Minnesota State Wire

Brad Finstad, Representative of Minnesota, announced a new bipartisan bill aimed at eliminating the three-year loan wait for beginning farmers and providing better access to financial tools. The statement was made on X.

"Currently, USDA requires beginning farmers to wait 3 years to access a farm ownership loan," said Bradley Howard Finstad, U.S. Representative of Minnesota's 1st Congressional District (R). "I introduced the bipartisan Next Generation Farmer Act with Rep. Josh Riley to cut this red tape & expand access to the financial tools new farmers & their operations need to succeed."

The Next Generation Farmer Act is drawing attention to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan requirements for beginning farmers. Lawmakers and farm groups argue that current standards are too strict for new entrants and are calling for legislative changes to improve access to land and credit. According to Successful Farming, the Act seeks to reduce barriers and expand eligibility to help young and first-time farmers start operations and sustain rural communities.

According to the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, there are about 1 million beginning farmers in the United States, yet only 28% have successfully accessed USDA loan programs. This underscores persistent challenges in connecting new producers with federal credit.

A 2024 Farm Credit Administration report indicates that beginning farmers face an average farm ownership loan wait of 48 days with a 61% approval rate, while established farmers experience an average wait of 33 days with an 81% approval rate. This reveals significant barriers for new applicants.

According to Ballotpedia, Finstad is a Republican U.S. Representative from Minnesota’s 1st District. He serves on the House Agriculture Committee and focuses on expanding rural development and access to farm credit for new producers.