A new tractor. A few freezers. Specialty processing equipment. For many North Country farms, strategic purchases make a big difference in their immediate goals and their long-term viability. But capital to invest in those purchases is often hard to come by.
That’s why ANCA partnered with Foodshed Capital in 2022 to establish the SOIL Loan Fund — a unique regional program that provides flexible, zero-interest loans to food businesses that have difficulty accessing capital through conventional loan programs. Since the Fund’s launch, many loan applicants have requested support for buying specialty equipment that would increase efficiency, productivity and profitability for their farms and businesses.
At Tucker’s Black Angus Ranch in Brushton, N.Y., an $8,000 SOIL Loan allowed Justin and Kelli Tucker (pictured with their children) to purchase three retail freezers and market more of their high-quality meats to the local community. The veteran-owned family farm produces Black Angus beef as well as pork, chicken and goat meat, while prioritizing sustainable farming practices and animal welfare.
The new freezers have provided Justin and Kelli more display space, in their own storefront and at a local grocery store, to better serve customers
seeking locally produced meat from ethically raised livestock. Justin said, “This has given us the ability to reach new customers that otherwise might not be able to travel to our ranch.”
At Tangleroot Farm in Essex, N.Y., a $10,000 SOIL Loan allowed Adam Reed to purchase a tractor that will help his team grow more food more efficiently. Established by Adam in 2013, the certified organic farm produces a variety of vegetables using sustainable farming practices. ANCA’s support will help Tangleroot carry on its legacy of land stewardship, regenerative farming, and providing fresh, nutritious food for community members through low-cost CSA shares and other purchasing options.
“So why a tractor now? Stuff is heavy and there is a lot to move on a veggie farm — sandbags and tarps, fertilizers and compost. These can all be palletized and moved with fewer back aches and less time. As labor has become a) more expensive, and b) harder to find, a tractor began to seem like a better and better option. We can now maintain the farm roads efficiently, mow our open spaces quickly, harvest winter squash into 1000-pound totes instead of 50-pound boxes, and that grapple on the front has a date with my ten acres of honeysuckle infested woods.”
~ Adam Reed, in an email update to Tangleroot Farm customers