-moreFact Sheet Farm Credit Administration

1501 Farm Credit Drive

McLean, Virginia 22102-5090

June 9, 2016 Contact: Michael Stokke or Christine Quinn,

703-883-4056

E-mail: info-line@fca.gov

Website: www.fca.gov

Fact Sheet on Farm Credit System 

Young, Beginning and Small (YBS) Farmer Lending Results for 2015

In 2015, the pace of new lending to YBS farmers kept pace or exceeded the pace in overall 

farm lending by Farm Credit System institutions. The number of loans made in 2015 to young,

beginning, and small farmers increased from 2014 by 5.1 percent, 7.5 percent, and 6.7 percent, 

respectively. The System’s overall number of new farm loans made grew by 3.7 percent. 

The dollar volume of new loans made to young, beginning, and small categories rose in 2015

from 2014 by 8.0 percent, 12.2 percent, and 10.0 percent, respectively. The System’s overall 

volume of new farm loans grew by 8.8 percent. 

The number and dollar volume of loans outstanding increased in all three YBS categories in 

2015 from 2014. The number of loans outstanding increased by 3.5 percent to young farmers, 

4.0 percent to beginning farmers, and 2.4 percent to small farmers. The System’s overall 

number of farm loans outstanding grew by 2.9 percent.

The dollar volume outstanding increased by 6.0 percent to young farmers, 6.4 percent to

beginning farmers, and 2.3 percent to small farmers. All these percentages were less than the 

7.4 percent growth in the System’s overall volume of outstanding farm loans. 

The following information summarizes the System’s 2015 lending activity to YBS farmers and 

ranchers. 

Young—In 2015, the System made 62,143 loans to young farmers—that is, to those who are 

35 years old or younger. The volume of total new loans to young farmers amounted to $9.4

billion. The loans made to young farmers in 2015 represented 17.2 percent of all farm loans 

made during the year and 11.3 percent of the dollar volume of loans made. At the end of 2015, 

the System had 188,696 loans outstanding to young farmers, totaling $27.1 billion.

Beginning—The System made 79,642 loans to beginning farmers—that is, to those who have 

been farming for 10 years or less. The volume of total new loans to beginning farmers 

amounted to $12.7 billion in 2015. The loans made to beginning farmers in 2015 represented 

22.0 percent of all farm loans made during the year and 15.2 percent of the dollar volume of 

loans made. At the end of 2015, the System had 274,942 loans outstanding to beginning 

farmers, totaling $41.5 billion.
2

Small—In 2015, FCS institutions made 150,022 loans, totaling $11.8 billion, to small farmers—

that is, to those with gross annual sales of less than $250,000. The loans made in 2015 to 

farmers in this category represented 41.4 percent of all farm loans made during the year and 

14.1 percent of the dollar volume of all farm loans made. At the end of 2015, the System had 

502,398 loans outstanding to small farmers, totaling $46.7 billion.

Totals reported include loans, advancements, and commitments made to farmers, ranchers, 

and aquatic producers, and exclude rural home loans, loans to cooperatives, and activities of 

the Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation. In 2015, a total of 362,125 new farm loans were 

made, totaling $83.781 billion. The total outstanding farm loan numbers at year-end was 

1,042,171, amounting to $245.550 billion.

YBS Loans Outstanding as of December 31, 2015

Number of 

loans

Percentage 

of total 

number of 

System 

farm loans

Dollar volume 

of loans in 

millions

Percentage 

of total 

volume of 

System 

farm loans

Average 

loan size

Young 

farmers/ranchers 188,696 18.1 $27,070 11.0 $143,458

Beginning 

farmers/ranchers 274,942 26.4 $41,473 16.9 $150,844

Small 

farmers/ranchers 502,398 48.2 $46,729 19.0 $93,012

YBS Loans Made During 2015

Number of 

loans

Percentage 

of total 

number of 

System 

farm loans

Dollar volume 

of loans in 

millions

Percentage 

of total 

volume of 

System 

farm loans

Average 

loan size

Young 

farmers/ranchers 62,143 17.2 $9,430 11.3 $151,749

Beginning 

farmers/ranchers 79,642 22.0 $12,741 15.2 $159,983

Small 

farmers/ranchers 150,022 41.4 $11,815 14.1 $78,754

Note: Because the YBS mission is focused on each borrower group separately, data are

reported separately for each of the three YBS borrower categories. Since some loans fit more 

than one category, adding the loans across categories does not produce an accurate measure 

of the System’s YBS lending involvement.

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