When it comes to running your own agribusiness, we know that industry know-how and strong connections are key.
That’s why we’d like to introduce you to one of BCU Bank’s agribusiness specialists, Relationship Manager Steven Anderson, from our Business Banking (Agribusiness) team in Lismore, NSW.
During his 30-year agribusiness career, Steven has previously worked for a leading regional and rural financial service, as well as two of the Big Four banks.
Steven’s story with BCU started 10 years ago and, in that time he has become known for his straightforward, no-nonsense approach, and intimate specialist knowledge of broadacre cropping, beef and dairy cattle, sugarcane, and macadamias industries.
We’re proud to have Steven as part of our business banking team, and we can’t wait to share more about him. So, we sat down with Steven to find out what makes him tick.
What makes agribusiness unique?
Growing up in Tumut, NSW, means Steven is well acquainted with farming, small-town life, primary production industries, and tight-knit communities.
“Agribusiness is the culmination of a lot of different industries, so you need to know a lot about all things primary production,” he said.
“From working with peak industry bodies, to machinery manufacturers and other service providers, we are able to draw from the connections we make in the community to help our customers grow their business.
“Customers are looking for someone who can listen to them and provide expert advice, who knows the industry, the jargon, and the different ways of doing things.”
Driven by an interest in agribusiness and a desire to help those in communities like the one he grew up in just made sense.
What are the biggest pressures businesses are currently expereriencing?
Steven understands that some of the biggest pressures for primary producers come from weather events, seasonal fluctuations, and inflation.
“Even though it was two years ago, we are still seeing the effects of the 2022 Lismore floods across many sectors, as people are still looking at the gaps in their cash flows,” he said.
“Many farmers also responded to dry season predictions for 2024 by destocking, resulting in a price drop for their cattle, before what turned out to be a very wet season.
“A lot of work in times like these happens behind the scenes, and it doesn’t really translate to a statistic for us as a business, but being by our customers sides during the good and the bad is the nature of our work.
“Farmgate prices are another pressure we see, where the price of their product pretty much collapsed overnight this time last year, like we saw recently in the macadamia industry.”
Our business banking team is here to support customers in navigating these often unpredictable and diverse challenges.
What advantages does BCU offer over larger banks?
The agribusiness team is all about helping you grow your business, using authentic industry know-how and strong local farming connections to tailor their service to your needs.
“While we do offer a range of competitive loans and terms of up to 25 years, going with the little guy provides advantages beyond our products,” Steven said.
“We don't have that high turnover like the big banks traditionally have had, where you have one relationship manager then suddenly, they're gone and you have to reeducate the next person.
“Our decision-making process – from credit to management – is all local, where at the bigger banks you have to send the loan application to a centralised team who won’t understand your needs.
“Our customers don’t have to explain in detail the basic information of the loan because the person on the other end actually understands the area we're talking about, or the industry itself, which is a huge advantage.”
Just the week prior to sitting down with us, Steven went to visit a customer, not to sell anything or to raise any issues, but to help them get to know their business banking team.
“It was a nice opportunity to say g'day so our customer could put faces to our names, and help them to feel comfortable enough to lean on us,” he said.
In one word, Steven describes the agribusiness team as ‘experienced’ – bringing together their combined years in the industry to provide quality service.
If you’d like to bank with a specialist agribusiness team that truly cares about your business goals and needs, get in touch with Steven via
Better business banking with BCU
BCU is a part of P&N Group, one of Australia’s largest customer-owned banking organisations, represented by BCU in New South Wales and south-east Queensland and P&N Bank in Western Australia.
As a customer-owned bank, our only shareholders are our members. Our purpose is to enrich the lives of our members and their communities.
We offer a range of products at competitive rates to help you take control of your future and grow your business, with personalised service from our experienced business banking team who understand your industry and your needs.