Ryan Rolwing greatly appreciates the support he has received from Farm Credit Southeast Missouri’s AgSunrise program for young and beginning farmers. 

Ryan began farming in 2012, right after he graduated from college. 

In the beginning… 
As a young college graduate interested in agriculture, it was almost too good to be true. Ryan received a call from a cousin looking to retire from farming and offering Ryan a couple hundred acres of land to cultivate. 

Over the next seven years, Ryan gradually acquired more land, allowing him to grow his farm business. In 2021, Ryan’s farm spanned 1,700 acres where he grows corn, soybeans and wheat, in rotation.

Challenges facing beginning farmers 
Getting started in agriculture can be very challenging: finding and purchasing land, building and maintaining a farm business, learning the ins and outs of agricultural production, and the list goes on. That’s where Farm Credit Southeast Missouri’s AgSunrise program for young and beginning farmers comes in. And for Ryan, it has been a lifesaver.  

“A big part of my success thus far has been due to the AgSunrise program with Farm Credit,” he said. “I started with the Farm Credit AgSunrise program as a beginning farmer and it’s been one of the best financial decisions I’ve ever made.”

The costs associated with jumpstarting his farm business posed what could have been a great barrier for Ryan, had it not been for the AgSunrise program. 

“Seed, fertilizer, chemicals and, of course, equipment costs can be a big burden on a younger, beginning farmer. All those are big expenses, and Farm Credit’s AgSunrise program makes that a little less stressful,” Ryan said. “Their lower interest rates and longer-loan terms can really lessen the financial burden on a young and beginning farmer trying to establish a solid base in farming. It’s allowed me to save and invest money in building my operation more efficiently.” 

Farm Credit, a trusted partner
Learning how to borrow money and build a relationship with a lender is another potential barrier to entry for a young or beginning farmer. However, for Ryan, working with Farm Credit has been an experience filled with ease and support. 

“Farm Credit makes borrowing money just as easy as I could ever imagine it being,” he said. “Every time you walk in the front door of the office, you’re greeted as family. They’re just so easy to work with.” 

Above all else, Ryan has appreciated the care the Farm Credit staff show towards his success in agriculture. “I know for a fact that my success and bottom line is just as important to them as it is to myself,” he said.