In this issue of AgriWorld UK, we have featured Farm & Estate Asset Finance Ltd. as our Finance Innovation Award Winner.
Finance in agriculture can be difficult. Unlike other industries, the seasonal income and front-loaded cost mean long-term, robust investment is a constant necessity for farmers across the UK and funding needs to be both flexible and realistic.
This is where Farm & Estate Asset Finance comes in. Acting as a link between borrowers and lenders, the company helps to structure agreements that reflect the pressures and opportunities within farming. Set up to provide a comprehensive financial support centre for rural businesses, Farm & Estate Asset Finance provides everything from lending on land and buildings, to plant and machinery loans.
Based in Aberdeenshire, Farm & Estate Asset Finance has been helping rural businesses since 2022, and this up-and-coming company has quickly developed a reputation for outstanding customer service and a flair for innovation within agricultural finance.
The company works with all sectors within the rural industry from farms and estates, to contractors and food processors and distributors. As well as this, Farm & Estate Asset Finance is at the forefront of asset diversification from renewable energy, helping farm shops with fitting out and retail POS support.
Farm & Estate Asset Finance’s range of financial products covers the entire sector and the company offers agricultural and commercial mortgages with access to over 60 lenders covering all aspects of the finance industry, from high street lenders to specialist asset funders.
While most financial services cover a wide range of different industrial clients, Farm & Estate Asset Finance focuses purely on agricultural and rural businesses.This specific expertise in agricultural finance is a key differentiator for the company and has set them apart in an often confusing market for borrowers.
“Farming is a specialised industry. Knowing the various enterprises within farming enables us to provide finance best suited to that enterprise.” explains John Sorrie, Director, Commercial Finance Specialist and Agri-Business Consultant at Farm & Estate Asset Finance. “This can be from planting to harvesting machinery to end product production lines, packaging machines and distribution from vans to HGV’s.”
“Our knowledge of farming and finance allows us to package proposals to suit both the farmer and the lender.” John goes on to say, “Providing a fully packaged deal allows a lender to make a fast decision and allow the farmer the opportunity to act quickly on projects or purchases.”
This in-depth knowledge of the agricultural sector and its needs, allows Farm & Estate Asset Finance to not only move quickly on opportunities for farmers and innovate its offering, but builds a deeper connection with clients that can help them prosper.
“Straight monthly repayments don’t suit everyone as many farming enterprises have times when cashflow is weak and other times when cashflow is strong i.e. when selling finished livestock or crop sales.” says John, “To us, finance innovation is being able to structure finance deals to suit a farmers cashflow or benefit from seasonal income.”
A key part of the business is this straightforward, personal approach. For many farmers, navigating finance options can feel unnecessarily complicated. By keeping communication clear and accessible, and by taking the time to understand individual businesses, the company aims to remove some of that friction and make the process more manageable.
“Our approach is still, where possible, to go and see the client to get a full picture of their particular needs or if there is urgency, to be able to come up with a product that is quick to achieve and to get the funds quickly into the clients bank account.” says John.
We asked John what it meant to win the award, “It has come as a surprise but a great honour to win this award. Our dedication to providing finance to rural enterprises is at the heart of our business, so we must be doing something right to get this honour!”
Farm & Estate Asset Finance emphasis on tailored solutions and close client relations, is offering farmers solutions rather than creating roadblocks. Its varied portfolio of products and easy to manage, personal approach is changing the landscape of agricultural investment, as well as providing opportunities to rural businesses to grow, diversify and safeguard in uncertain times.
By combining its expert knowledge of the sector with a deeper relationship with its clients, Farm & Estate Asset Finance is not only carving out its place at the forefront of agricultural finance, but highlighting the fact that farming is not just as a business, but a way of life shaped by long-term planning and careful investment.
For more on Farm & Estate Asset Finance Ltd,
please see below:
T +44 (0)1346 235245
M +44 (0)7583 660015
office@farmestateassetfinance.com
https://farmestateassetfinance.com