John Besh Launches Loan Program for Small Farmers

Acclaimed chef and restaurateur John Besh announced a micro loan program aimed at small farmers throughout the greater New Orleans region. The low-interest loans of anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000 are intended to fill the gap of critical expansion, repair and capital projects that cannot (or will not) be financed by traditional banks.

Besh, a successful owner of six restaurants in and around New Orleans (including Besh Steak, La Provence and Domenica), recently provided $20,000 to Progress Dairy Farm. The couple who run the farm make hard-to-find pasteurized (but not homogenized) milk as well as Creole cream cheese; they are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Besh says he will do “as many (loans) as possible” in conjunction with Hope Credit Union for qualifying farmers within 200 miles of New Orleans.