Financing Farming in the U.S. discusses (1) the reasons for the chasm between an emerging sector of smaller-scale agricultural producers and access to capital, and (2) workable strategies to create successful farmer-lender relationships. This effort was organized by The C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University (MSU) and The Carrot Project. Download a copy of Financing Farming in the U.S.

This report describes the changes in the credit market in recent years, and how these changes have negatively impacted small farmers. It also describes the capacity of small farmers as borrowers and makes recommendations to address related issues. The report is based on a presentation by John Moukad, a community development finance expert and a member of The Carrot Project Advisory Board. Download a copy of Small Farms in a Changing Credit Landscape. 

In this paper, we discuss what we learned — in speaking with farmers (those who applied and those who decided not to), The Carrot Project Loan Review Committee members, members of our Program Oversight Committee, and Chittenden Bank (now People’s United Bank) — in our effort to understand what improvements could be made to our first loan program once the initial round of funding was completed. Download a copy of Lessons Learned: 2009 Microloan Fund for New England Farmers.

The Carrot Project created, tested, and implemented the Farmers’ Financing Needs Assessment to gain a better understanding of the financing obstacles facing small and midsized farms. The survey portion of the assessment was completed by 706 farmers in New York and the New England states. The information gained from this survey and related focus groups has guided the development of our work. This report answers questions such as what type of farmer is unable to find adequate financing, and what type of lending options and equity funding would be appropriate for such operations. Download a copy of Are Northeast Small Farmers in a Financing Fix?