berggrenfarms - 1/16/2019 17:56

No, I went through FSA for my operating loan as a beginning farmer, talked to the bank and could most likely have gotten approved, but he said its a no brainer to use the FSA.

Theres quite a few hoops to jump through, and sometime while youre filling out paperwork youll wonder if its all worth it. They will put a lien on ALL your assets, except your vehicle etc. 

Don't need permission to write checks, but you do have to call them to order money and they will usually ask what youre doing with it, then its transferred to your account. 

The problem I have right now is they will make you cosign on all checks you receive, and with the Gov shutdown Ive been sitting on some checks and haven't been able to order money so Ive been living on a shoestring. Going in tomorrow and having them signed and putting them in the bank and only paying the important stuff until this shutdown is over. 

I will agree that the FSA officer you get will make it a breeze or make you want to pull your hair out, my first one wasn't bad but he was a trainee so everything had to be double checked over. Now I have the lady "in charge" and shes been great.