UK Agricultural Finance (‘UKAF’), an SME lender for the rural and agricultural sector, has joined the Alternative Business Funding platform.

The move means UKAF can offer its expertise in rural finance to farmers and the rural economy across England, Scotland and Wales.

UKAF offers loans from £100,000 to £10m, over one to seven years, with a maximum LTV of 65%.

The organisation joined a select group of alternative finance firms on NatWest’s Capital Connections panel last year, becoming the 10th lender and first industry specialist on the panel..

Colin Pearce of Alternative Business Funding said: “Alternative Business Funding are really excited that UKAF has joined our panel, enabling us to extend our range and offer farmers even more specialist funding options, from a lender that is the established expert in this sector.”

Robert Suss, co-founder of UKAF, added: “Given the uncertainty of Brexit there is a continued drive to diversification in the rural community with an increase in the rural community looking at strategies to buffer the potential change in subsidies.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Alternative Business Funding platform as an enthusiastic supporter of farm diversification ABF gives us additional reach to providing farmers access to capital to diversify, sustain, grow and improve their businesses.”