Should I "farm?"

I read an article, last week, indicating that the USDA is going to provide “microloans” to help small farmers, “…up to $35,000 are designed to help bolster family-run farms as well as minority growers and military veterans seeking to start a farm who might otherwise have trouble qualifying for small loans from banks or other USDA loan programs.” The article went on to say those interested should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.

I looked up the contact information for my local FSA office and gave them a call. I was dismayed at the information that I received. First off, my button pushing did not direct me to the office I was seeking. I was did not want to apply for the loan, but wanted information about the new program. I got the loan dept., anyway. The nice lady, Betty I think her name was, explained that the other people “on the county side” were out of the office. When the phone rings a couple of times, if no one picks it up, she does.

I explained about the article. She said the first step was for me to register my farm, and stated there were not many goat farms in McMinn County, TN. The undertone made it sound like there were no goat farms in McMinn County, but I don’t know. I know there are people who have farms with goats, but they might not be registered as such. When I said I had about 1.4 acres of land, I could almost hear the corners of her mouth turn upward. The journey of her lips to condescending smirk completed when I said that I had never farmed before. According the Betty, they loans were for people who were farming for at least three years. Further research, linked above, seems to contradict her thinking. I’m guessing the new loan process may have been rolled out without much information leaking down to the local levels, yet, or Betty sees people trying to become farmers as an inconvenience and inadvertently tries to discourage such things. Welcome to the bureaucracy, Mr. Larson.

I hung up the phone without much more information than I had when I started the conversation, except that to apply for any government assistance, I would need to register my small plot of land as an official “farm.” This, however, is in contradiction to what I was told earlier, if I’m just producing milk for my family and plan to sell the excess goats for meat, I don’t need to register as a farm. I do not recall who told me that, but it was another phone call to another agency.

I am very much leaning toward registering my land as a “farm.” My accounting degree kicks in here, knowing there are tax advantagesto having a farm, as well as advantages in loans and that sort. I do not see any disadvantage in registering my land as a farm. I plan to speak with “the county side” to determine what is needed and learn more of the advantages of it. The disadvantage is that my farm my not make a profit and “fail.” I have tried to start other businesses that did not work out, so it is not a new experience. I would write it off and press on… ever onward.