Specialized Financing for Animal Agriculture
Don't get stuck in the mud with conventional loan options. Customize credit for your beef, swine, poultry, or dairy operation with Farm Credit Illinois.
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New Facility Construction
Finance the build of new livestock barns, dairy parlors, feed storage, and more.
- Terms available from 5-20 years
- Payment schedules and collateral customized to fit your operation
- Flexible collateral and amortization options
- Choose monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to meet cash flow needs
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Operation Improvement Loans
Expand your herd, upgrade fencing & equipment, and enhance existing structures.
- Tailor loans to the useful life of the item being financed
- Up to four years for breeding livestock, seven years for new machinery, and 10 years for building and farm improvements
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Cattle and Feed Inventory
Operating lines of credit customized to fit the way you produce and market your livestock.
- Borrow and repay funds as often as you like for up to three years
- Pair your revolving line of credit with a Farm Cash Management®
account to get paid interest when you have cash on hand
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Real EstateFinance the purchase of new pasture ground or refinance a current mortgage or land contract.
- Typically amortize for 20 years, but can customize terms to fit your operation's needs
- No balloon payments, so you won’t be forced to renew or refinance at a later date
- No pre-payment penalty, so you can pay ahead or pay off your loan any time
Farm Credit Illinois is an FSA preferred lender. This close working relationship means FCI staff can recommend a guaranteed loan program that may work for you, plus you get faster decisions on loan applications.
Frequently Asked Questions:-
What types of livestock operations can FCI finance?
- Beef: Backgrounding, cow-calf, and commercial feedlot operations
- Swine: Commercial sow, farrowing, and finishing hog operations
- Poultry: Commercial chicken, turkey, and egg facilities
- Dairy: Commercial dairies
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Am I eligible for a loan with Farm Credit Illinois?
Farm Credit Illinois is a proud member of the Farm Credit System. We serve farmers, producers, agribusinesses, and rural residents in the southern 60 counties of Illinois. To be eligible for a loan through Farm Credit Illinois, you must live in or have a farming operation within our territory and produce farm income or intend to produce farm income.
If your primary operation is outside of our territory, we recommend reaching out to your local office or visiting farmcredit.com to locate the Farm Credit System Association that serves your operation’s geographic area.
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What information do I need to get started?
Before starting your application for a loan, we recommend having the following information ready:
- annual income (including farm and non-farm income)
- amount you want to borrow
- how you plan to use loan funds
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What types of interest rate products does FCI offer?
Interest rate options will be dependent upon the financing requested. Options may include:
- Fixed Rate: a fully fixed interest rate for the life of the loan; this provides maximum rate stability.
- Adjustable Rate: a fixed interest for a period less than the loan term; this provides the added flexibility to take advantage of changing market conditions.
- Variable Rate: available where interest rates may change monthly based on the cost of short-term money, commonly associated with Operating Lines of Credit. Historically, variable rates provide the most interest savings over the life of the loan.
- Multi-Rate: allows you to place part of your loan on a longer-term fixed or adjustable rate and part on a shorter-term adjustable or variable rate; this provides maximum interest rate protection.
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Are there lender fees?
Fees can greatly impact how much you pay for a loan. FCI agricultural loan borrowers* are not charged:
- Origination fees – we do the processing and underwriting, so let us pay for it
- Traditional loan appraisals – our in-house appraisal team delivers complimentary services
- UCC filings – we cover the cost of submitting UCC financing statements with the state
By waiving these fees, cooperative member-borrowers save up to 1.5% of the loan amount. Plus, there’s no penalty if you decide to pay off early.
*does not apply to leases or AgDirect equipment or Rural 1st country life loans
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Does FCI offer cash patronage?Yes. Patronage is another way FCI delivers cooperative value to members and the marketplace, while remaining committed to providing low upfront interest rate pricing, a strong capital position for the future, and initiatives supporting members and their local communities. Learn more here.
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What payment options are available?Term loan payments can be tailored to meet your livestock operation's needs and cash flow; choose from monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments.
