by: Chris Zoller, Extension Educator, ANR, Tuscarawas County
The State Treasurer of Ohio is now accepting applications for the Ohio Agricultural Linked Deposit Program. The program provides operating loans up to $150,000 at an interest rate up to three percent. The program helps farmers and agribusinesses with upfront operating costs for feed, seed, fertilizer, fuel, and other expenses by providing interest rate reductions on new or existing loans at eligible financial institutions.
Requirements
Loan application requirements for farms and agribusinesses are simple and include the following:
- MUST be organized for profit;
- MUST have headquarters and 51% of operations maintained in Ohio;
- MUST use the loan exclusively for agricultural purposes; and
- MUST agree to comply with all program and financial institution regulations
How the Program Works
Farmers and agribusinesses contact a participating lender who will submit the application. Once submitted, the Treasurer’s office begins the review process. If all eligibility requirements are met, the application is approved. Upon request from the financial institution, the Treasurer’s office will make a deposit or purchase an investment at a negotiated, below-market rate. The participating financial institution offsets the borrower’s interest rate by the same negotiated rate.
Participating Financial Institutions
The Treasurer’s office works closely with several financial institutions across Ohio to provide the Ag Link Deposit Program. To view a list of participating institutions, please click here: https://tos.ohio.gov/financial-institutions-and-investors/
Additional information about the Ag Link Deposit Program is available here: https://tos.ohio.gov/ag-link/.