$716.4M paid to Illinois farmers in 2024.

Low-interest 9-month loans using your harvested crop as collateral. Lets you hold grain and sell when prices improve instead of dumping at harvest. Value: Loan rates per bushel (e.g., corn ~$2.20/bu, soybeans ~$6.20/bu). Interest at posted rate. Most underused tool in farming. Apply at your local FSA office.

Annual rental payments for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and planting conservation cover (grass, trees, buffers). 10-15 year contracts. Value: $50–$300+/acre/year depending on soil rental rate in your county. Continuous CRP (buffers, wetlands, pollinator habitat) is always open and doesn't compete in general signup. Apply at your local FSA office.

Disaster protection for crops NOT covered by federal crop insurance — vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, honey, aquaculture, etc. Low cost: $325/crop/county. Value: $325/crop/county fee; covers 50-65% of expected value at catastrophic level. Beginning and limited resource farmers get FEE WAIVERS and higher coverage. Apply at your local FSA office.

A direct payment when the market price drops below the loan rate. You get the difference without actually taking out a loan. Value: Difference between loan rate and posted county price × your eligible bushels. Pays the difference when market prices fall below loan rates. Apply at your local FSA office.

Disaster payments for livestock losses from disease, adverse weather, blizzards, or wildfires. Also covers honeybee colony losses and feed costs. Value: Varies by loss — covers above-normal feed costs, transportation, colony losses. Many livestock producers don't know this exists. Apply at your local FSA office.

Payments to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disaster (ice storms, drought, flood, tornado, etc.). Value: Up to 65% of cost to replant/rehabilitate (higher for beginning/disadvantaged farmers). If you have orchards, vineyards, or nut trees damaged by weather, this covers replanting costs. Apply at your local FSA office.

Cost-share (up to 75%) for emergency repairs to farmland damaged by natural disaster — fencing, debris removal, grading, water supply restoration. Value: Up to 75% of cost to restore farmland (higher for beginning/limited resource). After any natural disaster (flood, tornado, wildfire), check with FSA immediately. Apply at your local FSA office.

Operating loans for farmers who can't get commercial credit. Covers feed, seed, fertilizer, livestock, equipment, and other farm expenses. Value: Up to $400,000. FSA is the lender of last resort. Apply at your local FSA office.

Simplified small loans up to $50K. Streamlined application, less paperwork than regular FSA loans. Great for small and beginning operations. Value: Up to $50,000. The easiest FSA loan to get. Apply at your local FSA office.

Loans to buy farmland, build structures, or make improvements. For farmers who can't get a conventional mortgage on farmland. Value: Up to $600,000 (direct) or $1.825M (guaranteed). If you want to buy your first farm and can't get a traditional mortgage, this is your path. Apply at your local FSA office.

Grants and loans for renewable energy systems (solar, wind) and energy efficiency improvements (grain dryers, irrigation pumps, insulation). Value: Grants up to 50% of project cost (max $1M renewables, $500K efficiency); loan guarantees up to 75% of project cost. Putting solar on your barn? Upgrading to efficient grain drying? REAP may cover up to 50% as a grant for zero-emission renewables. Apply at USDA Rural Development state office or grants.gov.

Grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, herbs, horticulture). Usually through state departments of agriculture. Value: $10,000–$500,000+ (varies by state allocation). These are administered by your state, not federal. Apply at your state department of agriculture (they sub-grant federal funds).

Grants for organizations that train beginning farmers. If you're a beginning farmer, you're the BENEFICIARY — look for funded programs in your state. You don't apply for this grant — organizations do. Apply at Find funded programs at nifa.usda.gov.