Overview
The Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network (DBAN) builds the capacity of farm support organizations across the United States to provide high quality assistance to farmers in financial distress, and connects farmers to those resources.
Through its network, DBAN strives to connect farmers with one-on-one, personalized support and technical assistance to help them:
- Recover financially;
- Achieve stable and healthy financial futures; and
- More easily access beneficial resources, including USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loans and other USDA benefits related to conservation, disaster, crop loss and income loss.
Farmers can connect to DBAN organizations and many resources through the Farm Aid Farmer Resource Network, or by calling the Farm Aid Hotline at 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243). Farm Aid assistance is available to all farmers regardless of scale or production.
If you would like to learn more about assisting other farmers in your area, please access the DBAN training materials below.
Preliminary Farmer Impacts
- DBAN farm support organizations reached over 25,000 farmers with one-on-one support and direct technical assistance in 2025, based on estimated annual service records.
- Also in 2025, we helped over 600 farmers get connected to important resources in their communities through triage and referral support. Over 50% of those farmers reported being financially distressed.
- DBAN has trained over 100 Farmer Supporters, primarily farmers, with basic skills to support other farmers and will be conducting more outreach with farmers in 2026.
Who is involved in DBAN?
DBAN is a collaborative effort organized by Farm Aid, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) and Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG). It is funded by USDA-FSA.
The farm-support organizations participating in DBAN have proven experience in serving agricultural producers and have earned the trust of their farming communities. They provide personalized support, technical assistance, outreach services and connections to valuable resources and referrals.
Our Approach
DBAN offers practical trainings, useful resources and thoughtful network facilitation to help individuals and organizations strengthen their capacity to reach and serve financially distressed farmers. We create a supportive community where direct service providers from across the United States can share what works, learn from one another and find more effective ways to help farmers facing financial distress.
Our training spans a wide range of topics–from financial, technical and interpersonal skills – emphasizing approaches that respect each farmer’s unique situation.
When farmers, ranchers and foresters contact DBAN, we refer them directly to service providers in the Network, as appropriate.
By referring farmers to high quality service providers, DBAN helps financially distressed farmers:
- Get a clear picture of their financial situation and explore their options;
- Connect with helpful services and resources that can improve their financial health and stability; and
- Build stronger and more resilient farming operations for the long term.
As noted in our referral disclaimer, the direct service providers accepting referrals operate independently of DBAN. DBAN does not make any promises about the appropriateness or result of a referral, nor is it responsible for the actions of any direct service providers.
How DBAN Makes a Difference
- We connect farmers facing financial distress with skilled direct service providers who offer tailored, one-on-one support and technical assistance on improving financial stability.
- We help direct service providers develop the knowledge and skills they need to guide farmers through complex financial challenges and support their long-term financial health and stability.
Access Our Materials
DBAN training resources are freely available to support direct service providers working with financially distressed farmers. We encourage farm-support organizations and individuals to share these materials widely throughout their networks.
