Tuesday, 04 February 2025 13:55

Low interest sustainability lending from Halter, banks

Written by  Staff Reporters
Halter’s virtual fencing and herding allows farmers to better manage stock movement on farm. Halter’s virtual fencing and herding allows farmers to better manage stock movement on farm.

Dairy and beef farmers could be eligible for lower interest lending options for financing Halter on their farms, with ANZ, ASB and BNZ now offering a pathway to sustainability loans for New Zealand’s largest virtual fencing provider.

The lending options provide a potential opportunity for greater affordability and access to Halter’s virtual fencing system used by hundreds of farmers and are open to existing and prospective Halter customers who meet eligibility, lending and identification criteria.

The banks’ preferential rates are based on: ANZ’s business green loan floating rates, ASB’s special purpose base rate and BNZ’s reduced floating and fixed rates, tailored to individual clients.

Halter notes that products/rates are subject to change. Lending and eligibility criteria, terms, conditions, and fees may apply.

Farmers also receive a 10% discount from Halter for paying 2-years up front via the sustainability loans, with the flexibility of monthly repayments.

For example, compared to average term loan lending rates, a typical 500 herd dairy farm could save up to $4,700 across two years through a lower interest sustainability loan and Halter discount. This example, for demonstration purposes only, is based on a 6.15% interest rate and 10% Halter discount for 2-year upfront payment terms.

“These offerings unlock pathways to sustainable lending across the lion’s share of rural lenders and is another step towards helping Halter farmers run more productive, sustainable and resilient farms,” says Halter partnerships manager Steve Crowhurst.

“As well as driving farm performance and profitability, Halter is a tool that helps farmers easily deploy sustainable farming practices outlined by industry bodies. Halter incorporates virtual fencing and herding, precision pasture management, and animal health and location monitoring.”

Halter farmers are advancing their sustainability outcomes by reducing fuel through less farm vehicle use (some by up to 47%), increasing pasture harvest and therefore reducing the need for supplements, and reducing nitrogen via more strategic application informed by cow location data.

They can also improve fertility which reduces the number of heifer replacements needed on farm and therefore overall farm emissions.

Halter’s virtual fencing and herding allows farmers to better manage waterways, using the Halter app to easily create grass buffer strips between stock and waterways, keep stock away from critical source areas, move stock off vulnerable areas of the farm at any time during significant weather events, and to reduce pugging.

“We’re excited to have New Zealand’s largest financial institutions acknowledging agritechnology that is driving sustainability on farm,” says Crowhurst.

“Traditionally in the industry we’ve seen sustainability goals in tension with lifting productivity. Farmers can use Halter as a tool to run high performing farms while having the flexibility and bandwidth to farm in a way that mitigates impact on the environment.”

Halter farmers are achieving financial gains by generating more milk in the vat and the potential to achieve better live weight gains.

Farmers interested in these sustainability loans can visit www.HalterHQ.com/financing or speak to their bank’s relationship manager.

Farmers banking with Westpac and Rabobank can also reach out to their relationship manager for alternative lending options for Halter services.

More like this

Keep it up

OPINION: The good fight against "banking wokery" continues with a draft bill to scrap the red tape forcing banks and financial institutions to make climate-related disclosures, by repealing Part 7A of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.

Bagrie bags banks

OPINION: Noted economist and self-promoter Cameron Bagrie took one look at KPMG's recently released Financial Institutions Performance Survey on banks and zeroes in one key number that suggests banks are so risk averse in this country that they are probably stifling growth and innovation.

Featured

Case IH partners with Meet the Need

Tractor manufacturer and distributor Case IH has announced a new partnership with Meet the Need, the grassroots, farmer-led charity working to tackle food insecurity across New Zealand one meal at a time.

25 years on - where are they now?

To celebrate 25 years of the Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship, Ravensdown caught up with past recipients to see where their careers have taken them, and what the future holds for the industry.

Rockit Global appoints COO

Rockit Global has appointed Ivan Angland as its new chief operating officer as it continues its growth strategy into 2025.

National

Top ag scientist to advise PM

A highly experienced agricultural scientist with specialist knowledge of the dairy sector is the Prime Minister's new Chief Science Advisor.

Machinery & Products

Hose runner saves time and effort

Rakaia-based equipment manufacturer Pluck’s Engineering will soon start production of a new machine designed to simplify the deployment and retrieval…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Science fiction

OPINION: Last week's announcement of Prime Minister’s new Science and Technology Advisory Council hasn’t gone down too well in the…

Bye bye Paris?

OPINION: At its recent annual general meeting, Federated Farmers’ Auckland province called for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter