Dollars In The Dirt

By Seasoned Finance

Welcome to Dollars in the Dirt with Brecken Curtis, the no-BS podcast for Australian farmers and graziers who want to grow their operations and build real wealth. Hosted by Brecken Curtis, Award Winni... more

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FAQs about Dollars In The Dirt:

How many episodes does Dollars In The Dirt have?

The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.

Dollars In The Dirt episodes:

March 19, 2026 #011 - Reacting to HIDDEN Finance Traps in Farming
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies, book a free consultation 👉 https://outlook.office.com/book/[email protected]/?ismsaljsauthenabled
In this episode, Brecken reacts to viral farming and banking clips and breaks down why so many operators feel stuck with high costs, confusing bank decisions and machinery repayments that quietly choke their borrowing power. He also unpacks why some banks can’t explain livestock lending, how branch closures are affecting rural Australia, and why the ATO’s benchmark interest rate is catching people out.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:35 - Understanding Bank Loans for Farmers
00:01:55 - The Importance of Specialized Banking Knowledge
00:02:54 - Managing Machinery Loans
00:03:31 - How Banks Operate
00:05:29 - Navigating Bank Deals for Agricultural Businesses
00:06:09 - ATO Benchmark Interest Rates Explained
00:07:17 - Farmland Investment Insights
00:08:15 - Preparing for Farm Expansion Opportunities

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
9min
March 17, 2026 #010 - Explaining Farming Loans Like You’re 5 Years Old
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies, book a free consultation 👉 https://outlook.office.com/book/[email protected]/?ismsaljsauthenabled
In this episode, Brecken breaks down farm finance using the simplest framework possible. No jargon, no formulas, just the three buckets every bank uses to decide whether they’ll lend to you.
This episode covers:
◼️ How banks assess the value of your land and set LVR
◼️ What serviceability really means in plain English
◼️ Why your reputation and track record matter more than you think

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:03 - Bucket 1
00:02:49 - Importance of Loan to Valuation Ratio (LVR)
00:03:20 - Bucket 2
00:04:45 - Understanding Serviceability
00:06:50 - Bucket 3
00:08:34 - Recap of the Three Buckets

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
10min
March 11, 2026 #009 - I Audited 100 Farm Loans. 92 of Them Were Making This One Mistake.
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
In this episode, Brecken shares what he uncovered after auditing more than 100 farm loan structures across Queensland. These were strong, profitable operations, yet most were unknowingly set up in a way that quietly drained thousands each year and handed control to the bank.
This episode covers:
◼️ The loan structure pattern Brecken kept seeing in 92 out of 100 farms
◼️ How mixed‑purpose debt hides the real cost of running a business
◼️ Why banks prefer the setup most farmers are unknowingly using

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:03 - The Universal Mistake in Debt Structuring
00:02:49 - The Overdraft Trap
00:03:43 - Real-Life Example: Dan's Restructuring
00:04:04 - Identifying the Mistake in Your Finances
00:04:49 - The Solution: Structuring Your Debt
00:06:00 - Steps to Fix Your Debt Structure
00:07:26 - Taking Control of Your Financial Future

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
...more
9min
March 06, 2026 #008 - How To Know When It’s Time To Buy More Land
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Buying more land isn’t about ego or collecting assets, it’s about scale, stocking pressure, climate risk, and long‑term wealth. In this episode, Brecken breaks down viral farming videos and explains the real triggers that tell you it’s time to expand. From overstocked paddocks to financing improvements the smart way, this episode shows why the best operators keep positioning themselves for the next property.
Key points
◼️ Why stocking pressure often forces the next land purchase
◼️ How financing improvements (instead of paying cash) frees capital for growth
◼️ Why top operators diversify land across regions to manage climate risk

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:53 - Evaluating Farm Animal Growth
00:01:13 - Buying the Next Farm
00:01:24 - Financing Farm Improvements
00:01:55 - Season Finance Advertisement
00:02:28 - Investing in Land
00:02:52 - Diversifying Geographical Locations
00:03:18 - What Makes You Rich?
00:03:41 - Proven Strategies for Business Growth

