Farming
Unscrupulous dealers sell bogus farm tools at agricultural shows
The farming community in Galway have been urged to be on the look-out for scams involving the sale of equipment which is “too good to be true”.
It has come to the attention of Gardaí that scam artists are frequenting marts and agricultural shows in Galway selling dodgy equipment like power tools and generators.
And it has been revealed that these pieces of equipment often contain popular brand names but, on closer examination, these are stickers that have just been attached to the items.
The Gardaí have asked farmers in Galway to report suspicious dealers who might be trying to trade stolen items.
But a senior source told Farming Tribune that a lot of what is being offered for sale are power tools that have been imported from Asia which ‘pack up’ after a few weeks.
Farmers have been advised to only purchase items from reputable suppliers who provide bona fide guarantees on the items that they are selling.
“It has come to our attention that there are people attending marts and agricultural shows in Galway who are selling, or trying to sell, equipment which is dodgy to say the least.
“If it seems too good to be true, then it normally is”, a Garda source added. “There are a lot of people selling equipment that will not work for more than a few weeks and farmers need to be aware of this”.
It seems that illegal operators are producing farm equipment at a number of local shows, displaying some popular brand names that do not relate to items on display.
Many who have purchased such equipment at knock down prices have not reported the matter to the Gardaí because of embarrassment over the fact that they have been duped.
But the Gardaí have urged the public attending marts and agriculture shows in County Galway to contact them about sellers of tools and equipment that are not what they seem.
It has been learned that power tools and generators with some popular brand names have been purchased at marts and shows and have ended up in the scrapheap within weeks of them having been bought.
Farmers have also been warned about a scam artist who is going around pretending to be a ‘bona fide’ seller of farm equipment.
It’s understood this man has already stolen up to €100,000 from unsuspecting farmers in other parts of the country.
He operates by approaching farmers offering to sell machinery or materials at a good price, but eventually leaves the farmer out of pocket.
It’s believed the fraudster is now operating at shows in the Galway and Mayo areas.
PROPOSALS put forward by the Dept. of Agriculture to push back payment dates for a range of agricultural support schemes have been greeted ‘with dismay’ by the IFA and a Galway TD.
East Galway Independent TD, Sean Canney, said it was ‘unbelievable’ at a time of such increased costs for farmers that the Dept. were proposing to ‘push back’ payment dates.
The proposals came to light at last week’s meeting of the Farmers’ Charter when farm representatives were told by the Dept. that the new CAP would require a revision of the charter.
“From my understanding of what was outlined at the Farmers’ Charter, the payment dates for some of the schemes could be put back by up to a month,” said Deputy Canney.
He added that one of the proposals related to delaying the ANC (Areas of Natural Constraint) by four weeks to mid-October was ‘an insult to farmers’ who depended heavily on this money being paid in September.
“Another proposal is to delay the BISS (Basic Income Support for Sustainability) payment by one week which will also lead to unnecessary hardship for farmers.
“Every week’s delay is adding pressure on the farming sector and the Department need to get their act together and stop playing games with farmers’ money. I ask the Minister to intercede and stop this nonsense,” said Deputy Canney.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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FARMERS have been strongly advised this week to diligently check out all safety, insurance and liability issues before embarking on construction projects on their yards and farms.
The issue has been brought into focus over recent weeks with two men appearing in court in Co. Clare following a fatal farm accident in January, 2021.
The two men – of them the contractor and the other a farmer – have been charged with breaches of the Health and Safety Act, following the death of a young man at Kilkee.
He died while a new slatted tank was being excavated. During this work, ‘a pre-existing wall’, fell on top of him – the victim had only been married 12-months previously.
Both the farmer and contractor face charges in relation to the unsafe excavation of the site with allegedly no adequate measures in place to prevent the collapse of the sides of the site being excavated.
Galway IFA Rural Development Chair, Peter Gohery, said that it was a terribly sad case where a young person had lost his life – he advised farmers to prioritise issues such as safety and insurance cover when embarking on any construction project.
“With any construction project on farms, the farmer is regarded as the client in terms of the HSA (Health and Safety Authority) and the farmer is legally obliged to employ competent designers and contractors to carry out the work,” said Peter Gohery.
He also pointed that it was specifically stated in the HSA guidelines that ‘clients’ needed to appoint – in writing – a Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP) as required.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
THE role of marts as a social hub for many farmers – and especially for those in the older age categories – is currently being examined in a project organised by the University of Galway (UG).
The Rural Studies Centre of UG has teamed up with Mountbellew Mart to launch a pilot initiative which will run through this month and April.
Entitled Farmers’ Yards, the sales’ days at Mountbellew Mart for the next six weeks or so will provide farmers with the opportunity to meet and talk in a ‘familiar and friendly’ mart setting.
The project is funded by UG’s Illuminate Programme with the support of St. Jarlath’s Credit Union and aims to highlight the ‘social facility’ that a local mart provides for the farming community.
According to the study organisers the mart setting and canteen ‘provides a vital social outlet for the local farming community and particularly for those who have few other social outlets and who may live alone.
Project Leader, Dr. Shane Conway of University of Galway, said that many farmers relied on their weekly visit to the mart to meet up with friends, exchange ideas and to catch up on local news.
He added that Mountbellew Mart’s existing position and reputation as a focal point of activity within the heart of the rural community made it an ideal location for the project.
“The well-established Men’s Sheds movement showcases the benefits of such a peer group at local level.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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