Farm Lending Canada says a new investment from Farm Credit Canada will help expand access to financing for farmers across the country, particularly those navigating farm transitions and succession planning.
The investment, announced June 3, is part of FCC’s commitment to deploy $2 billion by 2030 to support innovation in Canada’s agriculture and food sectors. FCC said the funding will help scale new solutions and address challenges facing farm operators, including ownership transitions and succession.
“We are proud to receive this strategic investment from FCC at a time when Canadian farmers need our help more than ever,” said Robb Nelson, chief executive officer of Farm Lending Canada. “The changing global landscape has put a great deal of stress on the men and women who put food on our tables. We are here for them now and will continue to be a source of capital for them into the future. With this capital, we will now be able to expand our existing loan portfolio and increase our ability to help Canadian farmers.”
Founded in 2019, Farm Lending Canada provides financing to farming operations in nine provinces, serving producers who may not have access to traditional lending options. The company said it has helped more than 100 farming families since its inception, with an average loan size exceeding $2 million.
The company works with borrowers to strengthen their financial position and transition them back to conventional financing. It said the FCC investment will help address increasing demand for alternative financing that supports farm stability, transition and succession.
“Our strong Canadian agriculture sector depends on farmers having reliable access to capital to support growth, manage transition and navigate change,” said Adam Smalley, managing director of FCC Capital. “Partnerships like this help more producers get access to the capital they need to transition their operations, and reflect the importance of working together to support the people building the agriculture and food sector.”
Farm Lending Canada said the investment builds on its existing strategic partnerships and strengthens its ability to support the agricultural sector. The company is also seeking to raise an additional $200 million in capital over the next 18 months to further expand financing options for Canadian farmers.
Farm Credit Canada is the country’s largest lender dedicated to agriculture and food, providing financing, management software, industry knowledge and other services to producers and agri-food businesses across Canada.
