Operating Line of Credit Loans

Overview

Agriculture Operating Line of Credit

Long-Term Ag and Value-Added

Daily Rates

Frequently Asked Questions

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Eligible Uses for Agricultural Operating Loans

The Ag Invest Agriculture Operating Line of Credit Loan program makes loans more affordable for farmers and agricultural professionals. Agricultural operating loans can cover annual farm operating and start-up costs, including seed, fertilizer, plants, payroll, transportation, transition expenses, milling and processing, crop insurance, and other qualified agricultural expenses.

After a participating lender approves your line of credit, the Treasurer’s office works with the lender to reduce the interest rate, thereby lowering the overall cost to enhance/expand your farm operation or value-added businesses.

Eligible Items

• Seed, feed, and fertilizer
• Plants
• Salaries
• Transportation
• Milling
• Processing
• Transitioning
• Land acquisition up to $600,000
• Cash rent
• Crop insurance
• Purchase of livestock/breeding stock
• Production-related energy and labor expenses
• Veterinarian costs
• New or used farm equipment
• Construction
• Irrigation, soil, and water conservation
• Others expenses

Amounts and Terms

• The Financial Institution may request a deposit of up to $600,000 per borrower for either a 1-year or 2-year term. A borrower is allowed only one operating line of credit at any given time.
• The below-market interest rate is fixed for 1 or 2 years.

Interest Rates

Interest rates are quoted in the Access to Capital and Invest in Illinois Daily Rates sections of our website. They are updated on the first day of every month, or you may call the Treasurer’s Office at 217-558-6217 for updated rates. The listed rates are posted to give potential borrowers an indication of current rate figures. The final deposit rate will be confirmed on the business day before the loan is issued. Effective January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026, lenders may charge up to 2.75 percentage points above the Treasurer’s deposit rate.

Program Eligibility

• A participating Illinois financial institution must approve each borrower’s application.
• The borrower’s property must be located entirely in Illinois.

Documents for Lending Institutions

If you represent a lending institution, please review the documents below:

Documents may take longer to upload; please give some extra time for them to appear. 

Please visit our website to obtain the most current version of the required Treasurer’s Office program documents.

Step 1: If you need to request funds for multiple borrowers, please submit a single application for the total deposit amount.

• 1-Year Agriculture Operating Line of Credit Lender Application 

• 2-Year Agriculture Operating Line of Credit Lender Application 

Step 2

• 1-Year Attachment 1A

• 2-Year Attachment 1A

Step 3

• Agriculture Operating Line of Credit Acknowledgment Form

Program History

The Treasurer’s Ag Invest loan program is the nation’s most expansive agriculture deposit program. Since 1983, Ag Invest has loaned more than $6 billion in operating and long-term loans.

In addition to the Operating Line of Credit Loan Program, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office began the Long-Term Loan Program in 2000. Agricultural professionals across the state have used our below-market rates to help grow their farm operations.

In 2012, the Treasurer’s Office introduced a fast-track version of the Ag Invest program, which helps eligible financial institutions serve their Ag Invest clients more effectively by shortening the approval process from 10 business days to 24 to 48 hours.