Guides
Guides for livestock producers
Practical guides to livestock budgets, monthly cashflow and the bank review, written by Nick Clunes. Each includes a worked example with made-up figures, the sources used and a PDF version to print.
New to farming
Getting started in farming: the money sideWhat it costs to start farming in Australia, why most people start without buying land, why cashflow matters most early on, and where to get help.9 minute readSetting up a farm business: a starter checklistA tick list for a new Australian livestock business: ABN, GST, PIC, NLIS, LPA and NVDs, PigPass, bank account, insurance, records, structure and safety.9 minute readWays into farming without buying a farmLeasing, share farming, agistment, working on a farm, partnerships and family succession: how each works, the money, what to put in writing and the risks.9 minute readYour first farm budget, step by stepYour first farm budget step by step: read a NSW DPIRD gross margin, add overheads, build a whole-farm budget and monthly cashflow, with a sheep example.10 minute read
Farm loans, grants and drought support
Drought support for farmers: loans, payments and helpDrought support as at October 2026: RIC loans, Farm Household Allowance, free counselling, state schemes open and closed, and a dry-season checklist.10 minute readFarm equipment finance: chattel mortgage, lease and hire purchaseHow chattel mortgages, hire purchase and leases work for farm machinery, who owns the gear, balloons, what to compare and a worked tractor example.9 minute readFarm overdrafts and seasonal finance explainedHow a farm overdraft and a seasonal facility work, what interest and fees cost, what hardcore debt is, and how to size a limit from a monthly cashflow.9 minute readLivestock finance: how farmers fund buying stockHow farmers fund buying cattle and sheep: overdrafts, term loans, stock agent finance, the RIC Drought Loan, agistment and a trading margin example.9 minute readRIC loans explained: drought, farm investment and AgriStarterEvery RIC loan as at October 2026: who it's for, limits, terms, the 5.71% rate, eligibility tests, what to apply with, and a worked repayment example.10 minute readState government farm loans and grants in AustraliaState farm loans and grants as at October 2026: NSW RAA, QRIDA, Victoria, SA, WA and Tasmania, plus disaster recovery help, with amounts, terms and links.10 minute readWhat loans are available to farmers in AustraliaEvery common type of farm finance in plain words: term loans, overdrafts, equipment, livestock and land loans, RIC loans, family loans and leasing.10 minute read
Budgets, cashflow and the bank
A glossary of Australian farm finance termsDefinitions of the farm finance words you'll meet at a bank review, from LVR, interest cover and covenants to DSE, HSCW, c/kg cwt, RIC, RFCS and FMDs.12 minute readAdding a new enterprise to your farm: the numbers to run firstBefore you add pigs, trading steers or sheep to your farm, run the gross margin, the cashflow through the build-up, the debt and the approvals. Here's how.9 minute readBank covenants on farm loans and what a breach meansWhat financial and reporting covenants on a farm loan are, how interest cover, LVR and debt service cover are tested, and what happens if you breach one.7 minute readBuying the neighbour's block: the numbers a lender wantsBefore you bid on the block next door: valuation against price, the deposit, LVR, servicing, a combined budget and purchase costs to confirm.7 minute readHow to build a farm cashflow forecastBuild a monthly farm cashflow step by step, with income timing for pigs, cattle and sheep, costs, debt and GST, then test it against your overdraft limit.8 minute readHow to read your bank's annual review letterWhat a farm annual review letter asks for, what each request means, the documents to gather, the due date, and what to do if you can't meet the deadline.6 minute readRestocking after a dry year: the cash sideRestocking cattle or sheep after a dry year: staged buying, breeding back, agistment, the cash gap before income returns and what to show the bank or RIC.7 minute readWhat does a farm CFO do?A farm CFO plans the cash going forward while your accountant looks after tax. Here is what the monthly work involves, what it costs and who it suits.7 minute readWhat the bank looks at in a farm reviewA former business banker explains what a credit team checks at a farm review, from interest cover and LVR to cashflow, and what to bring to the meeting.8 minute read
Piggeries
Grain prices and piggery cashflow: planning for a spikeFeed is a piggery's biggest cost. Test your budget at higher grain prices, weigh buying ahead against spot, count storage costs and protect overdraft room.7 minute readHow to budget for a piggeryHow to build a piggery budget from sow numbers, pigs weaned, feed use and grain price, with a worked 400-sow example and the tests banks run.7 minute read
Would you rather we did the numbers?
A Bank Review Pack covers the budget, the monthly cashflow and the tests the bank will run, for $1,850 + GST.