Francisco Farías has spent years building Farias Farm in Skagit County, drawing on the agricultural skills he learned working with his family in Mexico. A short-term arrangement for farmland limited his ability to grow. Everything changed when the landowners offered him the first chance to buy the property he was using. He had three months to secure financing, or the land would be put up for sale.
Francisco had the experience and an active farm, but he did not have the savings or credit history needed for a traditional loan. With support from partners in the agricultural ecosystem, he was able to set up a lease‑to‑own agreement that gave him a path toward ownership. Still, he needed immediate capital to cover transaction costs, insurance, and several months of lease payments upfront.
Today, Francisco is preparing to make his final loan payment and has successfully established credit. With more stability, he is shifting from short-term survival to long-term planning. He is investing in higher-value crops like blueberries and building new infrastructure, including a roadside farm stand, a washing and packing station, and plans for a commercial kitchen to create value-added products.
“We just needed that little push, and we received it at the right moment,” Francisco says.
His story shows how CIE support and timely, flexible capital can turn a fragile opportunity into a foundation for long-term growth.
