Fresh capital supports growth in livestock lending

Asset manager Real Asset Management (RAM) has partnered with specialist local lender Oxbury Agricultural Finance to provide up to $200 million in funding for its livestock finance portfolio.

The move will help helping expand access to practical finance for farmers across New Zealand, the two companies say.

Oxbury currently supports more than 400 Kiwi farmers and approximately 320,000 head of livestock.

Through the new partnership, it will help farmers access finance that reflects the seasonal nature of their businesses, enabling them to purchase and manage livestock, strengthen cash flow and invest with greater confidence.

Teaming up with RAM gives Oxbury the scale, certainty and funding depth to support more farmers, according to Executive Chair Symon Brewis-Weston.

"Together, we are building a long-term platform that is durable and genuinely aligned with the needs of New Zealand farmers."

The country’s food and fibre sector is a cornerstone of the economy, supporting regional communities and accounting for more than 80% of goods exports.

Farmers are central to the strength of the economy, and need dependable financing tailored to agricultural realities, says Scott Wehl, Director of RAM New Zealand.

"This transaction demonstrates how institutional capital, supported by strong sector expertise, can provide practical support to farmers and deliver tangible benefits to the real economy."

The capital is being deployed through the RAM NZ Credit Fund, which is an approved managed fund for the Growth category of the New Zealand Government’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) Visa programme.

Founded in 2010, RAM has offices in Auckland, Australia and Asia, with more than 250 finance professionals managing over $10 billion in assets.

RAM New Zealand is led by industry veterans including Norbert Bojarski and Neil Simons, and is supported by strong governance, disciplined credit underwriting and a robust risk framework.