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
...more
5min
March 04, 2026 #007 - Gina Rinehart is Selling 3 Queensland Cattle Stations. Here's Your Chance.
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
A sale of this size doesn’t just move one asset, it moves the entire market. When major operators reshuffle their portfolios, smaller high‑quality blocks start shifting, neighbours reposition, and land that hasn’t changed hands in decades suddenly becomes possible. In this episode, Brecken explains how these ripple effects work and why being acquisition ready is the difference between acting and missing out.
Key points:
◼️ Corporate sales trigger off‑market blocks sized for family farms
◼️ Portfolio reshuffles lift valuations and borrowing capacity
◼️ Neighbour sales unlock land that hasn’t moved in decades

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:31 - Understanding Market Dynamics
00:01:02 - The Ripple Effect of Major Sales
00:01:23 - Market Settlement: Portfolio Rebalancing
00:02:05 - Fragmentation Effect: Smaller Blocks for Family Farms
00:03:19 - The Neighbor Effect: Chain Reaction of Local Sales
00:03:50 - Being Acquisition Ready: Key Preparations
00:04:01 - Clarity on Financial Position
00:04:22 - Importance of Pre-Assessed Borrowing Capacity
00:05:15 - Strategic Planning for Expansion

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
7min
February 25, 2026 #006 - How to Get an Extra $1M From the Bank (Without Getting Screwed)
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Most farmers walk into their bank and get a number that’s far below their true potential. In this episode, Brecken breaks down why banks lend on policy, not loyalty, and how the right structure, timing, and presentation can unlock hundreds of thousands, even millions, in extra borrowing capacity. You’ll learn the key loan drivers, the silent killers of your borrowing power, and why choosing the right bank matters more than you think.
You’ll hear:
◼️ Why banks lend on policy, not loyalty
◼️ The 3 Cs of credit and how they shape your borrowing power
◼️ How tax strategy can quietly destroy your capacity
◼️ Why timing, structure and clean numbers change everything
◼️ The hidden factors that separate a good deal from a great one

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:02 - The Importance of a Clear Plan
00:02:06 - Choosing the Right Bank
00:03:18 - Mapping Out Your Business Plan
00:04:30 - Understanding Key Loan Drivers
00:05:55 - The Impact of Tax Advice
00:06:58 - Loan to Valuation Ratios
00:08:00 - The Role of a Finance Broker
00:09:04 - Structuring Your Business for Success
00:10:06 - Bank Policies and Income Sources
00:11:00 - Silent Killers of Borrowing Power
00:12:56 - The Caution of Increased Debt
00:13:47 - The Challenge to Take Action

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
16min
February 19, 2026 #005 - I Compared 100 Bank Loans vs Broker Loans. The Difference Was Shocking
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Most farmers think going straight to their bank is the cheapest way to get a loan. But in this episode, Brecken breaks down why that belief is one of the most expensive mistakes in rural finance. From single‑policy limitations to inexperienced bankers, weakened relationships and missed opportunities, this episode exposes the hidden costs farmers never see when they skip a broker.
You’ll hear:
◼️ Why one bank means one policy and one outcome
◼️ How the wrong banker can kill a good deal
◼️ Why loyalty is costing farmers borrowing power
◼️ How brokers unlock deals banks never show you
◼️ The hidden risks of timing, sequencing and poor structuring

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:02 Hidden Cost 1: One Bank Means One Policy
00:01:56 How One Policy Limits Your Borrowing Power
00:04:26 The Decline of Experienced Rural Bankers
00:05:18 Hidden Cost 2: Loyalty Fails When Relationships Change
00:06:14 Constant Turnover of Bank Managers
00:08:46 Hidden Cost 3: Brokers Know People, Not Just Policies
00:09:42 Why the Right Banker Inside the Bank Matters
00:10:32 Hidden Cost 4: Banks Only Assess What’s In Front of Them
00:11:28 How Brokers Restructure and Sequence Deals
00:12:10 Why Poor Timing Reduces Future Borrowing Power

