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How We Operate

No two farms are the same—so we offer flexible, tailored agreements to suit different needs. Explore the models we offer below:

Contract Farming Agreements (CFA)

Retain ownership while we provide the operational expertise.
You stay in control of your land and business decisions, while we handle the labour, machinery, and day-to-day operations. This is a great option if you want to stay involved without managing the workload yourself.

Stubble-to-Stubble

Straightforward, efficient, seasonal support.
We take responsibility for all operations from one harvest to the next. It’s ideal for those looking for reliable results without the administrative burden of a full agreement.

Farm Business Tenancy (FBT)

A secure, hassle-free rental model.
We lease your land and take full operational responsibility, providing you with a consistent rental income while we focus on performance and long-term soil health.

Hybrid CFA

Flexible solutions designed around your needs.
Combining elements of CFAs and FBTs, this model is custom-built to balance control, risk, and return—making it a great option for landowners with specific goals.

True Joint Venture Farming

Collaboration with independence.
Farmers come together to share machinery, labour, and knowledge while keeping control over cropping decisions and business direction. Each partner retains full ownership of their land and profit.

Why It Works

All our agreements are built on trust, open communication, and transparent performance.
With over 1500 acres currently under our care, we focus on sustainable growth, efficiency, and outcomes that work for everyone involved.

We are always looking for new partners so if you would like a private discussion to explore any of these opportunities then please get in touch.

FAQs

What is the difference between Joint Venture farming and Share farming?

JV farming is simpler to manage and you retain 100% of your farming profit. You are simply benefitting from reduced costs of operation.

What is the difference between Joint Venture farming and contracting out?

JV farming is a collaboration and everyone in the group is aligned with benefitting from economies of scale. Each member has more control over how operations are carried out and when. There is no profit taken out of the businesses.

Why Joint Venture farm instead of having an FBT?

An FBT is an arms length arrangement that results in you receiving a rent for someone else to carry out all the farming operations. If you enjoy farming (purchasing decisions, selling decisions & overseeing things) and don’t want to give up but want help with the farming operations then Joint Venture farming may be the solution for you.

How easy is it to get out of the Joint Venture?

Windmill Farming doesn’t require you to have shares in a separate business. You simply pay your quarterly invoices for any costs incurred. We do ask that you try and commit for three years and will ask you to sign a non legally binding contract to create some stability but it isn’t essential and if things aren’t working then we ask for a year’s notice to enable the season to be completed.

Are my family able to get involved?

Our main aim is to drive cost down for all members but depending on the size of the operation there may be the need for additional FT employees. There is always the need for seasonal employees as well and we welcome member’s existing team to get involved if they want to.

Is there any size limit on the amount of land I can introduce?

No. We believe the group should be at 1000+ hectares to benefit from the economies but this could made up of a number of smaller partners or fewer bigger partners. There are many other factors to consider and it’s worth a discussion before making a judgement on whether you feel you are the right fit or not?

Does it matter that I don’t own all my land?

No. You will introduce the land that you responsible for and the JV will then include it within it’s operations.

Can the amount of land I farm go up and down?

Yes this is fine. We invoice on a quarterly basis and reset the land being farmed once a quarter.

How does a Joint Venture affect by APR?

You are very much in control of your farming operations and therefore we believe your APR is protected. We are happy to discuss this with your advisors if required.

What does it cost to be a member?

There is no membership fee. You simply get charged for the machinery and labour that has been used to carry out the arable operation on your farm less any inputs that you have contributed. The Farm Manager will run through this with you and show you how it works.

What is the typical sort of profile for a JV member?

It can really vary. We are looking for people that want to collaborate, wish to retain control of their farming operations but don’t want to carry out the machinery operations or be responsible for the labour. This gives them an opportunity to generate extra time to focus on other things and reduces hassle for them of managing labour and machinery.

How would grants work?

They will be kept by the members who claim them, same as financing machinery – nothing to do with the other members.  Machinery that is introduced to the group is done at the invoice value or if it’s second hand then an agreed valuation between the JV parties. If there are any subsequent grants that are claimed for that machinery, then they would also go directly to the entity/individual that owns the machine.

Who gets the combine when it’s wet?

The JV operates on the principle of shared resources and costs. All land is treated as JV land, so if the combine is working, it’s for the benefit of the JV, whether on one member’s land or another’s. Grain drying costs are also shared, ensuring fairness if one member’s grain is harvested dry while another’s requires more drying.

Still have questions?

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