Why Borrow with California FarmLink?
We are a non-profit lender that has provided more than $50 million in fair and affordable loans for agricultural and fishing businesses. Certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) our work focuses on underserved people and communities. We understand the unique needs of farm, ranch and fishing businesses.
Loan Types, Terms, and Eligibility
Farm Loans
Small-scale farmers, farmers of color and beginning farmers and ranchers have limited access to business loans. Many lenders may not understand your business needs, and it’s often difficult to secure an affordable, modest-sized loan that is just enough to meet your needs. Our loan sizes range from as little as $5,000 up to $1.8 million for land purchases.
Types of Farm Loans
Our loans can help you pay for general operating costs, lines of credit, refinancing business debt, equipment and infrastructure, farmer and/or farm labor housing, conservation projects, and buying land.
Loan Terms
Our interest rates range from 3-8% with a loan fee of 1-2% payable at loan closing. Recovery & Resilience Loans as low as 0% are available to eligible low-income families, farmers of color, and graduates of our courses. We may be able to arrange a seasonal repayment schedule for operating loans, and we never penalize early repayment.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Current management role in a California-based farm or ranch,
- Two or more years of farming experience (earning farm income as an owner or employee),
- Secure land tenure verified through written lease or ownership,
- Active marketing or sales channels, and
- Appropriate registrations and certifications for the business.
Please contact us with any questions.
Materials Needed to Apply
To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Clear idea of how much money you want to borrow and how you want to use it
- Tax returns for the prior three years
- Current financial statements including income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow projections
- Production records for the prior three years.
Qualified Use of Funds
General business expenses including permits, quota fees, gear and equipment, engine refurbishment or replacement, processing infrastructure, refinancing business debt, and buying vessels.
Loan Terms
Our interest rates range from 6-7% with a loan fee of 1-2% payable at loan closing. Special rates as low as 0% are available to low-income families or fishers of color. We never penalize early repayment and loan terms can be as long as 10 years.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Current management role in a California-based fishing business
- Two or more years of fishing experience (earning income as an owner or employee of a fishing business)
- Active marketing or sales channels
- Appropriate registrations and certifications for the business.
Materials Needed to Apply
- Clear idea of how much money you want to borrow and how you want to use it
- Tax returns for the prior three years
- Current financial statements including income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow projections
- Historical catch records for the prior 2-3 years
Please contact us with any questions.
Fisheries Loans
We started our lending with a focus on farming, and the challenges faced by farmers and fishers are similar, including high cost of entry into the industry, often meager profit margins, and complex regulations. Like many farmers, fishers also have few options for accessing fair and affordable business loans. Our focus is on serving small-scale and beginning fishers, and people of color, while supporting resource conservation, species diversification, climate resilience, and business success.
Flood Recovery & Salmon Closure Disaster Loans
Many farmers, ranchers and fishers have been severely impacted by winter storms, flooding, and the closure of the salmon season. We can offer: 1) Payment deferments for borrowers who are unable to make payments due to lost revenue, 2) Recovery & Resilience Loans (as low as 0% interest) to address business impacts resulting from the disasters, and 3) Disaster assistance loans designed to help you in the near-term if you are waiting for government disaster assistance payments. We are addressing the urgent needs of existing borrowers while working to serve other farmers, ranchers and fishers in need. Please contact us with any questions.
Types of Loans
Our loans can help you pay for the costs of disaster recovery including: 1) damages to real estate, equipment, vehicles, and lost crops or products, 2) lost revenue due to inability to access fields, fisheries, products, or markets, and 3) lost revenue due to California’s salmon season closure.
Loan Terms
Interest Rates range from 0-7%, with a term of up to 5 years. We may be able to arrange a seasonal repayment schedule and we never penalize early repayment.
Eligibility
Businesses must be able to provide a description and documentation of impacts as well as have:
- Current management role in a California-based farm, ranch or fishing business,
- Two or more years of farming or professional fishing experience (earning farm income as an owner or employee),
- Secure land tenure verified through written lease or ownership,
- Active marketing or sales channels, and
- Appropriate registrations and certifications for the business.
Materials Needed to Apply
- Clear idea of how much money you want to borrow and how you want to use it,
- Tax returns for the prior three years,
- Current financial statements including income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow projections,
- Production records for the prior three years, and
- Demonstrated capacity for loan repayment. Pending applications for government relief may be considered when assessing repayment ability.
Please contact us with any questions.
Types of Conservation Loans
We aim to expand underserved farmers’ access to publicly funded conservation programs like the USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and California’s Healthy Soils Program (HSP). Both programs support and enable farmers to identify, plan, and implement practices to conserve water, protect waterways, build soil organic matter, create food sources and habitat for beneficial insects and more.
Loan Terms
Our interest rates range from 3-8% with a loan fee of 0-2% payable at loan closing. Special rates as low as 0% are available to low-income families or farmers of color. In many cases, we can arrange a repayment schedule that meets your unique needs. We never penalize early repayment.
Eligibility
The same as farm loans (current management role, two or more years of farming experience, etc) as well as:
- Agreement to work with a local Resource Conservation District, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, or an approved technical service provider
- A conservation or carbon plan is required for conservation program enrollment.
Materials Needed to Apply
The same as for farm loans, but also evidence that you are working with a conservation partner (listed under qualifications) or have successfully enrolled in a conservation program.
Please contact us with any questions.
Conservation Loans
California FarmLink has deep roots in sustainable and organic agriculture. Many farmers are adopting regenerative practices that can improve soils, contribute to carbon sequestration, diversify on-farm habitat, and conserve water. Public programs provide financial support for conservation, but it is often difficult for small- and medium-sized farms to access them due to the financial commitment required. With our Equity & Conservation on Working Lands (ECWL) program, we help farmers to access resources for conservation without undue financial hardship. We reduce financial barriers to investing in conservation with “bridge loans” that cover farmers’ upfront costs before getting reimbursement from the programs.