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
13min
February 17, 2026 #004 - The RBA Raised Rates (What It Means For Farmers)
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Every time the RBA moves, farmers panic. But the real impact isn’t in the headline rate. It’s in how your costs shift, how your debt behaves, and how prepared your business is when the pressure hits. In this episode, Brecken breaks down what the latest rate hike actually means for rural operations and why the farms that adapt early come out stronger.
You’ll hear:
◼️ How RBA rate hikes flow through to farm businesses
◼️ Why most farmers are paying more interest than they should
◼️ What matters more than the cash rate itself
◼️ How to build a business that survives any rate cycle

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:42 Why Farmers Panic When the RBA Moves
00:01:18 What Rate Hikes Actually Change
00:02:05 The Real Cost Farmers Should Watch
00:02:44 Why Most Farmers Overpay on Interest
00:03:21 How Debt Behaves When Rates Rise
00:03:58 What Matters More Than the Cash Rate
00:04:36 Building a Business That Survives Any Rate Cycle
00:05:22 Why Reviewing Loans Beats Watching the RBA

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-8716323aa/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
7min
February 11, 2026 #003 - 36% of Rural Banks Are GONE. Here's What That Actually Means For Your Farm
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Over a third of rural bank branches have disappeared since 2017, but the real threat isn’t the empty buildings. It’s the loss of your advocate, your leverage, and the relationship banking model farmers relied on for decades. In this new episode, Brecken Curtis breaks down what this shift actually means for your farm and why loyalty is now costing rural businesses money.
You’ll hear:
◼️ Why 36% branch closures changed rural finance permanently
◼️ How centralised credit teams replaced local decision makers
◼️ Why bank loyalty is costing farmers thousands
◼️ What farms must do to stay competitive in the new system

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:51 - Impact on Relationship Banking
00:01:12 - Translating Statistics into Reality
00:01:54 - Decline in Experienced Rural Bankers
00:02:37 - Centralized Teams and Their Limitations
00:03:09 - Loss of Knowledge and Hands-On Advice
00:03:29 - Real-Life Example: Challenges in Getting a Rural Loan
00:05:03 - The Myth of Bank Loyalty
00:05:41 - Bank@Post: A Stopgap Solution
00:09:05 - Broader Impact on Rural Communities
00:10:19 - Practical Realities for Farmers
00:11:21 - Adapting to the New Reality
00:12:03 - Competitive Advantage for Early Adopters

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-5b220161/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
...more
14min
February 05, 2026 #002 - Ag Finance Broker Reveals If Farmers Should Buy Land
Grow your agribusiness with expert finance strategies 👉 https://seasonedfinance.com.au
🔗 TAKE ACTION:
Book your call: https://seasonedfinance.com.au
Farmers are being sold the idea that playing it safe is smart, but the biggest operators are quietly doing the opposite. In this new episode, Brecken Curtis reacts to viral farming videos exposing how banks/ lenders hide costs behind so‑called 0% finance, breaks down why buying land remains the most powerful wealth builder in agriculture, and challenges the myths stopping farmers from expanding their operations.
You’ll discover:
◼️ Why land outperforms every other asset farmers can buy
◼️ How banks bury costs behind 0 percent finance deals
◼️ Why expanding your land base builds long‑term wealth
◼️ What viral farming videos get wrong about finance

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:16 - Financing a New Tractor
00:01:47 - Hidden Costs in Tractor Financing
00:02:08 - The Value of Buying Land
00:03:41 - Farmland Investments by Billionaires
00:04:12 - The Importance of Expanding Farmland
00:04:32 - The Role of Farming in the Australian Economy

Follow Brecken Curtis:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckenfinancebroker/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brecken-Curtis/61575665536876/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brecken_curtis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brecken-curtis-5b220161/
Seasoned Finance: https://seasonedfinance.com.au

...more
6min

FAQs about Dollars In The Dirt:

How many episodes does Dollars In The Dirt have?

The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.