The paper code cannot be redeemed when browsing in private/incognito mode. Please go to a normal browser window and enter the code there
This content is copyright protected!
However, if you would like to share the information in this article, you may use the headline, summary and link below:
Title: How one beef farmer discovered Cultivate’s farmer-friendly finance
Meet Hillary Courtney, a part-time beef farmer, who, like many farmers throughout Ireland, was looking at ways to improve her farm, but was hampered by access to farmer-friendly finance.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to farmersjournal.ie on this browser until 9pm next Wednesday. Thank you for buying the paper and using the code.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact us.
For assistance, call 01 4199525
or email subs@farmersjournal.ie
If would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525
Reset password
Please enter your email address and we will send you a link to reset your password
If would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address.
Please click on the link in this email to reset
your password. If you can't find it in your inbox,
please check your spam folder. If you can't
find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
Email address not recognised
There is no subscription associated with this email
address. To read our subscriber-only content.
please subscribe or use the reader loyalty code.
If would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525
You have no more free articles this month
We hope you've enjoyed your 6 free articles. To continue reading, sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe for just €1 to get unlimited access for 30 days.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe for just €1 to get unlimited access for 30 days.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe for just €1 to get unlimited access for 30 days.
How one beef farmer discovered Cultivate’s farmer-friendly finance
Meet Hillary Courtney, a part-time beef farmer, who, like many farmers throughout Ireland, was looking at ways to improve her farm, but was hampered by access to farmer-friendly finance.
SPONSORED
Hillary used a Cultivate loan to build housing for her cattle during the winter
Hillary Courtney is a part-time beef farmer who was like many farmers throughout Ireland.
She was looking at ways to improve her farm, but was hampered by access to farmer-friendly finance.
That’s when she decided to reach out to her local credit union for a Cultivate loan.
Hillary wanted to improve the housing for her cattle on her farm, so with her Cultivate loan, she has invested in a new slatted unit to house her cattle over the winter, while also having the opportunity to add on to other sheds and improve her handling facilities.
Cultivate is an initiative created by a group of 53 credit unions to provide short- to medium-term loan finance built specifically around the growing needs of Irish farmers.
It is a farmer-friendly finance option for farmers seeking unsecured funding up to €75,000 for up to 10 years. Cultivate loans are available from almost 170 credit union offices nationwide.
To help Hillary develop her beef enterprise, she turned to her local credit union and applied for a Cultivate loan - the result of which has been an easier life not just for Hillary, but also her livestock.
“Even for the cattle, it was the best thing we have ever done really,” Hillary said.
Having gone through the full process of applying and securing a Cultivate loan, Hillary’s words of advice reflect a very positive experience of dealing with Cultivate.
“Go and talk to them. They’ll help you in every way they can and that’s so important for anyone,” she said.
Unsecured loan
Key to Hillary’s decision to avail of a Cultivate loan was the fact that the loan was unsecured, making it much more accessible.
“With the Cultivate Loan they offer unsecured lending, so that helps someone like me who’s only a part-time farmer,” Hillary said.
Cultivate loans are unsecured and there is no need to be an existing credit union member to avail of a loan.
Farmers can sign up in their local participating credit union office and be eligible to apply for a Cultivate loan immediately. The average Cultivate loan application from farmers for 2023 was for €32,841.
Cultivate loans are used by farmers like Hillary for a wide range of key on-farm activities including:
Stocking or working capital (30%).
Upgrading farm buildings and facilities (23%).
Purchasing farm equipment (17%).
These loan purposes underline the importance farmers are placing on investing in their farms, while also highlighting the ongoing pressures facing farmers due to rising input costs.
Cultivate loans are offered by almost 170 credit union locations in Ireland. A full list of participating credit unions is available here.
Why farmers are choosing Cultivate farming loans
Farmers do not need to be an existing credit union member to apply for a loan.
Unsecured funding of up to €75,000 over 10 years.
Quick and easy application process.
Competitive interest rates tailored for the farming sector.
Flexible repayment plans that make sense for the farmer.
Personal service - the credit union will deal directly with the farmer’s accountants.
Loan protection insurance is provided at no extra cost. If the borrower dies, the loan is cleared (subject to terms and conditions, age and health restrictions).
No penalties for early repayment.
No transaction, administration or set-up costs.
National Cultivate Week 8-14 April
Following on from last year’s success, National Cultivate Week is back and will take place from 8 to 14 April 2024.
National Cultivate Week brings together credit unions and their members to celebrate farmers and the contribution they make to local communities.
On Thursday 11 April, Cultivate will host a live virtual event which brings together an exciting panel of experts to give viewers insights on what lies ahead for farming in 2024.
The webinar - 'Cultivate Conversations: Farming in 2024' - will be livestreamed on www.cultivate-cu.ie and across Cultivate’s social media channels.
