HMI Training Courses are FSA Approved
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has a number of loan programs for farmers and ranchers who need to borrow money to start, expand, sustain or make changes to their businesses. To better qualify for many of the FSA’s loan programs, applicants may need to take training courses, or “borrower training credit”, in order to gain skills necessary for farm/ranch production or financial management.
We’re pleased to offer a number of Holistic Management courses that provide financial and production planning that have been rigorously reviewed and approved by the FSA. These courses include:
- Grazing Planning Interactive Online Course, discounted price of $200
- Financial Planning Interactive Online Course, discounted price of $200
- 1-on-1 Grazing Planning
- 1-on-1 Financial Planning
The Financial Planning and Grazing Planning curriculum in these courses are approved in the following state FSA offices:
| Arizona | California | Colorado |
| Connecticut | Idaho | Illinois |
| Kentucky | Maine | Massachusetts |
| Michigan | Missouri | Montana |
| New Hampshire | New Mexico | New York |
| Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| Texas | Vermont |
If you are an FSA Borrower in a state not listed, please contact [email protected] with your loan officer’s contact information and we will reach out to them to get our course approved in your state. In addition, a number of our Holistic Management® courses have been recognized and approved for the Nebraska Beginning Farmer Tax Credit.
Process for FSA Participants
When you register online for a course through HMI, you MUST notify us that you are taking the course to qualify for borrowing. Just check the box, “Are you taking this course for FSA training?” This alerts HMI staff to work with your instructor to ensure all your documents are in order and evaluated, including the successful completion of quizzes and the FSA evaluation form. We’ll ask you for your loan officer’s information so we can ensure they receive the info they need.
Email [email protected] for your FSA discount code when registering. The discounted price of $200/course applies to the Interactive Online Grazing Planning and Financial Planning courses only.
If you apply for an FSA loan within a year after taking any of the courses above, your training may still qualify. Contact us at [email protected] to provide copies of your completed assignments and your loan officer’s contact information, and we will follow up with FSA on your behalf.
More About FSA Loans
The FSA is a branch of the US Department of Agriculture and they offer a number of different low-interest agricultural loans. You can find out more about the organization, their loans, (including microloans for beginning famers) and state loan officers on their website.
If you would like to apply for a loan with FSA, completing any of the approved courses above may improve your standing with the loan officer and may allow you to waive further requirements before receiving a loan. If you’ve already applied and been told you need “borrower training credit”, all the courses above will qualify in the states mentioned above.
Visit FSA Facts Sheets
For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or complete the form below.
And thank you for empowering farmers and ranchers and cultivating communities!
