Westpac NZ partners with Farm Focus to give businesses faster access to finance.

Farmers looking to grow their business can now access new lending faster and with less hassle, thanks to a partnership between Westpac NZ and rural professional services business Farm Focus.

Farm Focus customers, regardless of who they currently bank with, can now apply for lending directly via the Farm Focus platform.  A specialised Westpac Agri lender will review their financials and call back within 24 hours to discuss their options and begin a formal application process if the customer wants to proceed.

Westpac NZ Managing Director of Institutional and Business Banking Reuben Tucker says the new lending flow will help sharemilkers looking to step into farm ownership, contract milkers eyeing expansion and any farmers new to the financing process who want clear support and advice.

“We have a strong appetite to grow our Agri lending book to support New Zealand’s productive economy, but we know the lending process can seem daunting and time-consuming, especially for less experienced farmers looking to scale up their operations,” Mr Tucker says. 

“This partnership helps address those concerns and free up farmers to spend more time on their farm and less time on admin. They can securely share any financial information held on the Farm Focus platform with us via the webform, removing the need to print or download screeds of financial information to send between the two organisations.

“The online 5-step application is designed to be quick and easy for farmers to submit.  Once they do, one of our bankers will call them back to discuss their needs and how we can best support them.”

Westpac NZ’s standard eligibility criteria and lending criteria, terms and conditions apply to all applications.

Farm Focus CEO Marie-Claire Andrews says partnering with Westpac NZ is a natural extension of what Farm Focus has always been about.

“Farmers are time-poor and the last thing they want to be doing is chasing paperwork when they should be out on the farm. By bringing together Farm Focus’s financial data capabilities with Westpac’s Agri expertise, we’re making it genuinely easier for farmers to take the next step - whether that’s expanding their herd, stepping into ownership, or simply getting the right advice at the right time.”

Customers wanting to learn more can visit the Farm Focus activation at Westpac’s NZ tent, at site D120 at Fieldays, for more information.

ENDS

Media advisory: Farm Focus CEO Marie-Claire Andrews is available for interviews at Fieldays on Thursday 11 June from 8am - 10am and 11:30am – 4:00pm.

About Farm Focus

Farm Focus has been helping connect farmers with the tools, expertise and advice they need to grow for 45 years. With over 10,000 customers across the sheep, beef and dairy industries, Farm Focus brings together financial data, AI-powered insights and industry expertise to help farmers make better decisions and run more productive operations. By integrating with leading agri-business platforms and harnessing the latest advances in AI, Farm Focus is expanding the way it supports farmers in the today’s world - putting smarter, faster and more connected farm management within reach for everyone from sharemilkers to large-scale operators.