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Why farmers should consider applying for farm finance

1st March 2023 / admin / Comments Off

Farm finance is a type of funding designed specifically for farmers and agricultural businesses. It provides a range of financial products and services, such as loans, leasing, and insurance, to support agricultural operations. There are several reasons why farmers should consider applying for farm finance.

Access to capital: One of the main benefits of farm finance is access to capital. Farmers require significant amounts of capital to finance their operations, from purchasing land and equipment to planting crops and managing livestock. Farm finance provides access to the capital needed to run a successful farming operation, enabling farmers to invest in their businesses and increase their productivity.
Flexible terms: Farm finance offers flexible terms that can be tailored to the unique needs of the farming operation. This can include longer repayment periods, seasonal payment plans, and variable interest rates. This flexibility enables farmers to manage their cash flow and reduce financial stress during seasonal or market fluctuations.
Risk management: Farm finance can provide a range of risk management tools to help farmers mitigate the risks associated with agriculture. This can include crop insurance, weather insurance, and commodity hedging. These tools can help protect farmers from unexpected events such as crop failure, natural disasters, and market volatility.
Business growth: Farm finance can support business growth by providing funding for new ventures, expansion, and diversification. This can include purchasing new equipment, acquiring additional land, or developing new product lines. Farm finance can help farmers take advantage of new opportunities and grow their businesses.
Expert advice: Many farm finance providers offer expert advice and support to their clients. This can include guidance on financial planning, risk management, and business strategy. This can be especially valuable for farmers who are looking to expand or diversify their businesses.

In conclusion, farm finance can provide farmers with access to capital, flexible terms, risk management tools, support for business growth, and expert advice. These benefits can help farmers manage their cash flow, mitigate risks, and grow their businesses. Applying for farm finance can be a smart decision for any farmer looking to invest in their operation and achieve long-term success.

Fresh ideas for making money or cutting costs on farm

20th February 2023 / admin / Comments Off

With the increasing strain of higher working capital demands, cashflow could be a major issue for farmers this year. To stay financially afloat and protect their businesses from hardship, it is essential that these agriculturalists explore new sources of income or find cost-effective ways to save time and money.

A closer examination of your farming operations could be the key to unlocking greater efficiency and cost-savings – all adding up to a healthier business.

Check mobile phone and internet contracts

When budgeting for a farmer, we were shocked to discover their yearly mobile phone bill was an eye-watering £7,000! It goes to show that letting contracts drift without review can be costly – so make sure you stay on top of both your finances and your deals.

Rent a room

With the cost of living on the rise, why not make use of an extra room in your home and turn it into a source of income? Not only will you be able to cover any increase in expenses but you could also have some interesting company.

We know of a couple of farmers who have rented out rooms to graduates on Spareroom.com because the house felt too quiet after their children left home.

If you live within 10 miles of a university, there may be potential to let out a room to a student from a farming background who prefers to live on a farm, rather than in a traditional house share.

The government’s Rent a Room Scheme lets you earn up to a threshold of £7,500 a year tax-free from letting out furnished accommodation in your home.

Sell off spare machinery

Recent increased demand for previously owned machinery has made it a lucrative option to pass on older equipment formerly held in reserve by many farmers.

Hauling machines to a collective sale can take time and cost, so consider a national online sale which allows farmers to sell odd bits of kits.

Get to grips with energy consumption

To better understand our daily energy consumption, use metering plug sockets or sub-meters to track down the main culprits! Monitoring electricity meters helps us identify where we can make simple changes for improved efficiency.

Consider improvements to efficiency, reduction in usage and ways to bill consumption more effectively to tenants.

Unlocking the power of renewables starts with finding a balance between production and consumption, where battery storage can ensure this equilibrium is achieved.

Adopt lean thinking

Lean thinking is a business approach which involves focusing on what delivers most value. So, the idea is you spend on processes and inputs that contribute to output, but hold back on incurring costs which don’t.

