Month: May 2019

Using livestock lending to improve the genetics of your animals

30th May 2019 / / Comments Off on Using livestock lending to improve the genetics of your animals

Whether you’re a beef or dairy farmer, improving the genetics of your herd has countless benefits to both your animals’ welfare and your profit.

If you’re considering increasing the size of your herd, choosing animals with superior genetics will increase the profitability of your investment.

Here are just a few of the key benefits of investing in livestock with superior genetics.

Improve animal welfare– Genetically superior animals should be healthy and resilient, giving them a better quality of life and making them a more ethical investment. 

Resist diseases– Disease in livestock has a devastating financial impact on farmers. Livestock with superior genetics are better at fighting disease, making them a more reliable investment.

Reproduction rates – Genetically superior livestock are a cost-effective investment as they are bred to have better fertility and survival rates.

Increased production– Farmers are always looking for ways to improve the efficiency and production rate of their livestock to elevate profits. Livestock can be bred with genetics that relate to traits like better marbling of meat, fat depth or muscle score to improve the value and appeal of the product.

Climate-friendly– Improve your farm’s social responsibility by factoring into your buying decision the impact that your livestock has on the environment. Livestock bred with a higher feed conversion efficiency emit less methane into the environment.

Feed efficiency– As well as being more environmentally friendly, livestock with a high NFE (net feed efficiency) rating can reduce animal feed expenses whilst increasing production rates to improve your margins.

Funding the purchase of livestock

Livestock lending services make growing and improving the genetics of your farm’s herds an affordable investment. Depending on your requirements, here at Richmond Asset Finance we offer both short and long-term livestock lending solutions. 

For more information or to discuss your requirements, give our team a call on 0113 288 3277.

How to get an agricultural mortgage

24th May 2019 / / Comments Off on How to get an agricultural mortgage

Agricultural mortgages are available to those wishing to buy their first farm, extend their existing farm, or purchase rural property or land for another purpose. 

Finding the right rural property or piece of farmland can be a challenge. Not only do we have a shortage of rural land, but prices have also sky rocketed since the recession. According to areportby Savills, the value of farmland increased by 277% between 2006 and 2016. 

With demand currently so high, if you do come across the perfect property or piece of land, you’ll want to seize the opportunity and snap it up as quickly as possible. Unless you have the money to purchase the land or property outright, you will probably require a farm mortgage for your purchase.

What is an agricultural mortgage?

Agricultural mortgages are designed to help with the purchase of farmland, farm buildings, and other agricultural properties.

Just a few of the property-types that they can be used to purchase include:

  • Working farms
  • Equestrian facilities
  • Country estates
  • Renewable energy sites
  • Other rural businesses

In some instances, you may also be able to use an agricultural mortgage to fund the conversion or expansion of a rural building, purchase assets for business growth, or raise funds to consolidate debts.

Agricultural mortgages work in much the same way as regular mortgages, with lenders usually loaning up to 80% of the value.

How to get an agricultural mortgage

Agricultural mortgages can be acquired from most high street banks, as well as from more specialist rural lenders.

Specialist lenders usually have many years of experience in the agricultural industry and a greater understanding of its challenges and opportunities. 

It’s important to shop around when looking for an agricultural mortgage to ensure that you receive the best advice, support, rates, margins, fees and terms.

If you require financial help in acquiring a mortgage, then a commercial bridging loan may be the flexible short-term funding solution that you’re looking for.

Get in touch with our team here at Richmond Asset Finance by calling 0113 288 3277 to discuss your requirements and find out more about our commercial bridging loans.

How farmers can overcome cash flow problems

12th May 2019 / / Comments Off on How farmers can overcome cash flow problems

Farmers must brush up on their financial management skills to tackle the industry’s current cash flow crisis.

Falling prices, tight margins and growing debts are all putting farmers at risk of running into serious cash flow problems.

A 2016 study conducted by the Prince’s Countryside Fund found that 49% of surveyed farm businesses were suffering from cash flow problems, and the problem has only intensified since then.

Cash flow is essential to any business’ financial security and ability to invest in new opportunities and grow. Farmers in financial difficulty should act immediately to free up money and resolve cash flow issues.

Review your budgeting– If your farm business is struggling with cash flow then it’s time to sit down and review your budget and financial plan for the year ahead. Cut all non-essential expenditure for the short-term and prioritise expenditure that will generate cash flow.

Chase debtors– If you have outstanding debts owed to you then now is the time to start chasing them. Poor accounts receivable management is one of the biggest causes of cash flow problems. Make sure that you have a process in place to encourage debtors to pay you on time.

Extend repayment periods– If you have loans outstanding then speak with your lenders to see if you can arrange to extend your repayment period to reduce your monthly outgoings.

Liquidate stored crops– Liquidating your stored crops isn’t a decision that should be made lightly, but if you’re in desperate need of an injection of cash it offers a quick way of putting cash in your pocket. This is only a short-term strategy and reserves should be built up again once you are out of immediate financial danger.

Defer large investments– Reign in the spending until you’re confident that your business is out of the danger zone. If you’re having problems with vehicles or machinery, try getting them repaired instead of replacing them until your cash flow is looking healthier.

Explore farm funding options– There are plenty of useful farm funding solutions on the market today that can help struggling farms to safely and affordably gain the cash flow they require to grow their business. Farm asset finance can help farmers to afford the new equipment or vehicles they need to work more efficiently, and farm asset refinancing allows farmers to free up money tied up in unused assets.

To find out more about the farm funding solutions available from Richmond Asset Finance, give our team a call on 0113 288 3277.

5 tips for farmers facing financial difficulties

7th May 2019 / / Comments Off on 5 tips for farmers facing financial difficulties

Farmers facing financial challenges should act immediately to identify and resolve problems before they become more serious.

Poor cash flow, falling prices, increased competition and Brexit uncertainty are all causing UK farmers a financial headache.

It is a difficult economic climate for the farming industry and farmers must practice careful financial management, keeping a close eye on their debtors and cash flow to avoid running into serious financial difficulties.

If your farming business is already in distress, it’s important to act quickly to prevent the problem from spiralling. Here are five tips for easing financial pressure. 

Check your cash flow– If your farm business is lacking cash flow it puts you in a precarious financial position and can prevent your business from growing. It’s important to keep accurate and up-to-date records of all income and expenditure and ensure that you always know where you stand with your cash flow at any one time. 

Review your budget– If cash flow is a problem for your farm then it’s time to review your budget and financial plan. Make cutbacks where possible to reduce your costs and improve your margin.

Consider diversifying– More than half of England’s farmers are now successfully diversifying their business. Look for alternative sources of revenue by thinking about ways you can leverage your existing assets. 

Farm asset finance– If your business is struggling or stagnating because you can’t generate the funds to purchase new machinery, vehicles, or other assets, then consider farm asset finance. Asset finance makes the best farming equipment more affordable, helping farmers to boost productivity and reach their full potential.

Farm asset refinance– Unlock the cash that is tied up in unused machinery or vehicles by refinancing them. Refinancing farm equipment can help to free up money to ease cash flow problems or fund the purchase of a new asset to increase your efficiency or production rate.

For more information about farm asset finance, or to discuss other funding solutions available, give our team here at Richmond Asset Finance a call on 0113 288 3277.

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