What kinds of credit help are available?
Help comes from land-grant university extension, FSA, nonprofit farm organizations, small business advisors and farm business management programs. Some offer one-on-one counseling, others run classes or provide worksheets.
The Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota, Iowa State's Ag Decision Maker and Kansas State's AgManager are examples of university sites with free tools and guides.
If your state has a farm business management program, ask about it. These programs often pair a farmer with an instructor who visits the farm, helps with records and compares results to peers in the same region. They are one of the most practical forms of help, and some are offered at low cost through community colleges or extension.
Why take a class before applying?
A lender will ask for a balance sheet, income statement and cash flow. If you have never built those, a class can save you weeks and prevent errors. Beginning farmer programs often include them.
FSA's beginning farmer materials discuss training and experience as part of its programs. Check the current page for any education requirements tied to loans.
What can a counselor actually do?
A counselor can review your numbers, help you build projections, explain how lenders evaluate credit and point you to programs. They cannot approve your loan or promise an outcome.
Bring honest figures. A counselor who sees the real picture can tell you whether a loan fits or whether you should change the plan first.
Many programs offer webinars and recorded sessions, so you can learn in the off-season at your own pace. Pick one topic at a time, such as balance sheets, cash flow or loan applications, and apply it to your own farm right away. Learning sticks better when you use it the same week.
- Review records and projections
- Explain lender criteria
- Point to programs and contacts
How can you check and improve your credit?
Request your credit reports and read them for errors. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains your rights to dispute mistakes. Pay down revolving balances where possible and avoid opening new accounts right before a loan application.
Separate business and personal finances. Lenders look at both, and tangled accounts make it harder to see farm performance.
Plan to follow up. One session rarely fixes a financial problem, but a series of short check-ins with homework between them often does. Set a date for the next meeting before you leave, and bring the revised numbers.
What should you bring to a counseling session?
Bring tax returns, bank and loan statements, a list of assets and debts, and your production records. If you have a draft plan, bring it. Write down your questions beforehand.
Ask about the common reasons applications are declined, and what you can do before you apply again.
Keep a short list of people you trust for advice: a lender, a CPA, an extension agent, a veteran farmer and an attorney. Talk to them before a decision, not after. Having a team in place is itself a protection, because bad offers often depend on isolation and rushed decisions.
How do you choose good help?
Prefer nonprofit, university and government sources. Ask how the advisor is paid. If someone gets a commission from a loan, they may steer you toward it.
Be skeptical of services that charge large upfront fees to repair credit or find loans. Federal rules limit advance fees for certain credit repair services.
Use education to build vocabulary. Terms like collateral, covenant, amortization and working capital show up in loan documents, and knowing them lets you ask better questions and notice terms that do not work for you.
What mistakes do borrowers make?
Waiting until a crisis to seek help, applying without records and borrowing the maximum amount offered. Another is ignoring local resources because a national website looks easier.
If you are behind on payments, talk to your lender early and ask about counseling, which FSA and extension can help you find.
Be ready to share honest numbers with an advisor, including debts you are embarrassed about. A counselor who sees only part of the picture can only help with part of the problem. Most advisors have seen difficult situations before and are more interested in a workable plan than in judgment, and information you share with an extension or nonprofit advisor is normally kept confidential, but ask about their policy.
Key takeaways
- Extension, FSA and nonprofits offer free or low-cost credit help.
- A class can prepare the financial statements lenders request.
- Counselors advise, they do not approve loans.
- Check your credit reports for errors before you apply.
- Avoid services that charge big upfront fees.
Sources and official links
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Money & Grants Editorial Team. Educational only, not tax, legal or financial advice. See our editorial policy.