Do you work with partnerships and limited companies?

Yes, we can support established limited companies, LLPs, and partnerships. We do not currently support sole traders or start-ups.

Can repayments be seasonal to match farm cash flow?

Many providers offer seasonal, stepped, or quarterly repayment profiles aligned to milk cheques or harvest periods, subject to eligibility and product terms.

How do I start the process?

Complete a Quick Quote on our site. Our AI will match your farm’s needs with suitable lenders or brokers so you can compare transparent proposals with no obligation.

Do you support funding for milking parlours, irrigation, and precision ag tech?

Q: Do you support robotic milking finance?

Yes. We can introduce providers for robotic milking systems, including AMRs, feeders, and integrated software, typically via hire purchase or leasing aligned to asset life.

Q: Can irrigation projects with civil works be funded?

Equipment is usually fundable, while enabling works may require separate facilities or a blended structure. Larger schemes commonly use staged drawdowns and milestone payments.

Q: Is software-only precision ag tech eligible for finance?

Hardware is more straightforward; software licences and subscriptions may be supported through unsecured facilities or bundled where essential to the equipment.

Yes — we help UK farms find funding for milking parlours, irrigation systems, and precision agriculture technology

In short: yes. Best Business Loans helps established UK farming businesses connect with suitable lenders and brokers for funding of milking parlours, irrigation infrastructure, and precision ag technology. We’re an independent introducer — not a lender — and our AI-powered platform matches your requirements with relevant finance providers active in agriculture.

Common routes include asset finance (hire purchase and finance lease), equipment loans, refinance of existing machinery, and working capital facilities aligned to seasonal farm cash flows. Many providers can structure repayments to suit milk cheque cycles, harvest windows, or staged project timelines.

We can introduce you to providers for dairy parlour upgrades and robotic milking, boreholes and pump sets, drip and pivot irrigation, variable-rate tech, GPS/RTK guidance, yield mapping, on-farm sensors, and farm management software. Credit is subject to status and eligibility; we don’t serve start-ups or sole traders.

Our process is fast and straightforward. Submit a Quick Quote, our system analyses your brief, and we connect you with matched lenders or brokers so you can compare options. You stay in control and decide what’s best for your farm and cash flow.

If you operate a limited company, LLP, or partnership and want tailored farm finance options, start with our agriculture page: Farming loans and agricultural finance support. It’s free to enquire and there’s no obligation to proceed.

How the funding works for UK farms: options, structures, and steps

What funding options are available?

Most agricultural equipment and technology can be funded via hire purchase (HP) or finance lease. HP suits ownership at the end of term; leases favour lower initial costs and potential tax treatment benefits. Unsecured loans and revolving facilities can support software, sensors, installation, or ancillary works.

Providers may fund from c. £10,000 up to multi-million-pound projects, with terms typically 1–7 years depending on asset life. Residual/balloon structures, VAT deferrals, and seasonal or stepped profiles are often available for farming cash flow.

Refinance (sale-and-leaseback) can release equity from unencumbered equipment to fund new investments. Some lenders support staged drawdowns aligned to installation milestones for larger parlour or irrigation schemes.

How does the process work?

Step 1: Complete our Quick Quote, outlining your farm, the asset or project, and estimated budget. Step 2: Our AI matches you with relevant providers experienced in agricultural finance. Step 3: You’ll hear from suitable lenders/brokers to discuss terms, eligibility, and documentation.

Step 4: You compare proposals, considering total cost, repayments, fees, and ownership outcomes. Step 5: If you proceed, the provider completes checks and pays suppliers directly or releases funds under the agreed structure. Typical timescales can be a few days for standard assets, longer for complex installs.

We do not provide advice; we introduce you to professionals who will explain their products, charges, and terms. You should seek independent advice if you’re unsure which option is right for your circumstances.

Helpful repayment features for farms

Seasonal or quarterly payments aligned to milk cheques or harvest periods
VAT-only deferrals and initial low payments for cash flow management
Balloon/residual values to reduce monthly outlay (HP/lease dependent)
Staged funding for multi-phase irrigation or parlour builds
Refinance of existing kit to unlock capital for precision tech upgrades

What we can help you finance: dairy parlours, irrigation, and precision agriculture

Milking parlours and dairy automation

Funding is commonly available for rotary and herringbone parlours, robotic milking systems (AMRs), and parlour retrofits. Eligible components often include milk tanks, plate coolers, heat recovery, feeders, auto ID, group-handling gates, and parlour control systems.

Providers may fund installation, commissioning, and ancillary works if covered by supplier invoices and within asset-based criteria. Where building works are significant, blended solutions can combine asset finance for equipment with separate facilities for enabling works.

Improved milk throughput, labour efficiency, and udder health outcomes can support the business case — though individual results vary and are not guaranteed. Lenders will focus on affordability and the asset’s useful life.

Examples of eligible dairy assets

Robotic milking units, feeders, and auto-scrapers
Milk cooling, bulk tanks, plate coolers, and heat recovery
Parlour control, auto ID, sensor sets, and software

Irrigation and water infrastructure

Asset finance can support pumps, filtration, drip and sprinkler systems, pivots, pipework, and telemetry. Borehole drilling and power supplies may be fundable via project or equipment facilities, depending on scope and security.

Some providers consider reservoirs, fertigation units, VSDs, and energy-saving upgrades tied to irrigation. Environmental permissions and supplier quotations help underwriting and timeline planning.

Water efficiency, yield stability, and drought resilience often underpin the investment rationale. Structures can be staged to align with seasonal installation and testing windows.

