Farmers do not have huge bank debts, but the major banks have pledged to be sympathetic and supportive of any hardship that may result from foot-and-mouth disease.
Leading banks in the UK have offered to suspend farmers' loan repayments for an initial three months to provide relief for those who may be facing bankruptcy. Requests for overdraft extensions and loan delays are also being granted.
Farmers there are estimated to have total debts of around £8 billion sterling.
In Ireland the biggest two banks, AIB and Bank of Ireland, together with the State-owned ACCbank, have the largest number of loans to farmers.
For AIB and Bank of Ireland these loans make up a very small part of their total loan book. ACC is the most exposed to financial problems in the sector.
AIB estimates that around #454 million (£358 million) or 3 per cent of its #15.1 billion loans in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Britain are to farmers. Bank of Ireland's total loans to the sector are slightly less at around 2 per cent of its loan book. At ACC, loans to farmers account for 22 per cent of its lending business, or #528 million.
If cases of foot-and-mouth disease are confirmed and financial pressures begin to grow, problems will initially be dealt with at a local level.
AIB has stated that it will deal sympathetically with customers who may find themselves in financial difficulties. It cites the recent problems among pig farmers, when loan repayments were rescheduled to help ease short-term financial pressures.
AIB tends to have more customers in Munster, but does not have a big exposure to beef farming.
Bank of Ireland said it continuously monitored its loan book and would take similar steps in response to changing circumstances. Neither bank is reviewing its loan book with a view to making provision for higher potential bad debts at the moment.
Ulster Bank, which has a relatively small number of loans to farmers, instructed staff last week not to visit farms for the time being.