Examples could include holding back on annual hedgecutting, except where needed for safety reasons, and repeated mowing of unfarmed grass areas.

Take advantage of free advice

Farmers can access free advice and business support worth up to £2,000 a farm, by signing up to the Future Farming Resilience Fund.

It is designed to help farmers understand the changes they are facing and how they can adapt their business models.

There are 17 providers funded by Defra to give this consultancy support. However, the package each provider delivers is different – for example, group workshops, online webinars, or on-farm one-to-one support.

So before signing up to any one company, investigate what support you will be getting and whether you gel with the person you will be working with.

Advice on managing farm business cashflow

10th February 2023 / admin / Comments Off

Businesses that use their cash wisely are often rewarded—they require less working capital, have fewer risks from market fluctuations, and enjoy more advantageous credit terms than other firms.

Have a financial plan

The short-term focus of any business must be working capital requirements to ensure trade can continue.

We must assess the current infrastructure, predict upcoming needs, and evaluate our long-term financial commitments in order to ensure a secure future.

A budget will allow informed decisions to be made and is integral to facilitating discussions with your bank and illustrating the mechanics of your business.

Don’t allow creditors to build up debt

Keep a careful eye on debtors and, in particular, the length of time they take to pay.

Implement a robust procedure to review debtors and to identify overdue accounts, or those where there is cause for concern, and follow these up promptly, says Mr Dobinson.

There is also the possibility of negotiating to bring payments forward with an appropriate discount for early payment.

Manage costs

Looking for ways to save money? Taking the time for a thorough review could uncover hidden opportunities to reduce costs and grow financial stability.

If you manage cash and are aware of costs, you can then monitor cost inflation throughout the year – if you truly know your costs, you will look harder at bills when they come in and identify areas of potential savings.

Having knowledge of net margins and costs can be the difference between a successful venture or an unprofitable endeavor. Understanding your production expenditure helps keep companies afloat, allowing for informed decisions about investments that could potentially drag down overall performance.

Recover all VAT

If the business is VAT registered, ensure VAT is being recovered on all inputs – some get missed.

Snow Removal With Tractors VS Wheel Loaders

15th January 2023 / admin / Comments Off

When you have the choice to make – tractors or wheel loaders – which one should I use in my application? You have to consider all kinds of unique features that each one has to offer, and match those features with the requirements of the job site. You may also have to consider what other type of work requirements you may have, such as summer-time earth-moving work. In this article, we will discuss the features that set the agricultural tractor apart from the wheel loader, and how it can give you an advantage in many areas of your snow removal operation. Kage Innovation designs and manufactures snow plow pusher systems that can attach directly to the front of many common agricultural tractors creating one efficient and cost-effective tool.

Snow Plowing With Tractors

Agriculture Tractors offer many unique advantages to consider.
• Direct-Mount Front Hitch
• Snow Blowing Piles
• High Transport Speeds
• Great Traction
• Availability / Price

Blowing Piles Rather Than Trucking Piles Of Snow

If you are already using tractors for doing your snow plowing, you should definitely consider utilizing the high horsepower available with that to blow temporary storage piles of snow back off of the lot. If that is an option, it is definitely less expensive than using a loader and dump truck to haul the snow offsite. Not only that but you can often strategically place your piles during the snow removal event in locations that make it easy and less intrusive to your customer. This is a great way to utilize your equipment more efficiently, and save your customer money in doing so.

Tractors Are Fast

Most modern day tractors have fast transport speeds. They also have great cabs with heat, radio, and great visibility for plowing snow. Tractors are truly workhorses for many different tasks, and snow removal is no exception.

Tractors Are Made To Pull And Push

Tractors have many design features that allow them to pull and push heavy loads. Their transmissions are built with that in mind. The tires are large, and couple that with the locking differential they are almost unstoppable.

New round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund

10th January 2023 / admin / Comments Off

This month, farm businesses have the chance to apply for grants of up to £25,000 from Defra’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. From modernising machinery to planning new tech solutions – this fund could offer invaluable support in unlocking your business’s potential!

