Fact Sheet Farm Credit Administration

1501 Farm Credit Drive

McLean, VA 22102-5090

Aug. 13, 2020 Contact: Mike Stokke or Emily Yaghmour, 

703-883-4056

Email: info-line@fca.gov

Website: www.fca.gov

Fact sheet on Farm Credit System young, beginning, and small (YBS) 

farmer lending results for 2019

The following information summarizes 2019 Farm Credit System lending activity to young, 

beginning, and small (YBS) farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic 

products. 

Note: FCA defines young farmers as those who are 35 years old or younger, beginning 

farmers as those who have been farming for 10 years or less, and small farmers as those 

with gross annual sales of less than $250,000.

Outstanding loans

From Dec. 31, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2019, dollar volume outstanding for total System loans 

grew by 6.3%. Loan dollar volume outstanding to young farmers grew by 3.3%, to 

beginning farmers by 3.9%, and to small farmers by 4.6%. 

However, the number of total System loans outstanding remained relatively flat, increasing 

by 0.5%. The number of loans outstanding to young farmers increased by 1.0%, to 

beginning farmers by 1.8%, and to small farmers by 0.6%. 

New loans

The System’s overall new loan dollar volume increased by 5.4% in 2019. New loan dollar 

volume to young farmers increased by 7.3%, to beginning farmers by 8.0%, and to small 

farmers by 15.9%. 

For total System loans, the number of new loans made in 2019 grew by 4.8%. The number 

of loans to young farmers increased by 5.9%, to beginning farmers by 8.1%, and to small 

farmers by 7.8%. 

Young — In 2019, the System reported making 49,104 loans to young farmers. The 

volume of total new loans to farmers in this category amounted to $10.1 billion. The loans 

to young farmers in 2019 represented 18.2% of all loans the System made during the year 

and 11.1% of the dollar volume of loans made. At the end of 2019, the System reported 

177,590 loans outstanding to young farmers, totaling $31.0 billion.

Beginning — In 2019, the System reported making 67,088 loans to beginning farmers. The 

volume of total new loans to beginning farmers amounted to $14.3 billion in 2019. The 
2

loans made to beginning farmers in 2019 represented 24.9% of all System loans made 

during the year and 15.7% of the dollar volume of loans made. At the end of 2019, the 

System reported 272,654 loans outstanding to beginning farmers, totaling $48.6 billion.

Small — In 2019, System institutions reported making 123,494 loans, totaling $14.4

billion, to small farmers. The loans in 2019 to farmers in this category represented 45.7% of 

all loans made during the year and 15.9% of the dollar volume of loans made. At the end of 

2019, the System reported 459,894 loans outstanding to small farmers, totaling $51.9

billion.

Total — In 2019, the System reported making a total of 269,939 new loans, totaling $90.9

billion. The total number of outstanding loans at year-end 2019 was 914,386, amounting to 

$280.0 billion.

YBS loans made during 2019

YBS 

category

Number of 

loans

Percentage 

of total 

number of 

System 

loans

Dollar 

volume of 

loans in 

millions

Percentage

of total 

volume of 

System 

loans

Average 

loan size

Young 49,104 18.2% $10,085 11.1% $205,380

Beginning 67,088 24.9% $14,283 15.7% $212,906

Small 123,494 45.7% $14,421 15.9% $116,772

YBS loans outstanding as of Dec. 31, 2019

YBS 

category

Number of 

loans

Percentage 

of total 

number of 

System 

loans

Dollar 

volume of 

loans in 

millions

Percentage 

of total 

volume of 

System 

loans

Average 

loan size

Young 177,590 19.4% $31,043 11.1% $174,802

Beginning 272,654 29.8% $48,645 17.4% $178,414

Small 459,894 50.3% $51,869 18.5% $112,785

Sources: Annual YBS Farmer Report submitted by each System lender through the Farm Credit banks.

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.

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