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EXPERT ADVICE ON
agricultural Issues
McCracken Associates draw from a broad bank of expertise and knowledge from within the agricultural industry.
They strive to help you achieve the best possible ressults for your farm business.
FINAL ENTITLEMENT REPORT 2021
The final weeks of trading raised some serious issues
within the entitlement transfer resigme in N Ireland.
Working to a deadline is just that!! but having a deadline
directly after a weekend and a Bank holiday is just
sheer madness. (Livestock don`t recognise Bank Holidays!!)
We found many farmers frustrated and angry that they
were unable to get vital information to enable them to
complete transfers until hours beforehand.
We found once you got access to staff they were
extremely understanding and helpfull but some farmers
found it frustrating not being able to do so. The general
feeling is that it would have been helpful if some staff
could have been deployed on the Monday beforehand.
There is no doubt that DAERA offices being closed and
the ill timed closing date added to the frustration and
panic at the end.
That all being said this year queries were greatly increased
mainly by new applicants seeking direction and advice. Most of
their transfers have had to be completed on paper TE1 forms
which require more time and patience to be processed.
Last minute deals remained strong until the end of trading,
proving there is no advantage to leaving trading
to the last minute...
APRIL MARKET REPORT
Trading has been very busy early on this year with high value
Entitlements in good demand. Values are easily worked out as
all entitlements are paid in Sterling with the Greening added in.
Lower value Entitlements have been slow to move as more and
more entitlements filter out from National Reserve applications
leaving a weak market for low value lots. Prices range from a
50/50 split between lessor and lessee and a 60/40 split for lower
value entitlements. Sales have remained at face value mainly
because there have not been many lots forward in the market.
Speculation as to what happens next with regard to future payments
always affects the market, fireside lawers and pundits
have always had a field day when there is uncertainty.....
I always say be carefull what you wish for!!!
It would be helpfull though if we had some indication from
government as to how future support might look.
ENTITLEMENT CHANGES 2021
The Entitlement Register is due to be updated on 31st January.
All Entitlement values will be published in Pounds Sterling and
will include greening.
Overall the net value should remain the same as last year.
Dont be fooled by the headline
Entitlement Values Increased by 43.65%.
this is the previous years Greening added in.
SINGLE FARM PAYMENT 2021
BUYING OR SELLING Register your intrest now.
Large volumes traded in 2020 it is always adviseable
to trade early and ensure safe transfer.
Speak to Roy or Sharon.
02882841592/840340
80 ROUND BALES SILAGE FOR SALE
NEW RESEED GRASS
SAINTFIELD AREA
Silage bales for sale new reseed grass.
Contact auctioneers
Roy McCracken 02882841592/02882840340
S.F.P. NEWS
MINISTER POOTS ANNOUNCES REDUCED INSPECTIONS
Just announced because of Covid 19 restrictions
Basic Pament Inspections reduced from 3% to 1%
Greening inspections reduced from 5% to 3%
EFS Scheme inspections reduced from 10% to 5%
Good news in the light of how the industry has suffered this past few months.
Minister early payment of Basic Payment Scheme would also help !
Remember Bounce Back Loans are fine but the industry
needs to do more than just survive to pay them back !!!
COVID 19 £25M. COMPENSATION FUND ANNOUNCED
Details of the above fund are being drafted .
Beef, Dairy and Sheep farnmers will benefit most.
It is hoped payments will be on a per head or per litre basis
More details to follow
DROMARA
SILAGE FOR SALE
CHECK IN SALES ROOM
2 LOTS
_________________________________________________
ENTITLEMENT TRADING IS NOW OVER
MAKE SURE ALL DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED
TO THE OFFICE
We will continue to complete SAF forms
Deadline 15th May
Speak to Sharon
Tel. 02882841592/ 82840340
ENTITLEMENT TRADING 2020
TRANSFER DOESN`T STOP AT THE CLICK OF A BUTTON
Experience has taught us that the Transfer of Entitlements
doesn`t stop at the click of a button.
Mistakes can be made easily, and the consequences can be
brutal. In some cases large amounts of money need to change
hands safely. You need to know the rules of engagement, the
rules of establishment, as well as any cross compliance rules
prospective sellers of entitlements could be subject to.
