Low Interest Financing for Water Quality Improvement

The AgBMP Loan Program

• Provides low interest financing to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses to encourage agricultural best management practices that prevent or reduce runoff from feedlots, farm fields, and other pollution problems identified by the county in local water plans
• Provides loans for projects that reduce existing water quality problems caused by agricultural activities or failing septic systems
• Helps landowners comply with water-related laws or rules
• Can be used with state and federal cost-share or other sources of funding

Who May Apply for Loans

• Farmers
• Rural Landowners
• Agricultural supply businesses

What are Eligible Activities

• Waste management, including feedlot runoff controls, clean water diversion, manure handling and incorporating equipment, upgrading manure storage, odor control, and dead animal composting facilities.
• Improved manure handling, spreading, and incorporation equipment
• Terraces, waterways, streambank protection, sedimentation basins, wind breaks and other practices that prevent erosion
• Conservation tillage equipment
• Repair of individual sewage treatment systems
• Sealing abandoned wells

Terms of Loans

• Loan amounts are limited to $50,000 to any one individual or project.
• Maximum Loan Length:
  • Animal Waste Facilities - 10 years
  • Equipment - 5 years
  • Septic systems($10,000 limit) - 5 years
  • Well sealing - 10 years
• The interest rate is 3 1/2%
• These loans are meant to encourage water quality protection and may only be used to solve existing water quality problems

For More Information Contact Mark Gamm or Sandy Schaefer .