Milk and Maple Eligible for Low Interest Farm Storage Facility Loans

Milk, maple sap and maple syrup are eligible for Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

FSFLs provide low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling trucks.

The low-interest funds can be used for:

• Bulk tanks for milk or maple sap

• Plate coolers, compressor, washing equipment and hot water tanks

• Milk house structure

• Structure for storing maple sap or syrup

• Bottler or filling systems for maple syrup, excluding containers

• Equipment to improve, maintain, or monitor the quality of stored FSFL commodities.

• Electrical equipment, such as pumps, lighting, motors, and wiring, integral to the proper operation of the storage and handling equipment, excluding installing electric service to the electrical meter.

FSFLs are not available for the actual processing of a commodity into a finished product. Additionally, purchased commodities are not eligible for FSFLs.

The following storage and handling equipment is ineligible for FSFLs:

• Boiling equipment

• Feed handling and processing equipment

• Production and feed facilities

• Structures of a temporary nature not having a useful life of the term of the loan

• Maple sap tubing and pumping systems.

• Milking equipment

Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement and loans between $50,000 and $100,000 may require additional security. Loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security. Producers do not need to be denied by a commercial lender to be eligible. The loan must be approved by the FSA County Committee before any site preparation and/or construction can be started.

In addition to milk, maple sap & syrup, other eligible commodities include: grain crops, malted small grains, hay and forages, fruits, nuts and vegetables, butter, cheese, yogurt, meat, poultry, eggs, honey, hops, floriculture, renewable biomass crops and some aquaculture.

To learn more about the FSA Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport. Producers in Franklin County are encouraged to contact the Franklin County FSA office at 151 Finney Boulevard in Malone or calling 518-483-2850, option 2 for more information. Clinton & Essex County farmers can contact the Clinton-Essex FSA office by calling 518-561-4616, option 2 or visiting the office at 6064 Route 22, Plattsburgh.