Grants are available to help you take steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Not only will it ensure environmental protection, but also give your productivity and animal care an uplift!

Companies who applied for funding previously experienced considerable success – with grants covering nearly half the cost of new equipment!

The first theme of the fund will cover productivity and slurry and is due to open later in February, while a second part of the fund will open in March, focusing on animal health and welfare.

Productivity and Slurry grant

This grant is designed to reduce the number of inputs needed by farmers, while also reducing emissions and minimising waste.

This grant offers farmers the chance to benefit from tools that will help them cultivate a more sustainable and productive farm by reducing inputs, emissions, and waste.

Animal Health and Welfare grant

Since the first round, an additional 66 items have been added to support animal health and welfare, reduce environmental stress, and improve biosecurity.

Mobile cattle handling systems, fencing, lamb creep feeders, and cameras for monitoring livestock are all included under the funding.

Why would you use agriculture finance?

20th December 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Agricultural finance comes in many forms. Whether it’s farm start-up loans, getting a loan to buy cattle or farm machinery finance, farmers need access to the funds financing offers.

Financing can also be sought to allow the expansion or diversification of the farm. Your farm may need to purchase agricultural land or extend your property / farm buildings. For this you’ll want to explore the different commercial property finance options we provide. You could use this option to fund any of the following:

Silos or grain sheds
Feed stores
Beef cattle shelters
Chicken sheds
Barns and crop storage sheds

Cash flow on a farm can be very seasonal. Large expenditures, whether for machinery, maintenance and improvements or supplies such as seed, feed or livestock, must be made at the beginning of a farming season with income usually generated at the end. There’s also no denying that the farming profession comes with its fair share of monthly bills. You may need to make use of agricultural finance to cover a VAT bill or perhaps to re-finance an existing debt. If this relates to you or your farm, feel free to have a look at our working capital finance options today.

How does agriculture finance work?

Farm loans

Farm loans and financing offer some flexibility in repayment. Some loans repay the principal (the borrowed amount) and interest with every payment. When the final payment is made, nothing is left outstanding.

Interest-only loans require that only the interest is paid during the term. At the end of the term, the principal must be repaid. This allows smaller monthly repayments.

Loans for machinery purchases can use asset financing, where the machinery itself can be used as security. The Annual Investment Allowance provides tax relief in the year of purchase for many types of asset. Asset finance can allow a farmer to move planned purchases forward to take advantage of this relief.

Agricultural mortgages

Agricultural mortgages are the most common loans to enable the purchase of farmland, with the farmland itself securing the loan. Established farms can also use mortgages to obtain needed funds.

Agricultural overdrafts

Agricultural overdrafts, usually unsecured, give a farmer access to a pre-approved store of funds (typically from £1,000 to £25,000) that can be accessed when needed and used as desired. Overdrafts typically do not cost anything if there is no balance owing. Agricultural lines of credit operate much like normal overdrafts, though they are usually for larger amounts and require security.

Secure the finance you need to run your farm

1st December 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Secure the finance you need to run your farm – Livestock and agricultural equipment leasing and finance solutions.

Richmond Asset Finance supports British farmers and can help you secure the livestock and agricultural equipment finance you need to run your farm.

Each agricultural business has its own set of challenges. Whether you need to invest in new machinery, grow your livestock holdings or diversify your farm, we are specialists in finding the right agricultural finance option for you. With business finance for farms, we can help you acquire the livestock, assets or machinery you need to grow your farming business, cost-effectively.

Enquire today to find out how we could support your growth through agricultural financing. Call 0113 288 3277.

Livestock

Livestock has historically been bought through cash reserves or overdraft, but agricultural leasing opens up other lines of credit. With Finance for Farms, you can increase your herd, improve genetics across the breed or enhance production. We specialise in financing your livestock, including:

Dairy
Pedigrees
Sucklers
Beef

Farm Equipment & Agricultural Machinery

In need of agricultural equipment financing? We can finance new and used agricultural machinery and farm equipment. Our specialist agricultural team can help find the right finance or leasing solution based on the asset requirement. We can fund almost anything business related, a small example being:

Harvest machinery
Tractors and other vehicles
Milking systems
Bottling plants

Find out more today about our services and contact us.

