Hay & Forage Operations
Hay and forage producers depend on balers, swathers, rakes, and mowers that work hard through a short cutting window. We finance and refinance hay equipment.
The hay window is short and the weather doesn't negotiate. Three or four good cutting days in a row is what hay producers live for, and every piece of equipment has to be running for the whole stretch. A mower that goes down on the first day of a weather window isn't just a repair problem, it's a cutting that doesn't happen, and a lot of the year's revenue that gets pushed into a later slot that may not come together as cleanly.
We work with dedicated hay and forage producers, including alfalfa operations in the West, mixed grass hay operations in the Plains, and custom hay producers who put up hay for dairies, feedlots, and horse operations. The equipment in a hay operation, balers, swathers, rakes, mowers, and conditioners, represents a meaningful capital investment that makes sense to finance rather than cash-purchase.
Deal sizes in the hay equipment category typically run from $60,000 to $300,000 for major pieces. A large-square baler with an accumulator, a self-propelled windrower, or a new round baler on a busy custom hay operation each justify their own financing. We fund new and used machines and can work with seasonal payment schedules that fit the summer-cut, fall-paid timing of a forage business.
Hay and Forage Equipment We Finance
The equipment list for a forage operation is more concentrated than a row-crop fleet, but each piece carries significant value and the whole set has to work together to get hay from the field to the bale yard.
Balers. Balers are the piece that determines product. Large-square balers producing three-string or four-wire bales in the 800 to 2,000 pound range are the commercial hay standard for dairy and feedlot delivery. Round balers serve a wider range of operations. Both categories finance well. A new large-square baler with a stuffer and accumulator can run well into six figures, making it a natural fit for equipment financing.
Windrowers and swathers. Windrowers and swathers are the cutting machine in any hay operation. Self-propelled windrowers with wide draper headers can cut 20 to 30 feet in a single pass, dramatically increasing daily throughput. These machines hold value well and finance reliably, both new and used.
Mowers and conditioners. Mowers and conditioners including disc mowers, rotary mowers, and flail conditioners handle the cutting side of the hay operation when a pull-type setup is preferred over a self-propelled windrower. Combination mower-conditioners are common in alfalfa and alfalfa-grass operations where fast dry-down is important.
Forage harvesters. Operations that produce haylage or silage for dairy or cattle customers run forage harvesters that chop material in the field for direct hauling or blowing into upright silos or bunkers. These are major capital items that typically require dedicated financing.
Rakes and tedders. Rakes and tedders that accelerate drying are part of most alfalfa operations in the West. While they typically represent smaller individual purchases, they're often included in financing packages with larger items.
Farm Operations
Agribusiness & Co-Ops
Agribusinesses and agricultural co-ops run equipment that serves both their own operations and their member producers. We finance and.
Cotton Farms
Cotton producers carry some of the highest per-acre equipment costs in American agriculture. We finance and refinance pickers, strippers.
Farm Equipment Dealers
Farm equipment dealers can offer customers alternative financing paths through us when manufacturer finance doesn't fit. We work with.
Getting Financed for Hay Equipment
Hay and forage equipment financing follows the same basic path as other farm equipment. The application is the starting point, and for most deals costing on the order of $100k to $400k, the application plus three months of bank statements moves through review quickly.
Application-only financing is available for smaller hay equipment purchases, typically costing on the order of $50k to $150k, where the credit picture is clear and the transaction is straightforward. This is often the fastest path for producers who need a baler or mower in the ground before the first cutting.
Funding from a complete application typically takes one to two weeks. For a producer who needs equipment ready for the first cutting in late April or May, getting the application in before the season is the right move. Waiting until the equipment is needed creates a timeline problem.
Used hay equipment from private sellers and equipment dealers both qualify. A good used large-square baler with known service history is a legitimate financing target. The machine's condition and the remaining useful life factor into the review, but we've financed a lot of used hay iron over the years and understand what makes a solid asset.
Farm Refinance Questions
They can be financed together as a package. Bundling related hay equipment into a single deal is usually simpler and can be more efficient. We'll structure it whichever way makes the most sense.
Yes. Seasonal payment structures are available. For a custom operation with most income from May through August, we can arrange heavier payments during those months and lighter ones in the off-season when cash isn't coming in.
There's no hard cutoff, but we evaluate the machine's condition and expected remaining life as part of the review. A well-maintained older baler can still qualify. The age, condition, service records, and asking price relative to market value all factor in.
Yes, if the total package meets the minimum deal size and it makes sense as a combined transaction. Bundling smaller implements with larger machines is a common approach.
Yes. A sale-leaseback on a paid-off baler converts the equity to cash while the machine stays in your operation. The terms and the amount depend on the machine's value and condition.
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