increasing storage capacity by 900 million bushels. FSFL is an excellent financing program for on-farm storage and handling for small and mid-sized farms, and for new farmers. Loan terms vary from 3 to 12 years.

The maximum loan amount for storage facilities is $500,000. The maximum loan amount for storage and handling trucks is $100,000. In 2016 FSA introduced a new loan category, the microloan, for loans with an aggregate balance up to $50,000.

Microloans offer a 5 percent down payment requirement, compared to a 15 percent down payment for a regular FSFL, and waive the regular three-year production history requirement. **1-FSFL (Rev. 3) Handbook****Application Form CCC-0185****FSFL Fact Sheet**FSFL Servicing Options Fact Sheet The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers the FSFL Program on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

This rule amends the FSFL Program regulations to add eligibility for portable storage structures, portable equipment, and storage and handling trucks, and to reduce the down payment and documentation requirements for a new “microloan” category of FSFLs up to $50,000. These changes are intended to address the needs of smaller farms and specialty crop producers.

This rule also includes technical and clarifying changes that are consistent with how the FSFL Program is already implemented, including specifying commodities that are already eligible for FSFLs but are not currently listed in the regulations, and changing the required life span of the storage facility from a minimum of 15 years to a minimum of the FSFL term, plus any extensions. This rule is effective April 29, 2016.

The August 2026 CCC lending rates are:FSFL Rates * 4. 125 percent per annum for FSFL with 3-year loan terms; * 4. 250 percent per annum for FSFL with 5-year loan terms; * 4.

375 percent per annum for FSFL with 7-year loan terms; * 4. 500 percent per annum for FSFL with 10-year loan terms; * 4. 625 percent per annum for FSFL with 12-year loan terms; ### Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program **About Available Assistance** FSA is beginning to issue cost-share assistance payments through the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program (EGSFP).

FSA first announced $20 million for this program in March to help producers affected by the December 2021 tornadoes that passed through 11 counties in Kentucky, as well as producers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee, impacted by the damage or destruction of large commercial grain elevators due to natural disaster events that occurred Dec. 1, 2021, to Aug. 1, 2022.

Due to the high volume of program applications received, FSA has amended the original Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to increase the initial funding amount for EGSFP to $80 million in cost-share assistance.

Even with the $80 million in support for EGSFP– quadruple the original funding allocation – this program will not be able to meet the needs of many producers who are still experiencing storage deficits due to these disaster events. For this reason, FSA has secured an additional $40 million in reallocated CCC funds to provide much-needed help to producers and is exploring options outside of EGSFP to do so.

Details will be announced in the coming weeks. Approved EGSFP applicants who meet the requirements for payment will receive cost-share assistance for the construction of new or renovated grain storage capacity and equipment required to meet drying and handling needs to support the orderly marketing of commodities in counties affected by these disaster events.

FSA will not be able to approve and fund all eligible applications that have already been received by FSA even with the increase in initial funding. Therefore, the original application deadline has been modified to Aug. 7, 2023.

For additional information on eligibility and payments, please refer to the initial NOFA for EGSFP that was published in the Federal Register on March 16, 2023. For applications that have been approved and funded, FSA is using the producer’s self-certified cost of additional on-farm grain storage capacity or drying and handling equipment multiplied by the producer’s share of grain to determine the program payment amount.

This amount is multiplied by the cost share rate of 75% or 90%. An eligible producer who certifies that they are socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning and veteran farmer or rancher by filing form _CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification_ with FSA will receive the higher 90% cost share rate.

* To be eligible for EGSFP, producers must have both: * Eligible grain production. * Demonstrated a need for additional on-farm grain storage in an affected county impacted by an eligible disaster.

* Approved EGSFP applicants who meet the requirements for payment will receive cost-share assistance for the construction of new or renovated grain storage capacity and equipment required to meet drying and handling needs to support the orderly marketing of commodities in counties affected by these disaster events.

* FSA will not be able to approve and fund all eligible applications that have already been received by FSA even with the increase in initial funding. * Therefore, the original application deadline has been modified to Aug. 7, 2023.

For additional information on eligibility and payments, please refer to the initial NOFA for EGSFP that was published in the Federal Register on March 16, 2023. **Assistance for Producers Not Funded Through EGSFP** Producers in the geographic impact area who applied for EGSFP and do not receive funding through EGSFP will be contacted by FSA.

In the meantime, for producers who may be interested, FSA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) can provide low-interest financing for eligible producers who may not qualify for EGSFP but need on-farm storage capacity.

FSA is also currently reviewing FSFL policies to determine whether certain flexibilities can be made, or waivers granted, to further reduce FSFL financial obligations for producers in need of immediate grain storage. FSA will announce planned additional assistance in the coming weeks.