Finance Options

18th November 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Farm Finance & Rural Finance

An all embracing term we use to describe all types of farm and agricultural finance we offer in the rural and country business sectors and which can also be described as Agricultural Finance, Equestrian Finance, Farm Finance, Land Finance and Horticultural Finance. Finance can be provided for holiday complexes, caravan parks, caravan sites, properties with agricultural restrictions, land, buildings, working farms, non-working farms, nurseries, garden centres, smallholdings, estates, fisheries, farm shops and generally all types of rural type situations.

Examples of Farm Finance

A mortgage or re-mortgage, development finance, bridging finance, Asset Finance, Sale and Leaseback, loans.

Any legal purposes including but not being limited to repaying debt, repayment of an overdraft, diversification, working capital, business start ups, reducing outgoings, purchases of any kind and development of property or development of business. The funding of a dream property.

Agricultural Loan, Loan for Agriculture, Loans for Agriculture

More commonly described as an Agricultural Mortgage, Mortgage for Agriculture, Agricultural Re-mortgage or Re-mortgage for Agriculture being a loan secured by a first charge over property in UK,England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. In some cases a loan may be secured by way of a second charge over this type of property.

A longer term type of loan usually over ten to thirty five years with fixed and discounted rates available arranged on a capital and interest or interest only basis.

Purchase of a farm, or the purchase of farms, purchase of land, the purchase of buildings and the refinance of these types of properties to provide capital for any legal purposes but typically to diversify, develop, repay other expensive debt, repay a bank overdraft, reduce outgoings or to buy other assets such as cattle or equipment.

Are you paying too much for Farm Finance?

10th November 2022 / admin / Comments Off

We offer a range of finance solutions to the UK rural community.

Getting the right finance isn’t easy, we understand that.

Unlike many commercial loan intermediaries, we only arrange farm finance, finance for land and agricultural finance or rural finance secured on property.

We arrange finance for land, farm, rural and equestrian finance quickly, and without fuss. You may want to raise working capital to reduce outgoings, develop a business or property, diversify your business, repay debt or use the money for any legal purpose. Or you may be buying land or other property.

We specialise in raising finance where the security is a property with an agricultural restriction or occupancy condition.

A large proportion of our business comes from repeat or recommended sources, which is something we are rightly proud of. We provide a friendly, approachable, trustworthy, personal and professional service. We believe the personal touch is essential in any business relationship and we deliver it without being starchy. We provide quality and reliability by adopting a ‘hands on’ approach; case is handled personally by a principal with expertise in farm finance.

Helping you find the right farming finance

13th October 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Richmond Asset Finance are an agricultural finance brokerage based in Yorkshire, covering most of the North West.

We always encourage our clients to provide us with feedback on both the service that we provide and that of our funders, this allows us to continually review those providers to bring you choice, competitive rates and flexibly to access the right finance, at the right time.

Most importantly, we are passionate about what we do. This is evident in our enthusiasm and commitment to assisting you at each stage and after you have secured your finance.

Our team have vast experience helping agricultural businesses to secure competitive finance to support growth plans, meet cash flow demands and to make the purchases they need.

Richmond Asset Finance have relationships with a panel of lenders that can assist with you search for the right business loan or asset finance.

Once you have decided what best suits your farming business needs that contact us on 0113 288 3277 or fill in the contact form and we’ll get back to you!

Financing and Lease Options

3rd October 2022 / admin / Comments Off

In todays marketplace, financing and leasing options are as much a part of the purchase decision as the mechanical features and benefits of the equipment you choose.

Richmond Asset Finance offers a comprehensive choice of dedicated retail finance options, specifically tailored to the agricultural environment. Our schemes offer a range of facilities including leasing, Hird purchase, contract hire and loans.

