Young, Beginning and Small Farmers & Ranchers

At Southern AgCredit, we understand that the future of American agriculture and rural areas depends on a new generation of farmers and ranchers. We are committed to meeting the needs of Young, Beginning and Small (YBS) farmers through our lending programs, educational sponsorships, and scholarships.

What is a Young, Beginning or Small Farmer or Rancher?

• Young: Age 35 or younger
• Beginning: 10 years or less experience
• Small: Less than $350,000 of gross annual agricultural income

Our years of experience in rural lending provide the expertise needed to finance many people who fit into the YBS group. By using flexible loan terms and working closely with other organizations and governmental agencies, we can tailor loans to fit the unique situations of YBS borrowers.

We make loans of all sizes to fund everything from hobby farms to large operations depending on your borrowing needs.

• Our commitment to serving the needs of YBS farmers/ranchers is reflected in Southern AgCredit’s 2025 YBS performance report.
• Volume of all new loans closed in 2025:
• 63.89% were to Small farmers/ranchers
• 16.31% were to Young farmers/ranchers
• 55.78% were to Beginning farmers/ranchers