farmcfo.com.au · 0412 759 847Farm finance numbers
The rates and benchmarks farmers and lenders quote, each with its source and date. We check them every month, and the calculators take their default rates from this page.
From 1 August 2026, up from 5.18%. Applies to all Regional Investment Corporation loans.
Source: Regional Investment Corporation, RIC variable interest rate to change from 1 August 2026Raised by 0.25 percentage points, effective 30 September 2026.
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, Cash rate targetAugust 2026, variable and fixed loans combined. Outstanding small business loans averaged 7.47%. Your own rate depends on your lender, security and facility.
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, Lenders' interest rates (table F7)Livestock and wool sales are generally taxable. Ask your accountant how GST applies to your business.
Source: Australian Taxation Office, How GST worksRBA figures: Source: Reserve Bank of Australia 2026, used under CC BY 4.0. The RBA doesn't endorse Farm CFO.
Benchmarks and prices
We link to these rather than copy them, so you always see the publisher's latest version.
| What | What it covers | Where |
|---|---|---|
| NSW DPI beef gross margin budgets | June 2026 series: coastal weaners, inland weaners, steer growout, feeder steers, heavy grassfed MSA and a summary. PDF. | NSW DPI, Livestock gross margin budgets |
| NSW DPI sheep gross margin budgets | 2025 series, prices averaged April to September 2025, per 1,000 head and per 1,000 ha. PDF. | NSW DPI, Livestock gross margin budgets |
| Pig prices and feed grain prices | Australian Pork Limited publishes weekly pig prices (c/kg HSCW) and delivered feed grain prices by region in Eyes and Ears. | Australian Pork Limited, Eyes and Ears market news |
| Cattle and sheep market prices | MLA publishes saleyard and indicator prices. We link to them rather than copy them, under MLA's terms of use. | Meat and Livestock Australia, Prices and markets |
| ABARES farm survey results | Farm cash income, debt and rates of return for broadacre farms, including beef and sheep, from the annual farm surveys. | ABARES, Farm data portal |
Using these numbers
Averages are a starting point, not your rate. Your facility letter has your actual interest rate and any covenants. To see what a rate rise does to your overdraft, try the season stress test or the repayment schedule.