Center for Regional Food Systems

This guide outlines the 10 steps to obtaining loan readiness for farming operations that meet the following criteria: the business has been in operation for at least several years; the business has exhausted all its owner capital and needs to borrow; the operators have a sound grasp of their production and marketing; there is ample land available for any planned expansion—if not currently owned, it can be acquired; the operation has a good records system, preferably computerized, that is up to date; the operators are comfortable using their records to guide their expansion; the operation generates a small profit; the operators realize changes and/or modest expansion in production and sales are critical to their farm’s future; and the operators have identified new markets or market potential that can be tapped without overextending existing staff or marketing resources.