Making a living from farming or fishing on the Vineyard can prove difficult, especially when money is scarce. But at a meeting on the Island last Friday representatives from the U.S. Farm Service Agency painted a bright picture for Island farmers and fishermen who need a little help to get by.

The agency, part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides loan programs, commodity programs, conservation programs and disaster relief. The loans are available for new and old projects and can cover everything from tractor repairs to startup costs for an offshore blue mussel farm.

“The USDA has been a major factor on the Vineyard, and FSA brings their program to benefit to farmers and beginner farmers,” said Richard Burke, state director of the agency. “It’s refreshing to come out to the Island and meet folks from different towns. There’s a genuine interest and that’s reflected in the full house here.”

Mr. Burke said his agency gave out $22.6 million in loans last year to 146 Massachusetts farmers for both agriculture and aquaculture. Loans are given out in two categories: Ownership (including purchasing, new construction and management) and operating expenses (such as seed, machinery, equipment, upwellers and real estate repair). Both programs allow for a maximum of $300,000 in borrowing, with up to 40 years of financing for the ownership program and seven years for the operating program.

“This is a program to help family farmers obtain financing when other means are not available,” farm loan manager Dawn Wilhelmsen said. “The goal of the farm loan program is to help people establish farms or continue with farming until traditional credit is available.”

A large group of Menemsha fishermen including mussel farmers Tim Baldwin and Alec Gale attended the meeting to request information on funding availability for a mussel farm. Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Gale were recently granted five acres of north shore water to begin a commercial project with 10 lines at $10,000 apiece.

Ms. Wilhelmsen said the agency’s loan program is a perfect fit for Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Gale’s mussel farm. In order for farmers and fishermen to be eligible for a loan, they must have one year of experience.

Monetary relief for crops destroyed by natural disasters was also discussed. Among other things, farmers can receive reimbursement for uninsured crops ruined by natural disaster events.

Later in the day, mussel farmers met with the Army Corps of Engineers to review the permitting process for leasing ocean acreage for deep water lines.

For more information on any of the programs, visit fsa.usda.gov.