Fact Sheet Farm Credit Administration

1501 Farm Credit Drive

McLean, Virginia 22102-5090

June 12, 2014 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 2013

The number of loans that the Farm Credit System made to young and beginning farmers rose in 

2013 from 2012, while the number to small farmers fell slightly. The number of loans to young 

and beginning farmers increased by 2.3 percent and 5.0 percent, but fell by 0.5 percent to small 

farmers. Only for beginning farmers did the increases exceed the 3.5 percent increase in the 

System’s overall new lending in 2013. 

The dollar volume of new loans to all three YBS categories fell in 2013 from 2012 along with the 

decline in the System’s overall volume of new farm loans made. Loan volume to small farmers 

decreased the most, representing a 13.3 percent drop from 2012. One of the main reasons for 

this decline is the growth in farm incomes since the mid-2000s. As a result of rising prices and 

gross incomes, more farmers now have gross farm sales in excess of $250,000 and therefore 

no longer qualify as small farmers. The dollar volume of loans to young and beginning farmers 

declined more modestly. Dollar volume to young farmers fell by 6.0 percent, and dollar volume 

to beginning farmers fell by 4.2 percent from 2012 to 2013.

Because of a decline in repayments, the number and dollar volume of loans outstanding

increased in all three YBS categories in 2013 from 2012. The number of loans outstanding 

increased by 4.1 percent to beginning farmers, 2.8 percent to young farmers, and 1.6 percent to 

small farmers. The dollar volume increased by 3.5 percent to beginning farmers, 3.0 percent to 

young farmers, and 1.8 percent to small farmers.

The following information summarizes the System’s 2013 lending activity to YBS farmers and 

ranchers. 

Young—In 2013, the System made 57,854 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 $8.3

billion. During 2012,

1 the System made 56,658 loans to young borrowers, totaling $8.8 billion. 

The loans made to young borrowers in 2013 represented 16.3 percent of all farm loans the 

System made during the year and 11.0 percent of the dollar volume of loans made. At the end 

of 2013, the System had $23.8 billion in loans outstanding to young farmers, compared with 

$23.1 billion at the end of 2012.

 1 The loan number and dollar volume data for 2012 were revised slightly after FCA’s 2012 Annual Report on the Farm 

Credit System was issued last year.
2

Beginning—The System made 72,662 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 $11.0 billion in 2013. During 2012, the System made 69,213 loans, totaling $11.5

billion, to beginning borrowers. The loans made to beginning farmers in 2013 represented 20.5

percent of all farm loans made during the year and 14.6 percent of the dollar volume of loans 

made. At the end of 2013, the System had $37.0 billion in outstanding loans to beginning 

farmers, compared with $35.7 billion at the end of 2012.

Small—FCS institutions made 142,357 loans, totaling $11.4 billion, to small farmers (those with 

gross annual sales of less than $250,000) in 2013. By comparison, the System made 143,039

loans, totaling $13.2 billion, to small farmers in 2012. The loans made in 2013 to farmers in this 

category represented 40.1 percent of all farm loans made during the year and 15.2 percent of

the dollar volume of all farm loans made. At the end of 2013, the System had $44.9 billion in 

loans outstanding to small farmers, compared with $44.1 billion at the end of 2012.

The YBS information is reported separately for each of the three YBS borrower categories 

because the YBS mission is focused on each borrower group separately. Also, loans cannot be 

added across categories because some loans belong in more than one category. If, for 

example, a borrower is less than 35 years old, sells less than $250,000 in farm products per 

year, and has farmed for less than 10 years, the borrower’s loan would be included in every 

category. Therefore, adding the categories together would produce a misleading measurement 

of the System’s YBS lending involvement.

YBS Loans Outstanding as of December 31, 2013

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 175,583 17.8 $23,788 11.2 $135,478

Beginning 

farmers/ranchers 253,272 25.7 $36,968 17.3 $145,960

Small 

farmers/ranchers 484,745 49.3 $44,894 21.1 $92,613

YBS Loans Made During 2013

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 57,854 16.3 $8,294 11.0 $143,360

Beginning 

farmers/ranchers 72,662 20.5 $10,989 14.6 $151,228

Small 

farmers/ranchers 142,357 40.1 $11,433 15.2 $80,310

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