JOHN DAY – The Farm Service Agency is offering help for producers who want to build or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan program aims to insure that producers have adequate capacity to store their harvest before it goes to market, part of the effort to keep farmers financially solvent.

The program offers low-interest financing up to $500,000 to build or upgrade facilities. Participants must provide a down payment of 15 percent, with the loan covering 85 percent of the net cost of the project.

Loan terms are for seven, 10 or 12 years, depending on the amount of the loan.

The program is open to producers of commodities including hay, renewable biomass, fruits and vegetables and corn, wheat, sorghum and other crops harvested as whole grain.

For more information, visit the FSA office in John Day at 721 S. Canyon Blvd., or online.