EU: €1 billion to facilitate access to finance to young farmers

In 2017, 27% of the loan applications submitted to banks by EU young farmers were rejected, compared to only 9% for other farms.

Agriculture and rural development Commissioner Phil Hogan said: “Access to finance is crucial and too often an obstacle for young people wanting to join the profession. With 11% of European farmers under the age of 40 years old, supporting young farmers in the sector is a priority for the European Commission and the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy. I am pleased to see this new joint initiative up and running.”

The programme will be managed at Member State level by banks and leasing companies operating across the EU. Participating banks should match the amount committed by the EIB, therefore bringing the total amount to a potential €2 billion, and priority should be given to young farmers.

The programme will address many of the current shortcomings that farmers face with:

• Lower interest rates;
• Longer periods of up to 5 years to start repaying the loan;
• Longer periods to pay back the whole loan (up to 15 years);
• Added flexibility, depending on the conditions, to respond to price volatility in the agricultural sector to ensure that farmers remain able to pay loans back in difficult periods (for instance, through a ‘holiday/grace' period allowing farmers not to pay back for a few months).

Two pilot loans of €275 million are about to be implemented in France through this scheme. These loans are specifically targeted at young farmers and climate change mitigation.