What value of Entitlement will best suit your circumstance ?
it`s not always the most expensive that will yield the best return.
We advise on, and provide, a fully documented transfer service
which aims to protect both buyer and seller when the button is clicked!!
Contact
Roy or Sharon 02882 840340/841592
ENTITLEMENT TRADING 2020
ONE YEAR AT A TIME
Entitlement trading for 2020 starts 1st January. It now looks fairly
certain we will be leaving Europe by the end of January with
N Ireland being more closely aligned to Europe than mainland
Britain.
For N. Ireland farmers we are fairly certain Basic payment as we
know it, will still continue in a similar form this year and next year.
The only caveat would be if a trade deal cannot be agreed with
Europe and we crash out at the end of the year!!!! then we would
be dependant on the UK government replacing Basic Payment
with some other type of support.
This year Entitlement values will remain at 2019 levels with no
reduction or increase in the basic Euro value. This is due to the
absence of divolved government at Stormount.
Trading values this year will be dependant on the above factors.
If you require Entitlements for 2020 or have
Entitlements to sell or lease please contact the office
early in the new to register your interest.
Tel 02882840340/02882841592
SALE OF COMPLETE DAIRY HERD
130 DAIRY COWS JUST ON THE MARKET HOME SALE
Good High Yielding Long Established Commercial Herd
Details from auctioneers
Roy McCracken 02882841592/02882840340
4th Dec. 2019
__________________________________________________
MORE MONEY FOR FARMERS
Amidst the uncertainty created by Brexit some good news for
farmers has emerged. 2018 Financial Dicipline moneys are to
be paid out with 2019 December Direct Payment cheques.
While in most cases this amount will be small (1.36% of 2018 claim)
less 5% for cross compliance issues the news is welcome in times
of uncertainty.
For Direct Payment advice and likely trends into next year call us on
02882840340/02882841592
FARM SALES AND LETTINGS
THINKING OF SELLING OR LETTING LAND
We have a number of clients with available funds who
would like to purchase agricultural land. Please contact
Roy McCracken 02882841592/02882840340
FARM RURAL PAYMENTS;E.U. FUNDING
In 2019 EU funding for rural payment schemes including
Basic Payment Schemes will continue regardless of whether
the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawl deal.
________________________________________________________
ACTIVE FARMER STATUS/APPEALS
We have a number of farmers who have not met
active farmer status and are facing appeals.
For advice on all aspects and appeal preparation
speak to RoyMcCracken.
FOR SALE 2019 Crop
WASHED FODDERBEET
High Quality Can be delivered
Contact 02882841592/02882840340
ITS OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR
2nd May 2019 Marked the end of a very busy transfer season.
We found a massive rush at the end to transfer entitlements
with a number of lessors leaving it almost too late.
This is always high risk trading which can easily go wrong.
BUYER BEWARE
There has been a frantic run on Entitlement transfer as
farmers complete their SAF forms and realise their position.
High value Entitlements are still in good demand with a 50/50
split in gross earning capability.
There is evidence the market is loaded with low value entitlements
many of which may have been established through Regional Reserve
hand outs and now being used to generate cash "Cash Cow".!!!!
Buyer beware even though these entitlements can be transferred
they could be subject to scrutiny at a later date and may be
confiscated subject to proper examination of establishment rules.
Before you buy or lease it is important to ask how the entitlement
was established and why they are being leased or sold.
Our advice is don`t take risks !!! trade safe.
CHECK OUR SALES & LEASING LIST BELOW
FINAL 7 DAYS TRADING
Early starts and late nights seem to be the order of the day
as some farmers leave trading to the last minute!!
Late deals are often risky as credibility checks are difficult
to achive, if you trade late you take the risk of failure!!
We have noticed lower face value entitlements, are now
starting to compete with higher value entitlements as vendors
realise where the market is. It is important however when
leasing or buying to consider any future support schemes,
and how they may be calculated, especially if some historic
element is to be considered in an overall SFP. or support
mechanism. Activating an Entitlement on a given portion of
land is more important than just owning it, remember
Entitlements come and go through the National Reserve.
Land is static and therefore any new phased in scheme
could favor a land based payment relating to your farming
activity including enviromental support.
