All about Ian Potter Associates

In 1984 the dairy industry was turned upside down by the imposition of the milk quota regime. In 1986 Potato Quota became tradable and nine years later sheep quotas and then suckler cow quotas were introduced and single farm payment entitlements were introduced in 2005.

Over that time the name of Ian Potter Associates has consistently headed the field in providing the very best quota market intelligence, knowledge, expertise, customer service and the most transparent and up to date prices in the market place.

Initially specialising entirely in agricultural quotas, Ian Potter Associates began life in 1986 and is now both the Uk and Europe’s leading broker, trading in milk quota and entitlements.

Quite simply, if you are in the market to buy, sell or lease quota or entitlements or simply want advice on trading or on the increasingly complex regulations, then you need to associate yourself with Ian Potter Associates.

Whatever your requirements, we will help you with the answers, help you to decide what is right for your business and find you the best available deal.

Ian Potter Associates offers farmers unparalleled access to up-to-the-minute trading information - either over the phone, by fax or electronically by E-mail, by the internet -www.ipaquotas.co.uk, or via its free weekly dairy bulletin. This enables you to keep abreast of movements in prices and latest news and helps you gauge the best time to move into the market.

No deal is too large or too small and our speed of service and technical efficiency is unrivalled in the market place. A customer service analysis of 5,756 farmers carried out throughout 2004 and 2005 indicated that 99.7% of farmers were very happy with the service we provided. The same percentage said they would recommend Ian Potter Associates to others. Some 98.4% of farmers thought that Ian Potter Associates sales staff had an excellent knowledge of the market.

Logistically, anyone wanting to buy or lease in quota or entitlements has their requirements quickly and efficiently matched against computer records of farmers who wish to sell or lease out. To assist in this, a private sales register is held which is continually updated to display all available trades. Potential purchasers are updated regularly on this information.

When the right deal has been sourced, agreed and signed, it is completed cost-effectively and openly, without any hidden information or costs. Those selling or leasing out the quota pay the commission. Details of both parties to the transaction are contained on each contract invoice to ensure transparency as are our fees.

With the sale and leasing of milk quota there is no requirements for written contracts. All contracts are concluded over a recorded telephone call which creates a legally binding contract.

All contracts are concluded by highly trained office staff, which cuts out the frequent delays reported when paperwork is issued through a third party. A member of the Ian Potter team will liaise with you throughout the transaction, ensuring smooth and trouble-free completion.

Payments from purchasers and lessees are placed in a designated Client Account which protects all parties concerned and ensures the seller or lessor receives payment immediately the transfer is approved and the transfer is registered in the name of the purchaser or lessee. In the unlikely event that the transfer does not take place the purchaser or lessee's money is protected and is immediately returned, together with interest. Details are contained in our Term of Business.

With the company's objective to keep everything as simple as possible – our terms of business are written by solicitors in easy-to-understand words, which fully comply with EU regulations at all times.

Away from the farm gate, it should also be remembered that both the quota and entitlements markets are extremely fast moving and continually under review by politicians and legislators. It is vital, therefore, that the broker you choose to handle your trades stays in constant touch with the dynamic environment that surrounds it.

To this end, much time and effort is spent by Ian Potter himself on legislative and political matters relating to quota and entitlements- both within the UK and Europe. The company for instance, spent three years embarking on fact finding research, political debate and industry communication into the options for changing the quota system. His reason for doing so was simple: the quota broker who stays ahead keeps his clients ahead. Those of our clients who have known us for some time have come to recognise our ability to do exactly that. They value our knowledge, our skill, our experience and the quality of service we offer. We, in turn, value their business - recognising that our clients are our future.

Therefore, next time you want to move into any of these markets, pick up the phone and give us a call, or e-mail us. There's no obligation, nothing to lose, and everything to gain. We look forward to hearing from you, and to you becoming fully associated with Ian Potter Associates.

MILK QUOTA

Ian Potter Associates has specialised in the trading of milk quota since 1988. The services we offer clients wishing to trade milk quota are second to none, and range from the provision of general market advice, to the actual trading transactions themselves, and the operation of a full, follow-up liaison service.

Experienced, skilled and fully trained personnel use the most sophisticated computer systems and tailor-made computer programs. This gives all of the IPA staff instant access to all the available quota and its butterfat percentage and price.

Ian Potter Associates can calculate strategies for the farm that will achieve the ideal butterfat base for the minimum investment.

Priding ourselves on our forward thinking, we have consistently led the field in bringing in new concepts, systems and ideas to the quota market, which offer greater access to quota, and more flexibility in its use and management.

We were, for example, the first company to lease quota across the border from England into Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the first to offer long term leasing deals for milk quota for between two and five years - COLT.

We were the first, and to date only brokers to lease milk quota between European member states with numerous legalised contracts between Italy and UK.

We have gained a reputation for helping farmers maximise tax efficient transactions. This usually means grouping two or more farmers together to move quota from partnerships to Limited companies without exposing either party to market fluctuations. The same applies to farmers who wish to take advantage of current low milk quota values by creating a capital loss which can be carried forward on the books to offset against future gains and is very tax efficient.

All milk quota contracts are concluded on the telephone and recorded. This results in certainty of a deal and in 2005 only one farmer sought not to complete which left us no other option than to pursue him.

 ENTITLEMENTS

"In the current climate, entitlements are one of a farmer's most important and valuable assets. They are, quite simply a significant source of revenue. Making the most of them is increasingly becoming more important, and their management is now one of the key factors that affects the farm business." - Ian Potter

 Ian Potter Associates have continued their dominance of the UK milk quota trading market with the trading of entitlements. Once again forward thinking will ensure the business brings new concepts and ideas to the market.

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