We walked into our local Farm Service Agency office with the hopes of getting some more information about an FSA microloan — we expected to get some handouts and leave with a lengthy to-do list. Instead, we left our meeting that day having secured $14,000 in low interest financing for two pieces of farm equipment: a Celli spader and a used John Deere 1020 with a front end loader. 

The process was very simple and user-friendly, and the loan was an essential tool in furthering our conservation efforts. The spader allowed us to work with a wider array of cover crops and reduce the impact of our tillage on the soil, while the tractor greatly expanded the use of compost in our nutrient management program.

Seven years later, we walked into the same FSA office to apply for a jointly-financed mortgage. We now have our own farm property after 11 seasons on leased land. Those FSA programs worked really well for us, and we'd love to see a Farm Bill that supports all farmers as robustly as it supported us. 

We'd love to see a Farm Bill that supports all farmers as robustly as it supported us.