For the very latest news and views contact:
Roy McCracken 02882840340/02882841592
Tel. 02882840340/02882841592
SALE OR LEASING
If you intend to transfer entitlements in 2019 register
your interest now to ensure best returns.
We are a farmer to farmer Entitlement Brokerage.
We do not buy and sell entitlements.
OUR REGISTER IS OPEN
For comprehensive advice on all aspects including
inheritance, probate valuations and transfer rules.
Roy McCracken 02882841592/02882840340
DESIREABLE SMALL HOLDING FOR SALE
76 Seskinore Road Omagh
Approx 40 ACRES WITH BUNGALOW
Details on property page.
BREXIT WHERE NOW WITH SFP
It would be difficult to imagine life within agriculture without SFP,
but as deadline for leaving Europe draws closer the inevitabelity
of a "crash out" looks more likely. Political promises would appear
to indicate some kind of support for agriculture but there is no clear
vision yet of how that might be administered.
In the days of Milk Quota we used to occasionally reach for the
crystal ball to try and see beyond the here and now. Predictions on
levy or no levy and the likely values of milk Quota proved a popular
talking point and most times ended up not too far off the mark.
I think its time to dust off the crystal ball again so here goes!!
A lot of time and effort by DAERA over the past three yeas has
been put into improved IT systems to distribute european
funding to farmers through SFP therefore I can see entitlements
and SFP lasting until 2021 with not much change. There could
be some scope for regional adjustment and a more realistic
approach to penalties and regulation rules but be careful what
you wish for, WTO rules and regulation could prove even more
difficult to cope with than EU regulation.
In future there is likely to be strong emphasis on production
efficiency and protection of the enviroment so look out for
lead funding in those areas. Sorting out serious farmers/
active farmers will continue and payments could evolve around
a percentage maintenance payment with the remainder being
match funded by the farmer around effiency tools together
with enviromental protection. The measure of funding is likely
to relate to current SFP at least as a starting point.
Agricultural production here needs to be able to compete on
the world stage making best use of natural and regional assets
future funding is likely to be directed into making that happen.
If you are intending to Buy or Sell in the new season or you
have any queries on Basic Payment transfer rules.
Contact Roy McCracken02882841592
/02882840340 or e mail roy@agrisales.net
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
HAVE YOU TRADED ENTITLEMENTS IN 2018?
As per the on line transfer e mail DAERA will send both
the buyer and seller a confirmation letters to confirm your
transfer has been successful. If you are waiting on
payment please forward this letter to our office so
that payment can be made.
LAST MINUTE RUSH
We have experienced one of the busiest trading weeks
of the season. High value leasing is still in good demand
with low values being more difficult to shift.
Sales deals have mached supply unto the market with not
much left at this stage.
Whether to buy or lease still remains a dilema for some
farmers.
There is still uncertainty about how long Entitlements will
remain but we would calculate there might be not much
difference in the return between buying and leasing if
everything is taken into account.
On a majority of farms the purchase of Entitlement is a
cash flow issue and wether or not you can wait until
the end of 2019 to see a return.
The disfunctional online transfer register has only managed
to start working this week, this has played havock with
ongoing transfer deals many being blocked in the system.
As a result our work load has doubled causing early starts
and late nights in the office with no back up from DAERA
after 5pm if there is a querie. Why open an online transfer
system that is only fully operational on the last two weeks.
Leaving deals to the last minute will be dangerous as
computer systems do fail, our advice is
Don`t put it off until tomorrow night
calculate your requirement now!
DAERA SHORTENS
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
If you have SAF forms to sort out you need to be doing
that now, especially if you require entitlements. We are
told 2018 Entitlement statements will not be verified until
mid April (no definite date) this means your entitlement
statement you see on screen may not be correct.
This will undoubtly cause confusion when up to date
statements are released,you may be looking at something
you have not got!!! or worse still trying to sell or lease
something that is not there.
IMPORTANT If you have not used
or leased all or part of your entitlements for the
past two years they are gone
even though your current entitlement statement sayes you
have them !!!
Under these circumstances last minute deals will be
dangerous.
