Sustainability-linked loans now available to over a third of Irish dairy farmers

Dairygold has announced a new partnership with Bank of Ireland to offer the Enviroflex loan package to Dairygold Milk Suppliers. Now available to over a third of all Irish dairy farmers, Enviroflex is designed to support Dairygold Milk Suppliers who are actively engaged in implementing environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce their farms’ environmental footprint.

A sustainability-linked loan first launched in November 2023, Enviroflex has already proven popular with dairy farmers, with discounted flexible finance provided to farmers conducting milking parlour upgrades, installing wastewater and slurry storage facilities and investing in renewable and solar technologies.

As the leading lender to Ireland’s agriculture industry with over 82,000 farm customers on its books, it also furthers Bank of Ireland’s ambition of providing a range of sustainable finance products that are carefully designed to help make real, impactful changes.

Eligible applicants must be a member of Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited and be a participant of the Dairygold Grassroots Sustainability Programme. Applicants will be required to provide evidence of participation in the Grassroots programme and will need to agree to provide Bank of Ireland with the carbon footprint of their farm.

General Manager, Dairygold Agri Business Liam O’Flaherty said: “This agreement with Bank of Ireland is another example of the range of supports Dairygold has introduced to enhance our Milk Suppliers farm’s sustainability. We will continue to work with our Milk Suppliers to make the transition to more sustainable farming easier for all involved. Working together with our stakeholders, including Milk Suppliers, Members, Customers and Banks is crucial for us to meet our sustainability targets and make the future of farming more sustainable.”

John Fitzgerald, Bank of Ireland Agri Development Manager “We are delighted with the strong response to Enviroflex since its launch, with farmers accessing it to improve cashflow and finance on-farm developments over a longer period, and we look forward to making this product available to more farmers across the agriculture industry in 2024. Bank of Ireland is the leading lender to Ireland’s agriculture industry and plays a key role in supporting the sector’s transition to lowering its environmental footprint. We welcome Dairygold Milk Suppliers to the Enviroflex scheme, now available to over a third of all Irish dairy farmers.”

Enviroflex is part of Dairygold’s long-standing commitment to working closely with Milk Suppliers to promote the adoption of best practices in various aspects of dairy farming, including quality milk production, financial management, and sustainability.

Financing Package Details:

• The loan amount can range from a minimum of €10,000 to a maximum of €500,000.
• The interest rate is variable and is currently at a discounted market rate of 5.03% per annum, for those participating in the Dairygold Grassroots Sustainability Programme.
• Typically, unsecured loans are available for up to €120,000.
• Standard term of 7 years.