Banking Advisor: Most dairy farmers don’t fully understand how banks assess credit
A leading financial and banking advisor says he doubts if most dairy farmers fully understand the dynamics of banking.
Built specifically for farming, Oxbury focuses on doing a few things well: fast decisions, straightforward products, and people who understand farming and seasonal cashflow.
The New Zealand business is a partnership between UK and New Zealand interests and is 50% locally owned.
Oxbury was founded in the UK about eight years ago by Nick Evans and James Farrar, who both have long experience in banking and agriculture.
“Their fundamental belief was that, while the agricultural sector was served by banks, there was not the specialisation farmers needed,” says Oxbury executive chairman, Symon Brewis‑Weston.
“They set out to build a lender that is 100% committed to farming and agriculture, with a deep understanding of the sector.”
Oxbury now provides a significant share of farm lending in the UK, with a multi‑billion‑dollar book of agricultural loans and retail deposits.
New Zealand appealed for the same reasons.
“In terms of total farm output, New Zealand is bigger than the UK,” Brewis‑Weston says.
“We saw the same opportunity here – to focus on working capital for farmers, do the basics, and do them exceptionally well.”
Oxbury quietly launched in New Zealand late last year and is now ready to “hit the go button”, with an initial focus on livestock finance.
“With livestock, it’s all about service and turnaround time – when people have grass, getting an approval quickly matters so they can capitalise on the opportunity,” Brewis‑Weston says. “It’s about speed, efficiency, and having people who understand farming cycles.”
“At the end of the day, it’s a partnership,” he says. “We’re independent, we speak ‘farmer’, and we understand the end‑to‑end supply chain – especially in livestock.”
