This dissertation examines the behavior of banks participating in the Farm Service Agency guaranteed loan program between the fiscal years of 1995 and 2003. Guaranteed loans are originated by banks but backed by the federal government. Borrowers must be creditworthy but unable to receive credit...

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct farm loan program is designed to provide credit to family-sized farms unable to obtain credit from conventional sources at reasonable rates and terms despite having sufficient cash flow to repay and an ability to fully securitize the loan. FSA policy...

Classical and count data regression models are estimated to predict improvement in three key financial indicators—net worth, debt-to-asset ratio and current ratio—as well as the number of loan restructurings and delinquencies. Data consist of Farm Service Agency direct loans originated in...