WHO WE SERVE
New and young farmers.
Starting out in agriculture with limited financial history does not have to be a dead end. The right lender, the right structure, and a clear application opens more doors than most people realise.
The biggest barrier for new farmers is not serviceability — it is history. Most bank credit decisions are built around three years of financial statements. Operators who are one or two years into a farm business are assessed against a standard that was designed for established enterprises, and they almost always fall short.
The lenders in our panel who work well with new farmers think differently. They look at the equity position, the quality of the land, the credibility of the business plan, and the operator’s relevant experience — not just the P&L history. Identifying those lenders and presenting the application in a way that speaks to their criteria is where Clunes adds value.
We also work with new farmers to structure the whole finance package — not just a single facility. That often means combining a concessional government loan like AgriStarter with a commercial lender for the remainder, and an asset finance line for the first ute or tractor. Getting those three components to sit cleanly together is not complicated, but it requires knowing which lenders accept which structures.