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Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is adding $500 million to its ongoing commitment to a loan program aimed at helping young farmers become established in the industry.

Launched in March 2012, FCC鈥檚 commitment to the Young Farmer Loan has grown to $2 billion over four years, with almost 6,000 loans worth more than $1.3 billion approved, as of Dec. 31, 2015.

鈥淔CC is proud to support the next generation of farmers through every stage of their career,鈥� FCC President and CEO Michael Hoffort said. 鈥淧roducts like the Young Farmer Loan can make a real difference for producers looking to enter the industry or grow their business.鈥�

The Young Farmer Loan provides qualified producers, under age 40, with loans of up to $500,000 to purchase or improve farmland and buildings. The loan includes variable lending rates at prime plus 0.5 per cent, a special fixed rate if producers choose that avenue of repayment and no loan processing fees.

Shawn Paget, owner of Riverview Farm Corporation, used a Young Farmer Loan three years ago to acquire more land for his Hartland, New Brunswick-area potato farm.

鈥淔CC鈥檚 Young Farmer Loan was exactly what we needed to expand our operations in order to grow a wider variety of cash crops, such as soybeans, corn and cereals,鈥� Paget said. 鈥淎ccess to flexible financing is very important when you are starting out or trying to become more established in the industry. It鈥檚 more than a loan 鈥� it鈥檚 an investment in the future of farming.鈥�

Enabling young producers to borrow with no fees at affordable interest rates helps them develop a solid credit history and build their business.

鈥淭he long-term success of Canadian agriculture relies heavily on our ability to attract and retain young, innovative people to the business of agriculture,鈥� said Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 鈥淏y helping the next generation become established in this vital industry, FCC is fulfilling an important part of its mandate and a key commitment of this government.鈥�

To find out more about the demographic impact of young farmers on Canadian agriculture, read the latest Ag Economist blog post at www.fcc.ca/AgEconomist.

The Young Farmer Loan enhances FCC鈥檚 suite of existing products and services that support young producers, such as the FCC Transition Loan, FCC Ag Knowledge Exchange events, FCC Publications, FCC on Campus, and FCC Management Software for both accounting and field management.

In 2014-15, FCC approved more than $2.4 billion in financing to farmers under age 40, representing more than one-quarter of the $8.6 billion in disbursements last year to help customers expand or start their operations.

For more information on the FCC Young Farmer Loan, visit www.fcc.ca/youngfarmerloan or producers can call the local FCC office at 1-800-387-3232.

FCC is Canada鈥檚 leading agriculture lender, with a healthy loan portfolio of more than $28 billion. Our employees are dedicated to the future of Canadian agriculture and its role in feeding an ever-growing world. We provide flexible, competitively priced financing, management software, information and knowledge specifically designed for the agriculture and agri-food industry. Our profits are reinvested back into agriculture and the communities where our customers and employees live and work. Visit fcc.ca or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and on Twitter @FCCagriculture.