Washington, DC, December 2, 2025 – The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) applauds the recent introduction of the Fair Credit for Farmers Act (S.3126/H.R. 6169) in the Senate by Senator Peter Welch [VT] and in the House by Representative Alma Adams [NC-12]. The bill strengthens the borrowing rights of farmers and ranchers by improving access and accountability for loan services offered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Commercial loans are inaccessible for many American farmers, particularly beginning farmers and family-scale farmers from underserved communities. For these farmers, the Farm Service Agency is the only option for securing the loans needed to run their businesses. When a producer needs to plant crops, invest in sustainable practices, purchase livestock, or replace old machinery, they often turn to FSA loans to fund these necessary inputs and securely navigate marketplace disruptions. However, many of these farmers face unnecessary difficulties in accessing FSA loans, and FSA has also been previously criticized for burdensome stipulations and discriminatory practices.
With farmers holding more debt than ever before — nearly $6 billion — there is an acute need for strong borrower protections and oversight of lending terms that help independent farmers to thrive financially. The Fair Credit for Farmers Act reinforces our government’s commitment to independent producers by enacting improvements such as payment deferral, waived guaranteed loan fees for historically underserved borrowers, debt refinancing options, and limiting loan over-collateralization that puts farmers’ homes and assets at risk. It also corrects the imbalance of power in the appeals process by putting the burden of proof on FSA, rather than farmers, who won’t be required to file needless multiple appeals.
Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin, NFFC Co-President, Executive Director of the Kentucky Black Farmers Alliance, and small-scale farmer says: “Small-scale, beginning or young farmers and farmers of color must have access to credit on fair and reasonable terms without fear of losing our homes and other collateral. Fair credit access would enable more farmers to sustain and grow our operations, support our families and feed our communities, helping us to thrive economically and remain resilient.”
We additionally commend Senators Kirsten Gillibrand [NY] and John Fetterman [PA] and Representative Jennifer McClellan [VA-4] for cosponsoring the Fair Credit for Farmers Act. This bill presents an important opportunity for Congress to support farmers and strengthen rural communities for the 2026 growing season and beyond. Improving the loan services offered by the FSA creates the conditions for the long-term economic stability that rural America so desperately needs. Read the full bill text of the Fair Credit for Farmers Act here.