Lending data
Who actually lends to farms and agricultural businesses in California?
128 SBA 7(a) loans went to farms and agricultural businesses in California recently, at a median of $150,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
128 SBA 7(a) loans went to farms and agricultural businesses in California in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $150,000 over 10 years. The most active lender was Wells Fargo Bank, with 16 loans.
What lending to farms and agricultural businesses in California actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Agriculture and farming, California | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 128 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $50,000 - $500,000 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.75% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 25.0% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 6.0% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to farms and agricultural businesses in California. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 16 | $15,000 | 94% | 13.50% |
| Columbia Bank | 13 | $50,000 | 8% | 12.50% |
| Newtek Bank | 11 | $200,000 | 18% | 11.00% |
| Banner Bank | 8 | $375,000 | 25% | 9.75% |
| Bank of America | 7 | $250,000 | 0% | 11.00% |
| U.S. Bank | 7 | $49,000 | 29% | 9.99% |
| Lendistry SBLC, LLC | 6 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.38% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 6 | $150,000 | 0% | 10.25% |
| California FarmLink | 5 | $165,000 | 60% | 7.00% |
| Northeast Bank | 4 | $59,350 | 0% | 10.75% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loan sizes are typical. The median of $150,000 is within a few percent of the $150,000 national median across all 7(a) borrowers, so nothing about this market is unusual on size.
- This is a hard market for new businesses. Only 25% of these loans went to startups, against 34% nationally. If you are pre-revenue, work from the startup table below rather than the main list.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 31% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Rates run higher here. The median initial rate of 10.75% is 0.50 points above the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 25.0% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 15 | $15,000 | 94% | 13.50% |
| California FarmLink | 3 | $165,000 | 60% | 7.00% |
| U.S. Bank | 2 | $49,000 | 29% | 9.99% |
| Banner Bank | 2 | $375,000 | 25% | 9.75% |
| Newtek Bank | 2 | $200,000 | 18% | 11.00% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in California: retail, restaurants and hotels, professional services, construction, personal services, healthcare
- Agriculture in comparable states: Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Washington, Michigan, Ohio