Vultures start to circle ACCBank

The Dealer was shocked when a member of the public got in touch about how best to contact someone within the now defunct ACCBank.

They were enquiring about who would be best to talk to about helping with ACC’s debt recovery strategy. They themselves are in the debt recovery business and want to help ACC in the procedure of taking back what’s owed to them.

In the process of culling 200 jobs and announcing its exit from the active banking sector last week, ACC said it will now focus solely on debt recovery.

I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised; there are vultures everywhere trying to profiteer at the misfortune of others.

A fantastic summer draws to an end

The summer of 2013 was a fantastic grazing season. Good grass growth rates matched with ideal grazing conditions provided a much-needed boost for the sector.

One of the coldest springs on record left farmers heading into the summer with no fodder reserves. However, grass surpluses have allowed silage pits to be refilled and sheds are once again full of good quality hay and straw.

On the tillage side, the harvest was largely stress free, with long periods of unbroken weather allowing combines to run to capacity and good progress has been made in relation to sowing winter crops.

potato crop

Of course, there is still field work ongoing. The cold spring has delayed the potato crop. While the harvesting of whites is well underway, the bulk of the rooster crop remains in the field.

New definition for active farmer in NI

Only active farmers in Northern Ireland will be able to claim Single Farm Payment (SFP) from 2015 if the current legal text in a draft European document is made into law.

The document obtained by the Irish Farmers Journal states that an applicant in NI will only be eligible to establish new entitlements in 2015 if he or she ‘enjoys decision-making power in relation to the agricultural activities exercised on that land and bears benefits and financial risks related to these activities’.

In essence, that should mean in a conacre/land lease situation, only the tenant or the person actively farming will be able to establish entitlements on the land.

delegated act

The definition is contained in a ‘delegated act’ being prepared by an EU working group.

A ‘delegated act’ is a new category of legal act that allows the Commission to clarify technical details not covered within the overarching legislation.

On enquiry by the Irish Farmers Journal, a DARD spokesperson confirmed that discussions are ongoing in Brussels and the final outcome should be known by mid-November.