Speakers include Karina Pierce, professor of dairy production UCD; Philip O’Connor, head of farm support ifac; Adam Woods, deputy editor Irish Farmers Journal; and Joe Healy, Cultivate chair and former IFA president.
Farmers are encouraged to visit their local Cultivate credit union during National Cultivate Week to find out more about Cultivate’s personal service, quick loan approval and competitive rates.
Loans are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating, which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. The cost of your repayments may increase. Credit unions in Ireland are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Hillary Courtney is a part-time beef farmer who was like many farmers throughout Ireland.
She was looking at ways to improve her farm, but was hampered by access to farmer-friendly finance.
That’s when she decided to reach out to her local credit union for a Cultivate loan.
Hillary wanted to improve the housing for her cattle on her farm, so with her Cultivate loan, she has invested in a new slatted unit to house her cattle over the winter, while also having the opportunity to add on to other sheds and improve her handling facilities.
Cultivate is an initiative created by a group of 53 credit unions to provide short- to medium-term loan finance built specifically around the growing needs of Irish farmers.
It is a farmer-friendly finance option for farmers seeking unsecured funding up to €75,000 for up to 10 years. Cultivate loans are available from almost 170 credit union offices nationwide.
To help Hillary develop her beef enterprise, she turned to her local credit union and applied for a Cultivate loan - the result of which has been an easier life not just for Hillary, but also her livestock.
“Even for the cattle, it was the best thing we have ever done really,” Hillary said.
Having gone through the full process of applying and securing a Cultivate loan, Hillary’s words of advice reflect a very positive experience of dealing with Cultivate.
“Go and talk to them. They’ll help you in every way they can and that’s so important for anyone,” she said.
Unsecured loan
Key to Hillary’s decision to avail of a Cultivate loan was the fact that the loan was unsecured, making it much more accessible.
“With the Cultivate Loan they offer unsecured lending, so that helps someone like me who’s only a part-time farmer,” Hillary said.
Cultivate loans are unsecured and there is no need to be an existing credit union member to avail of a loan.
Farmers can sign up in their local participating credit union office and be eligible to apply for a Cultivate loan immediately. The average Cultivate loan application from farmers for 2023 was for €32,841.
Cultivate loans are used by farmers like Hillary for a wide range of key on-farm activities including:
Stocking or working capital (30%).
Upgrading farm buildings and facilities (23%).
Purchasing farm equipment (17%).
These loan purposes underline the importance farmers are placing on investing in their farms, while also highlighting the ongoing pressures facing farmers due to rising input costs.
Cultivate loans are offered by almost 170 credit union locations in Ireland. A full list of participating credit unions is available here.
Why farmers are choosing Cultivate farming loans
Farmers do not need to be an existing credit union member to apply for a loan.
Unsecured funding of up to €75,000 over 10 years.
Quick and easy application process.
Competitive interest rates tailored for the farming sector.
Flexible repayment plans that make sense for the farmer.
Personal service - the credit union will deal directly with the farmer’s accountants.
Loan protection insurance is provided at no extra cost. If the borrower dies, the loan is cleared (subject to terms and conditions, age and health restrictions).
No penalties for early repayment.
No transaction, administration or set-up costs.
National Cultivate Week 8-14 April
Following on from last year’s success, National Cultivate Week is back and will take place from 8 to 14 April 2024.
National Cultivate Week brings together credit unions and their members to celebrate farmers and the contribution they make to local communities.
On Thursday 11 April, Cultivate will host a live virtual event which brings together an exciting panel of experts to give viewers insights on what lies ahead for farming in 2024.
The webinar - 'Cultivate Conversations: Farming in 2024' - will be livestreamed on www.cultivate-cu.ie and across Cultivate’s social media channels.
Speakers include Karina Pierce, professor of dairy production UCD; Philip O’Connor, head of farm support ifac; Adam Woods, deputy editor Irish Farmers Journal; and Joe Healy, Cultivate chair and former IFA president.
Farmers are encouraged to visit their local Cultivate credit union during National Cultivate Week to find out more about Cultivate’s personal service, quick loan approval and competitive rates.
Loans are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating, which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. The cost of your repayments may increase. Credit unions in Ireland are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
As Nofence makes its mark in Ireland, pioneering farmers are using virtual fences to bring flexibility and peace of mind to livestock management across diverse landscapes and purposes.
AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB and the credit unions made presentations at a meeting for farmers who want to transfer merchant/co-op and contractor debt into structured bank credit.
He is meeting a number of stakeholders in the sector ahead of a meeting of the agriculture committee in Brussels on 4 September.
Save to a collection
Recent collections
This article has already been saved
This article has been saved
Create a collection
Subscriber only
This content is available to digital subscribers only. Sign in to your account or subscribe for just €1 to get unlimited access for 30 days.SIGN INSUBSCRIBE FOR €1