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Program helps small agriculture producers apply for loans

February 20, 2008 - 4:07PM

My co-worker Vidal H. Saenz lives in McAllen and helps operate a small family ranch.

He knows first-hand the kinds of challenges, and sometimes grief, associated with running a cattle operation.

Through his job as an agent for the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University, he has been able to help farmers and ranchers stay in business through tough times.

Vidal provides financial planning and management for agricultural producers throughout the Valley and helps them seek financial assistance for their operations through USDA’s Farm Service Agency and other commercial lending institutions.

He also helps youth apply for loans to launch small income-generating projects.

In 2006, Vidal helped package $6.5 million in loan requests from 47 farm families and 10 young entrepenuers.

The Small Farm Outreach Training and Technical Assistance Program is made possible through a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University and the USDA Farm Service Agency.

The outreach program was created to help farmers and ranchers take full advantage of Farm Service Agency loan programs for which they are eligible.

Vidal provides technical assistance filling out direct and guaranteed loan requests from the Farm Service Agency. There is no cost to eligible farmers and ranchers.

The primary goal of the small farm outreach program is to help ag producers gain the managerial and marketing skills they need to operate their farms with business-like efficiency.

“Ag producers have undoubtedly faced the stressful challenges of low yields, cash flow problems, marketing and other farm management issues,” said Vidal, a native of San Isidro who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M-Kingsville.

“The Small Farm Outreach staff works closely with all governmental agricultural agencies and Extension specialists at Texas’ land-grant institutions to bring producers the knowledge and skills they need to keep their farms profitable.”

FSA loan programs include Direct Farm Ownership Loans, Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loans, Direct Operating Loans, Guaranteed Operating Loans and Youth Loans.

For more information on the small farm outreach program, please contact Vidal at (956) 383-1026 at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service office, 410 N. 13th Ave. in Edinburg.

Source:http://www.themonitor.com/opinion/program_9224___article.html/helps_small.html