For those who are entering the SAF scheme for the first
time be aware that your transfer will take longer as you will
have to complete a paper form. This takes time as these
can only be released from Orchard House.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR REQUIREMENTS
NOW !!!!!
TRADING TO DATE
The month of February saw steady trading as many buyers
took the opportunity to put Entitlements in place early, giving
them more choice in the marketplace. The opening of DAERA`s
trading platform in March has meant that transfers can now
physically take place. We would advise caution however,as
DAERA has not updated their Entitlement register, care needs
to be taken that entitlements being offered, have not been
confiscated even though they still remain on the entitlement
register.
This seems like putting the cart before the horse, surely
it would seem more sensible to have up dated every clients
entitlement register first before allowing trading to begin.
It is more important than ever to have legal sale and lease
contracts when deals are done.
For advice on all aspects contact
Roy McCracken
02882840340/02882841592
JANUARY TRADING REPORT
There has been a steady demand for both sales and leasing
over the past few weeks. High value entitlements trade easily
as farmers realise the benefits of empty hectares. Low value
entitlements still serve a purpose on larger blocks of land where
a reasonable amount of money can be invested and can give
the same return. Sales would appear to be more of a gamble
with buyers reluctant to commit money for more than a two year
payback after which it would appear that it could merely be hope
value they are purchasing.
Transfer dates are looming so it is important to give yourself
time to check your figures and get transfers completed before
SAF form deadlines.
Deals are sometimes not completed! if this happens last minute
ones are difficult to recover from. Trade early is our advice.
02882841592/02882840340
________________________________
TRADING IN 2018
It has been a busy past week with several enquiries on the future of
Entitlements. It is always dangerous to try to predict too far ahead,
still, while Basic Payment forms a major part of farm income it is
important not to miss opportunities in the here and now.
Brexit still is the major influencing factor impacting on the thought
process of most farmers and while we see some signs of the
direction agricultural support is likely to be steered there is still no
real certantity.
It is important to look at what is happening on your own farm,
calculate areas farmed and dont waste empty acres which could
add to farm income.
To lease or buy is an individual choice but should be considered on
the basis of, is land owned or rented, what impacts least on cash
flow and anticipated profit based on known facts.
For information and advice contact.
02882841592/02882840340
______________________________________________________
2018 ENTITLEMENT TRADING HAS NOW STARTED
SEE ENTITLEMENT TRADING SECTION FOR DETAILS
_______________________________________________________
ENTITLEMENT TRADING IN 2017/18
BREXIT!!! WHERE NOW?
Many farmers are still struggling with desperate weather conditions
and the need to try and salvage remaining crops in a summer and
autumn which has been the worst in most peoples memory. It is
difficult to concentrate on how best to move forward with regard to
maximising basic payment in the future, especially as Brexit looms !!
The importance of Basic payment money is even grater this year
than ever if farm businesses are to survive. Favorable conversion
rates this year has left good returns from last years deals which
should help both buyers and sellers this year. We are already
having queries on what might be best for this season but it is
important to remember that what is best for you might not be
best for your neighbour, it depends greatly on entitlement values
land costs required to activate them. We must also consider the likely
effects of Brexit on farm support in the future and if we are looking at
a Basic Payment end date of 2019 or 2021.
Our register is now open for this year and buyers and sellers
should register their intent early so that we can help maximise
their return.
TO LEASE MAIN STREET SESKINORE
FUEL OUTLET AND CAR WASH FACILITY
WITH 460Sq Ft. RETAIL/MULTI USE UNIT
Check it out on property page
FOR SALE
COMMERCIAL YARD AND BUILDINGS
CLOGHER CO. TYRONE
9000 Sq Ft. Covered Space
Check it out on property page
Easy access to arterial routes A5-M1
FOR SALE
25 ACRES GRASS CROP FOR SALE (MEADOW CROP)
For Full Details See Sales Room
ENTITLEMENT TRADING IS NOW OVER
WHAT TO DO NOW
If you have leased out or sold Entitlements with us you
should receive notification that the transfer has been
processed by DAERA (it may take a few weeks).
When you receive this letter please forward it with your
VAT No to our office. This will help speed up your
payment.