Our finance programmes at Richmond Asset Finance will help you to obtain equipment that has the power, efficiency and technology to operate a profitable business at a payment you can afford.

You will have the opportunity to gain use and ownership of the best agricultural equipment available to you.

Benefits to you:

Flexible payment terms
fast and easy credit process
Finance tailored to meet your cash flow needs
Convenient one stop financing

Asset finance for agriculture and farming

14th September 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Flexible, scalable finance for the agriculture industry

Productivity. Diversification. Growth. If you’re involved in the UK farming industry, you’ll know it’s not just the weather that can be unpredictable.

To keep up with market fluctuations, new technology and political change, you’re likely to need asset finance that works with your cashflow. You could be investing to generate long-term productivity gains, diversifying into special breeds, food production or renewables, or simply seeking to protect cashflow while renewing critical equipment.

Your farm, your finance

One size doesn’t fit all, and that’s especially true of Britain’s diverse farming industry. That’s why we provide a range of farm and agriculture finance solutions, including:

Hire purchase
Finance lease
Sale and leaseback
Agricultural loans

Assets we finance

Typical agriculture assets we finance include

Tractors, trailers, combines, balers and other farm machinery
Forestry equipment
Robotic milking machines
Vehicles, including bulk haulage
Recycling and plant equipment
Renewable energy equipment

Tractor Finance

14th August 2022 / admin / Comments Off

We offer a professional and knowledgeable service to all our customers, from the farmer who needs new or used equipment for his business; through forest workers in need off second-hand tractors & trailers with accessories like shafts etc., right down smaller firms looking at buying an attachment that’s just right fit their requirements.

Richmond Asset Finance will help you find the best way to finance a tractor. We take the hassle out of arranging financing for all types and makes.

We can offer customers low-interest finance deals, which include a choice of tyres and a variety of attachments. We can offer excellent finance packages to both private individuals and businesses who need funding for purchases in the fields of agriculture, equine and commerce

What is asset finance?

Essentially, asset finance is taking out a loan to buy or hire assets that your business needs to succeed. This can cover a wide range of equipment, but in agriculture this is primarily machinery.

How will it help my business?

Asset finance is an alternative way of purchasing equipment, rather than borrowing from your bank. You can start using the asset straight away without having to find a large lump sum to put down, and you can pay back the cost of the machine over a flexible repayment plan that suits your business cash flow. Put the machine to work straight away and it is starting to payback its cost.

Asset Finance Solutions

21st July 2022 / admin / Comments Off

We’re here to help you reach your goals. Whether it’s a small loan or large investment, we know how important this decision is and take our time so that nothing but the best will do when making such huge changes in someone else’s life.

In need of finance? We make sure they get more than just money from their funding process.

We understand that you need a funding solution tailored specifically for your business and we work hard to offer flexible options with straightforward repayment terms. We also provide quick decisions, competitive rates of interest and easy application processes in order make it as simple possible!

Are you looking for other financial solutions?

You may already have all the equipment and vehicles you need but want to ease your company’s cash flow in other ways. Richmond Asset Finance offer a wide range of ingenious financial solutions tailored specifically for business int the UK.

Don’t hesitate to contact us regarding any way in which we might be of assistance to you and your company. It’s what we’ve been doing for over 25 years and we’re proud of our record.

Agricultural finance

4th July 2022 / admin / Comments Off

Helping you finance your farming business.

We specialise in providing you with the finance that will help your business grow, whether it’s through difficult times or high growth phases. We offer a wide range of products including agriculture funds and agricultural mortgages as well short-term loans to get us though challenging markets!

Flexible finance to power your business

Spread the cost of your business assets over time without having to make a large upfront investment.

Spread the cost of your business assets over time
Budget with confidence
A source of funding to help you maintain liquidity without affecting your cash, working capital or other borrowing

Types of asset finance

Hire-purchase financing

Put the latest equipment, machinery, technology and vehicles to work in your business – simply, quickly and conveniently through hire-purchase financing.