Examples of eligible irrigation items

Pivots, laterals, and drip lines
Pumps, motors, filters, and controllers
Telemetry, moisture probes, and flow monitoring

Precision ag technology and farm data platforms

Providers increasingly fund GPS/RTK guidance, variable-rate control, yield monitors, section control, and ISOBUS upgrades. Sensors for soil, crop, livestock, and environmental data can also be included, along with compatible software.

Drones, autonomous field tools, camera-based weeders, and in-cab terminals may qualify under equipment finance paths. Where the mix is hardware plus subscriptions, lenders may split funding between capital items and short-term facilities.

Precision tech can cut inputs and emissions while improving consistency and traceability, but savings depend on farm practice and adoption. Lenders weigh asset durability, supplier quality, and the farm’s track record.

Examples of eligible precision ag tech

GPS/RTK kits, autosteer, and section control upgrades
Variable-rate controllers, yield mapping, and data platforms
Sensors, drones, vision systems, and autonomous implements

Eligibility, costs, documents, and timelines

Who can we help?

We primarily support established UK businesses structured as limited companies, LLPs, or partnerships. Unfortunately, we’re not currently able to support start-ups or sole traders.

Farms should typically have at least 12 months’ trading and be able to evidence affordability. Providers will consider credit history, existing commitments, and the strength of the asset being funded.

Sector familiarity helps — many of our partners actively lend to dairy, arable, vegetables, horticulture, and mixed enterprises. If your farm sits outside these, we can still assess via our Quick Quote.

What does it cost?

Rates depend on the asset, term, deposit, credit profile, and market conditions. Asset-backed facilities may offer more competitive pricing than unsecured loans, but every case is assessed individually.

Expect providers to share an overall cost, interest rate or rental profile, fees, and ownership outcomes. You should compare total cost over term and cash flow impact rather than headline rates alone.

We don’t guarantee the lowest rate — our goal is to connect you with relevant providers offering fair, transparent terms. You are free to proceed only if you’re comfortable with the proposal.

How long does approval take?

Standard equipment deals can be assessed quickly once documents are supplied, sometimes within 48–72 hours. Complex multi-vendor projects, new-to-bank relationships, or large-ticket assets may take longer.

Having quotes, permissions, and site plans ready can accelerate underwriting, especially for irrigation and parlour builds. Where staged funding is needed, time is built in for inspections and supplier milestones.

We’ll aim to introduce you to providers who match your timeline and procurement plan. Clear communication with suppliers helps keep everyone aligned.

Documents checklist

Supplier quotes/invoices and equipment specifications
Latest filed accounts and recent management figures
Bank statements (usually 3–6 months) and VAT returns
Proof of ID/ownership structure; asset list if refinancing
Permissions or plans for irrigation/boreholes where applicable

Responsible information, FAQs, and next steps

Clear, fair, and not misleading

Best Business Loans is an independent introducer. We don’t provide loans directly or offer financial advice, and we don’t charge you for submitting an enquiry on our site.

If you choose to proceed, your chosen lender or broker will explain product terms, fees, and obligations. Credit is subject to status, eligibility, and affordability checks; rates and terms vary by provider and market conditions.

We encourage you to seek independent professional advice where appropriate. Always consider total cost of finance and the potential impact on your farm’s cash flow.

Grants and blended funding

Some farms use grants such as the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) or support under environmental schemes alongside commercial finance. Providers can often accommodate grants through staged payments or reduced cash contributions.

Grant eligibility and availability change over time; check official sources and deadlines. Commercial funding is separate and subject to its own terms and approval.

FAQs

Do you support robotic milking finance? Yes — we can introduce providers for robotic systems, including AMRs, feeders, and integrated software. Structures typically use hire purchase or leasing aligned to the equipment’s life.

Can irrigation projects with civil works be funded? Equipment is usually fundable; enabling works may require separate facilities or a blended approach. Staged drawdowns and milestone payments are common for larger schemes.

Is software-only precision tech eligible? Hardware is more straightforward to fund; software licences and subscriptions may be supported through unsecured facilities. Some lenders bundle software when it’s essential to the equipment.

What if I’m a partnership? Partnerships can be considered; however, we’re not able to support sole traders at this time. Submit a Quick Quote and we’ll confirm possible options.

Can you help with seasonal repayments? Many providers offer seasonal, stepped, or quarterly profiles to match milk or harvest cycles. This can ease cash flow without extending total cost unnecessarily.

How do I get started? Complete our Quick Quote and our AI will match you with suitable providers. You’ll compare proposals and decide whether to proceed — with no obligation.

Next steps

Ready to explore funding for your parlour, irrigation, or precision tech? It only takes a couple of minutes to begin. Share your details and required budget and we’ll connect you with relevant providers.

[Get Your Free Quick Quote Now] or learn more on our dedicated agriculture page: Agriculture and farming loans. Your information is handled securely and confidentially.

Updated October 2025. Content is for general information only and may change without notice.

Key takeaways

We support funding journeys for milking parlours, irrigation, and precision ag tech by introducing you to suitable UK providers.
Options include HP, leases, unsecured loans, refinance, and seasonal repayment profiles tailored to farm cash flow.
Eligibility, costs, and timelines vary; proposals are transparent and subject to status and affordability checks.
Grants can sometimes be combined with commercial finance through staged or blended structures.
Start with a Quick Quote to get matched and compare offers with no obligation.

Author

Prepared by: Agriculture Finance Content Team, BestBusinessLoans.ai. We specialise in connecting established UK farms with suitable commercial finance providers for equipment, vehicles, and technology investments.

Best Business Loans acts as an independent introducer. We do not provide loans or financial advice. All enquiries are subject to provider eligibility and credit checks.