Key Takeaways
- SBA delivered record capital in 2025, with significant support for agriculture and rural businesses.
- Lending programs supported farmers, food processors, and agribusiness operators nationwide.
- SBA expanded rural outreach in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Deregulatory efforts reduced compliance costs affecting agricultural operations.
- Leadership emphasized agriculture’s role in economic growth and domestic supply chains.
SBA 2025 Annual Report Signals Strong Year for Agriculture and Rural Enterprises
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has published its 2025 Annual Report, outlining record activity in capital delivery, program reform, and rural outreach during the first year of President Donald J. Trump’s second term. Under the leadership of SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, the agency reported expanded support for small businesses across the U.S. economy, including farmers, ranchers, and agriculture-related enterprises.
According to the report, the SBA delivered more than $100 billion in capital through its lending, disaster assistance, and investment programs in fiscal year 2025. Agriculture and food system businesses benefited from this expanded access to capital, particularly through SBA-backed 7(a) and 504 loan programs commonly used for equipment purchases, on-farm infrastructure, and processing facilities.
“After four tough years, 2025 marked Main Street’s comeback because President Trump knows that small business is big business for America,” said Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the SBA.
SBA Capital Programs Support Agricultural Investment
In 2025, the SBA guaranteed approximately 85,000 loans totaling $45 billion through its core loan programs. These tools play a critical role in supporting agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs who often face limited access to traditional financing.
The SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program also reached a record $53 billion in portfolio volume, helping channel long-term investment into sectors such as food processing, agri-logistics, and rural manufacturing tied to agriculture.
The report notes that agriculture and food-related businesses used SBA financing to invest in mechanization, storage, value-added processing, and supply chain resilience, reinforcing domestic food production capacity.
SBA Regulatory and Rural Initiatives Affect Agriculture
Beyond lending, the SBA highlighted regulatory reforms with direct implications for agricultural operations. In coordination with other federal agencies, the SBA supported efforts to reduce regulatory burdens, including changes affecting agricultural transport, fuel use, and compliance costs for rural businesses.
The agency also expanded rural outreach, serving tens of thousands of rural entrepreneurs through SBA resource partners. Partnerships with the U.S. Department of Agriculture focused on improving access to capital, counseling, and contracting opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and rural cooperatives.
SBA Leadership Emphasizes Long-Term Role of Agriculture
Loeffler emphasized that agriculture remains central to economic stability and domestic production.
“By prioritizing capital access, deregulation, and Made in the USA, we helped generate record confidence and investment among job creators,” she said, pointing to agriculture as a sector positioned for continued growth.
The SBA stated that in 2026 it will continue focusing on rural development, supply chain resilience, and agricultural entrepreneurship as part of its broader small business strategy.
Read the entire report here.
