Getting Interested in Rates

The holidays are over, the kids are back at school, and we are well and truly back into routine. As nice as breaks are, we often find that getting back into structure can feel more restful than the break itself. Farming rarely stops completely, so we hope you managed to drag everyone off the farm at least once, even if it was just for an hour. As someone who works from home, I know firsthand how important it is to step away from work and home from time to time.

We also have some exciting news in the office. Laura has officially completed her Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking. This doesn’t change our client experience day to day, but it does mean Laura can become an accredited broker, allowing for more efficient work behind the scenes. We will continue to work closely together as Laura builds further experience, but as many of you already know, she has become our equipment finance guru.

Out and About – What We’ve Been Up To This Month
This time of year is all about checking in. As a reminder we will be on both the Eyre Peninsula & the South East this month if you want to catch up in person let us know.

After a season that was a real mixed bag, we have been reviewing client facilities to make sure they are still working as intended. For some businesses, harvest results were strong. For others, conditions were tougher. Either way, now is the right time to identify where extra bank support may be needed, before pressure builds.

Laura has also been putting her analytics degree to good use. She has been providing deeper business performance reviews, including:
– Comparing individual businesses against standard bank ratios
– Benchmarking against GRDC top performing businesses
– Identifying where money is being spent and where efficiencies may exist

This service is available to all our clients. If you are curious to see how your business stacks up, please reach out.

Getting Interested in Rates

I’m sure most of you have seen the rate rise yesterday. We thought now was a good time to step back and look at interest rates as a whole.

• What can you control and what can’t you?
• What actually influences the rate your bank offers?
• How do banks make their pricing decisions?

Interest is one of the largest expenses on most farm balance sheets. You don’t need to be an expert, but having a basic understanding can make a real difference to long term outcomes. And if it’s something you don’t want to spend time thinking about, that’s exactly why we are here. We are always happy to talk it through and keep an eye on it for you.

Click Here: Getting Interested in Rates 

What’s Happening with Interest Rates?

The RBA met yesterday and have increased the cash rate by 0.25%. Banks are predicting:

• ANZ currently predicts the cash rate will remain steady
• CBA currently predicts the rate to hold steady
• NAB currently predicts a rise of another 0.25% in May
• Westpac currently predicts the cash rate will remain steady

“The best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” — John F Kennedy

Have a great day!!
Deb & Laura

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Latest News

Kick off your boots!
Fat Farmers are excited to be hosting a special Kick Off Ya Boots (KOYB) movie screening event on Saturday, 21st February 2026 at the Yorke Peninsula Field Days Silo Function Room in Paskeville. KOYB is a highly acclaimed dinner theatre production from Loxton, developed in partnership with ifarmwell, following the Conners, a farming family navigating drought, finances, succession and mental health challenges. The evening includes a screening of the professionally filmed 2024 production “This Farming Life”, with food available for purchase from Clunies Tennis Club and live music over dinner by local performer Tiff Reynolds. Doors open at 5pm, with the screening starting around 7pm. Tickets are $20 and available online via Humanitix.

Other shows:Fri 27 Mar 2026 – Kimba Town Hall Sat 28 Mar 2026 – Cleve Town Hall

Rebuilding the flock – shared discussion📍 Merriton SA | Wednesday 18 February
This event brings producers together to talk openly about rebuilding after tough seasons, what has worked, what hasn’t, and how people are planning for the future.

Digital Twins in Agriculture – virtual farming workshop
📍 Adelaide | 17 February
This workshop explores how digital twin technology can be used to model farms, simulate decisions and improve planning. While still emerging, these tools are increasingly relevant for larger or more complex operations looking to improve efficiency, risk management and long term planning.

Episode 3 – Livestock trade pressure from China
Recent reporting highlights renewed tariff pressure on Australian beef exports into China. For livestock producers, this is a reminder that access to key export markets can change quickly due to policy and geopolitical decisions that sit well outside farm gate control. While these impacts are uneven across regions and supply chains, they reinforce the importance of conservative forecasting, strong balance sheets, and flexibility in marketing and financing strategies.

Australian farmers adapting through trade disruption
In contrast, broader analysis shows many Australian farm businesses are adapting well to trade volatility. Diversification of export markets, strong global demand for food and fibre, and improved productivity have helped cushion the impact of trade disputes. The message here is not that risks are gone, but that resilient businesses with scale, flexibility, and good financial structure are often better placed to ride out external shocks.

From the Purvis AgriFinance Archives

As we settle back into routine and look ahead to the year, these past articles remain particularly relevant:

No pressure to change banks, just better options
A reminder that reviewing your finance doesn’t mean you have to move lenders. Often, better outcomes come from better structure and clearer communication.

Why a tough year doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate a better deal
One or two difficult seasons don’t erase a strong long term business. This piece explains how banks really assess performance and why it can still be worth asking the question.

Better bank relationships
With bank staff turnover continuing, this article looks at how to build resilience into your banking relationship so your business isn’t vulnerable to change.