Postal Address 75 Tullyrush Rd Omagh BT78 1RJ
TRADING ADVICE TRADING ADVICE
If you wish to sell or lease out Entitlements you should know your
Euro Value of the individual Entitlement you hold before making a
call. This will help us speed up the valuation process.
If you wish to purchase or lease in entitlements you need to have
your empty Hectares calculated as soon as possible and your
requirements notified to us so that we can find what best suits you.
Because of the volumes of transactions currently being
processed it is likely that trading will stop mid April to allow time
for deals to be processed. As we are experiencing some difficulties
with the on line transfer system and information it generates we
would advise not to leave trading to the last minute just incase
changes need to be made.
TRADING REPORT
Trading of entitlements has been brisk over the past two weeks both
for salesand leasing.The emphasis seems to be on high value
entitlements whith those who have limited hectares to cover. Low
value entitlements especially for leasing are being snapped up by
mostly farmers who can access the young farmer scheme and those
farmers with large acerages to cover. Provided the Euro exchange
rate remains similar to last year returns from leasing and purchase
are good with most clients anticipating a return of anything from
£20 to £70 per acre (£50- £170 per Ha.)per year. Our sale and
leasing values are based on the earning ability of each entitlement
regardless of initial Euro values which tends to be complicated for
some farmers to calculate. This is further complicated especially
when sellers are not sure what year they are quoting when giving
a Euro value. Those who trade early have a better choice in the
market as high value entitlements are soon snapped up. It is
important to check for spare Hectares early on, so that deals can
be put together and tested, while there is still time to recover if a
deal falls through. This year there are a number of entitlements in
the market with a "one year non activation tag" on them it is therfore
important to check that you can activate all of the entitlements you
purchase or lease in as there are contractual obligations in the
purchase and leasing in of entitlements.
2016/17 ENTITLEMENTS FOR SALE AND LEASE
To make it easier for clients to decide what is best for them we have decided to
convert Euro Values to sterling so that Entitlements can be compared like for like
based on the earning ability of each entitlement.
FOR SALE
VALUES KEEP CHANGING BY THE MINUTE
PLEASE CALL FOR UPDATE ON WHAT IS AVAILABLE
02882840340/02882841592
FOR LEASING
VALUES KEEP CHANGING BY THE MINUTE
PLEASE CALL FOR AN UPDATE ON WHAT IS AVAILABLE
NOW !!!!
02882840340/02882841592
IF YOU HAVE TRADED ENTITLEMENTS
Please check all documents have been signed and
returned to this office before end of trading
TRADING ENDS 15th APRIL 2017
We provide transfer documents including sale and lease contracts.
For advice on all aspects of trading contact us now
Roy McCracken 02882840340/02882841592
All Entitlements are subject to a two year usage rule. Any Entitlement
that remains unused for two consecutive years will be returned to the
regional reserve as rotation of Entitlements is not allowed.
For details of what you should do Contact us Now
TRADING OFF TO A BRISK START
We had a busy start to the week, with a good number of sales and
leasing completed. Maximising your return based on the area of
land available is best done early when the choice of entitlements
is grater. It is important that any conacre land should be secured
as early s as possible to ensure maximum return from your SFP.
Entitlements leased last year may not be available this year so
it makes sense to check early to avoid nasty surprises.
2016/2017 ENTITLEMENT TRADING COMMENCING SOON
Selling or Leasing Register Now !!
BREXIT How might it affect values ???????
For details and advice
Contact Roy McCracken 02882840340/02882841592
UNCERTAINTY HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!
As we look forward to another season of entitlement trading it will be
more difficult than ever to assess trading values of entitlements.
To date it would appear that we still have three years of the current
system left. The issuing letters gave us values for 2017, 2018 and 2019
The chancellor has promised to honour those commitments after which Who Knows?
It is important to remember that to date the current agri support system
in most cases forms the majority, if not all of on farm profit
and therefore the survival of the industry. It is likely that some form of
support would be linked to Baic Payment Values pre Brexit.
The alternative would be a decent price paid for what you produce
and food prices rocketing!!! C`ant see that !!!!
As responsible traders it is important we get values correct
and not always assume that "supply versus demand" is a fair
assessment of market values.
