HSBC UK has confirmed its sponsorship of EDF Congress Chester 2026, supporting the event's focus on 'new challenges new opportunities' in the dairy industry.

As part of the programme, HSBC UK Agriculture will deliver a practical workshop, "Financing Dairies' Future", designed to help dairy farmers and industry stakeholders link climate and operational risks to investable actions and the right funding structures.

HSBC UK Agriculture supports the sector and is one of the biggest suppliers of bank finance to the agricultural sector and to dairy industry.

Analysis from the bank shows that over the last two years, HSBC UK Agriculture has built a picture of the weather events being reported by customers and the resulting impacts on production.

When a weather event is reported, HSBC UK Agriculture assesses the potential impact on the farm's asset or production value and how the farm is mitigating the risk.

The analysis has shown extreme rainfall "leads the way", with extreme heat, drought and storm/high winds all on the rise between 2024 and 2025.

Steve Dunkley, Regional Agriculture Director (North of England), HSBC UK, said:

"We're using the workshop to help farmers turn those risks into a practical plan and a finance structure that keeps the business cashflow-safe in a bad year.

"Dairy farming is a long-term business — strong cashflow planning and the right investment can help build resilience.  From working capital to long-term finance, the right funding structure can help dairy farms invest in productivity and manage volatility."

Geraint May, Regional Agriculture Director (Midlands & Wales), HSBC UK, added:

"We're delighted to sponsor the event and to be a key supporter and financier of the dairy industry. We are looking forward to a great three days of discussion and debate."

The workshop will cover:

• How to structure finance to match the asset life and protect cashflow when milk price and input costs move quickly
• Key facility types including long-term loans (10–20+ years) for infrastructure, asset finance (3–7 years) for machinery (and sometimes robots), and working capital for seasonal needs
• Practical exercises on climate "pinch points" (hot weeks and wet weeks), action planning, and quick ROI logic to compare options and funding choices
• A resilience checklist, including stress-testing worst cash months, maintaining headroom, and planning for downside scenarios