Chattel mortgage · Agriculture
Chattel mortgage for agriculture
Agricultural finance is lending structured around a single annual income event, using seasonal repayments, equipment finance for machinery and working capital that carries a farm from planting through to sale.
How a chattel mortgage works for agriculture
A chattel mortgage suits a farming business that intends to keep a machine for its full working life. You own the tractor or spray rig from settlement, claim the GST on the purchase in the relevant BAS, and depreciate the asset while deducting interest. For farms carrying variable income this ownership structure also means the machine sits on your balance sheet as equity you can borrow against later. Timing the purchase around the end of the financial year is worth a conversation with your accountant before you sign.
The cash-flow pattern we plan around
Costs spread across the growing season with income concentrated into a harvest, shearing or livestock sale window, sometimes only once a year.
What agriculture typically fund
- Tractors, headers and implements
- Irrigation and water infrastructure
- Seed, fertiliser and chemical before planting
- Livestock purchase and handling equipment
- Silos, sheds and on-farm storage
Chattel mortgage for agriculture: the numbers
| Typical amounts | $10,000 – $2,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Term | 12–84 months |
| Indicative rates | 6.9% – 14.5% p.a. |
| Repayments | Monthly (weekly or fortnightly available) |
| Speed | 24–48 hours for low-doc up to $150k; longer for full-doc |
| Documents agriculture usually need | ABN and land ownership or lease details · Two years of tax returns and financials · Machinery quote or livestock purchase details |
Rates shown are indicative ranges observed across our lender panel for the period stated. They are not an offer or quote. Your rate depends on your business, the lender, the amount, the term and the security offered. The lender makes the final credit decision.
Key terms
Agricultural equipment finance
Agricultural equipment finance is secured lending for farm machinery such as tractors, headers, sprayers and irrigation systems, commonly written over three to seven years with annual or seasonal repayments aligned to harvest income.
Seasonal repayment structure
A seasonal repayment structure is a loan schedule where repayments fall due when farm income arrives — annually after harvest or in set months — rather than in equal monthly instalments.
What is a chattel mortgage?
A chattel mortgage is a business loan used to buy a movable asset (a chattel) such as a ute, truck, excavator or equipment. The business takes ownership immediately and the lender registers a security interest over the asset until it is paid off.
Chattel mortgage balloon payment
A balloon is a lump sum, typically 0–40% of the purchase price, paid at the end of the term. It lowers regular repayments but must be paid, refinanced or covered by selling the asset when the term ends.