TRADING!!!!! KNOW THE RISKS
It looks like our worst nightmare has come true. The latest news from
DARD would appear to suggest that entitlements established
incorrectly in 2015 could be conficated in 2016 even though they
have been sold to a non suspecting buyer. We had hoped that after
all this time, difinitave entitlement statements could have been issued
and trading could have been carried out with a degree of certainty.
As agents we can only deal with the information as presented to us
by our client who in most cases will only have what he or she has
been given by DARD. Someone sensible would ask why bother
hand out entitlement statements in the first place, and allow trading,
if the proper checks have not been made.
Someone needs to take responsibility......in the meantime
BUYER BEWARE!!!
COMMON SENSE AT LAST
It would finally look as though common sense is going to prevail, proivided Comminiosiner Phil Hogan gets his way.
The proposals he has suggested with regards to administrative penalties would go a long way to reducing the fear when applying for aid
under the Basic Payment Scheme. One can only hope that anministrators, dealing with the 2015 scheme year which is the start of a new scheme
take on board the spirit of the new proposals.
DOES THE FINE FIT THE CRIME ???????
After a tough year of poor prices many farmers have held out on the
expectation of a Single Farm Payment to help them out of a crises
situation. Unfortunately not all have recieved what they expected and
many have been shocked to find large swathes of their Basic Payment
being cut because of unintentional errors on their submission forms. In
a number of cases this was mainly caused by previous years pre
printed data remaining on their SAF forms and causing genuine
confusion. DARD shurely should recognise that this was a new start,
they kept telling farmers things were different, the start of a new system.
If this was the case, then why cause confusion by bringing the old data
unto the new forms when it would have been more helpful to have
started with a clean sheet, and an up to date map.
In some cases to date this has meant fines of anything from
£2,000 to £20,0000 and more. This type of fine is draconian to say
the least and surely does not in any way fit the crime, if it is a crime
to make a genuine mistake. If thiswas a court of law the judicial
system would not hand out anything like it.
I have witnessed the stress and the trauma farmers go through
and watched grown men cry after they recieve letters telling them
that they have lost most of their Basic Payment. These fines are
handed out too lightly by officials who appear to be bound by
European Leglislation. Is it not time to review our appeals system
and try and devise a proceedure that recognises most farmers
are human, and genuine mistakes can be made.
EXCELLENT SMALL HOLDING FOR SALE
76 SESKINORE ROAD OMAGH
CIRCA 41 ACRES OF LAND, YARD, OUTBUILDINGS AND DETACHED BUNGALOW
Offers over £425,000
SEE PROPERTY SECTION FOR DETAILS
BASIC ENTITLEMENT VALUE ANNOUNCED
We now know that the basic entitlement value will be 330.42Eu. per Hectare. This figure includes a Greening Payment addition of 44.11% (101.14Eu.)
We also know that there will be a seven year transition to the flat rate payment, so far no real surprises!
Before the trading commences of any entitlements, we need to be able to assess their individual values. We will have to wait until each farm business is issued with new entitlements
before making an assessment of their value in the marketplace. There are many influences on values to consider, not least if Entitlements have been established correctly in 2015.
We know the decision has been taken to allow the trading of entitlements, it is important that this decision is followed by definitive decisions on the establishment criteria by DARD so as to give
clear title to the buyer or indeed seller before any transaction can take place.
FARM PRODUCE FOR SALE IN SALES ROOM
We are pleased to offer quantities of round baled silage; Grass silage: Standing grass crop sold by weight and DM content;Silage sold by weight and DM.
See sales room for details
ESTATE AGENCY
In difficult economic conditions understanding individual needs are important. We work continuously to help both sellers and buyers achieve their goals. Our rates are reasonable and always negotiable.
A5 Wesrern Transport Corridor
Is your Farm Land or Farm Business being affected ?
We will be delighted to act on your behalf to ensure you get the best possible deal. Our services are free to you!
Together with our Associates we have worked on claims throughout the Province for those affected by the North South Gas Pipeline, Water Pipelines, Road Widening and new Road Schemes, Land Disturbance Allowance and Confiscation Calculations.
As members of IPAV we work under their Guidelines of Professionalism and Code of Conduct.
CONFIRMATION OF ENTITLEMENT TRANSFER
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