For Commercial Lenders
Enhancing Finance Opportunities for Farm and Rural-Based Industry Businesses
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MARBIDCO works closely with commercial lenders, cooperative extension agents, local economic development officers, and other rural business service providers to make financial and business planning services available to those that need them.
- MARBIDCO offers below-market-rate “gap” financing to help reduce borrower costs and improve the underwriting debt service coverage ratio.
- MARBIDCO will also take the junior collateral lien position, behind the commercial lender.
- MARBIDCO’s goal is to “graduate” its borrowers to conventional commercial financing over a period of several years.
Download MARBIDCO’s Loan Officer Guidance Sheet 
MARBIDCO can help you to get the “tight deals” done
About MARBIDCO
We work with commercial lenders, such as Farm Credit Associations and banks, and public institutions, such as the USDA Rural Development and Farm Service Agency (FSA), to help farmers and resource-based businesses to leverage financing opportunities.
Our most popular program, the Maryland Resource-Based Industry Financing Fund (“MRBIFF"), provides low-cost loans to applicants, working in partnership with commercial banks and Farm Credit lenders. Through the MRBIFF program, MARBIDCO has been able to help agricultural enterprises to diversify or expand their operations, and help many young and beginning farmer buy their first farms.
Commercial Lender Leverage Amounts
In FY 2021, MARBIDCO lent $5.9 million (in conjunction with commercial banks, Farm Credit Associations, and the USDA Farm Service Agency) to 18 Maryland Resource-Based Industry Financing Fund (MRBIFF) borrowers and helped to leverage an additional $15.4 million in commercial lender capital. Overall, MARBIDCO has leveraged $169.6 million since 2007.
Referring Lender Spotlight
Richard H. Van Gelder,
Provident State Bank
Commercial loan officers, cooperative extension agents, local economic development officers, and other rural business service providers are essential partners to MARBIDCO, referring prospective borrowers to us that they feel may benefit from MARBIDCO’s programs.
Richard H. Van Gelder, Vice President with Provident State Bank, has been working for thirty-five years in a variety of financial roles; including stockbroker, commercial lender and as a small business owner. Currently, he is a commercial lender with one of our newest commercial lending partners, Provident State Bank on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Mr. Van Gelder first became aware of MARBIDCO’s programs several years ago while working with a family seeking to diversify their traditional farming business into a grape-growing and wine-making operation. In these types of projects, he noted that MARBIDCO’s programs allow access to lower cost capital, offer tremendous staff support, and outstanding terms and conditions for both the borrower(s) and lender.
“The capital resources offered by MARBIDCO extend beyond what traditional capital markets are able to offer a customer based on today’s regulatory underwriting constraints. My personal experience is that MARBIDCO is the most user-friendly credit resource available in today’s market, from both the lender and customer perspective. That fact, coupled with tremendous staff responsiveness and support, would draw me to MARBIDCO whenever a potential agricultural credit scenario was present.” – Richard H. Van Gelder, Vice President, Provident State Bank
Working with MARBIDCO
MARBIDCO’s loan programs typically require some form of public or commercial lender participation. Please explore our various programs and contact us to find out how we can help assist in financing potential agricultural and rural-based industry business ventures.
Email: info@marbidco.org
Phone: (410) 267-6807
Rural Business Loan Programs
These rural business loan programs nelow offer a Home Town Hero interest rate reduction for those who have served or currently serve in the United States Military. For more information, click here.
Maryland Resource-Based Industry Financing Fund (MRBIFF): Low-interest loans to Ag/RBI-industry enterprises for the purchase of land and capital equipment for production and processing activities (including building construction). Maximum loan amount is $300,000 for acquisition of equipment and fixed assets, $600,000 for real estate purchases and $900,000 for large-scale food/fiber processing projects. Learn more
Maryland Vineyard/Hopyard/Orchard Planting Loan Fund: A major aim of the Maryland Vineyard/Hopyard/Orchard Planting Loan Fund is in increase the acerage of viable commercial vineyards, orchards, and hopyards in Maryland. Maximum loan amount is $100,000 and an interest-only option is available for a period of two to three years. The purchase of tractors, pick-up trucks, and wine- or beer-making equipment are not eligible for financing under this particular program. Learn more
Agri-Business Equipment and Working Capital Loan Fund: Moderate cost loans to Ag/RBI-industry firms and producers for working capital equipment purchases, typically working in conjuction with another public sector lender. The program is designed to help rural businesses innovate, diversify and exploit emerging opporunities in response to the pandemic. Maximum loan amount is $100,000. Learn more
Forestry Equipment and Working Capital Loan Fund: Loans for Maryland forest product businesses with respect to working capital and equipment purchases. Maximum loan amount is $150,000. Learn more
Specialty Loan Programs
Maryland Shellfish Aquaculture Financing Fund: To help watermen (and others) transition from wild oyster harvesting to start or expand underwater shellfish farming enterprises using leased growing areas in the Chesapeake or Coastal Bay plans. Loans proceeds may be used to purchase shell, seed, spat, or equipment. Bottom culture and water column (cages or floats) projects are eligible. Learn more
Maryland Remote Setting Shellfish Aquaculture Loan Fund:Financing for commercial watermen who want to start or expand shellfish remote setting (nursery) operations. Learn more
Rural Business Energy Efficiency Improvement Loan Fund : Loans for energy efficiency projects undertaken by food and fiber producers and processors implementing the recommendations of a third-party energy auditor. Learn More
Download MARBIDCO’s Loan Officer Guidance Sheet
