UK farmers are set to benefit from a practical sustainability service and discounted lending as Lloyds Bank increases its support for the agriculture sector. The bank is working with the Soil Association to pilot a new service – called the Soil Association Exchange (‘the Exchange’). The scheme is designed to help British farmers accelerate their […]
Today, Barclays announces a three-year partnership with Oxford University’s Sustainable Finance Group (OxSFG) and the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (CGFI). This first of its kind project will meet the urgent need to generate better emissions data and establish decarbonisation pathways which would enable Barclays and other financial institutions to support clients in […]
Future funding certainty is critical to British livestock farmers as they consider increased investment in technologies that have the potential to cut food costs, improve productivity and boost growth, a think tank warns today. As the government mulls changes to agricultural funding and regulation to increase economic growth, the Social Market Foundation says that ‘precision […]
Oxbury Bank – the UK’s first and only AgTech bank – has secured £25m in Tier 2 capital funding, with the investment made by British Business Investments, a wholly-owned commercial subsidiary of the British Business Bank. British Business Investments aims to increase the supply and diversity of finance for smaller businesses across the UK by […]
According to the review, during H1 the transactional market saw the largest uplift in activity in recent years (excluding Wyevale). The five key trends driving interest in the market include: The positive performance of garden centres during the pandemic Investors favouring businesses with an out-of-town shopping model Strong underlying land values Lifestyle buyers being attracted […]
Agricultural price index shows fertiliser costs were already the biggest contributor to rocketing farm input prices. Farm input costs rose a record 33.1% in the year to June 2022 as rising energy prices set costs soaring. The closure of ammonia production by CF Fertilisers raises fresh worries about rising costs and potential livestock culls. The […]
NatWest Group, the UK’s biggest bank for business with 40,000 agriculture customers, has today confirmed an additional £1.25bn lending package to the UK farming community. This is to help it deal with a variety of cost pressures, and to aid them in making the transition to more sustainable practices. The announcement builds on an earlier […]
Virgin Money has launched a new £200m fund to support farmers in their transition to net zero, by offering lower cost loans that can be used to invest in changes which reduce on-farm emissions. The Agri E Fund is the first fund offered in the UK dedicated to supporting farmers with the investment and carbon […]
A record £1.3bn value in UK agri-tech deals was reached in 2021, showing sustained interest in technologies that offer solutions to the challenges of rising input costs, food security and environmental impacts. Behind the headlines is a strong pipeline of early-stage companies considering the best strategy for investment and the growing number of options for […]
Edinburgh-headquartered Rhizocore Technologies produces locally adapted mycorrhizal fungi to enhance tree-planting projects, a key measure in addressing carbon sequestration. The company’s specially developed fungal pellets are used when new saplings are planted helping accelerate woodland regeneration, improve forest productivity, and increase natural capital benefits. Rhizocore was founded by Toby Parkes, a biology graduate from the […]
