“Several calls each year come into the Farmers’ Advocate Office (FAO) asking for advice when producers find out that privately purchased farm equipment has liens against it or is stolen equipment ,” says Robert Martin, farm implement inspector, FAO.
Producers can reduce the risk of purchasing stolen equipment or equipment that has a lien registered against it by taking precautions prior to the purchase of used farm equipment from private individuals.
“Before purchasing a piece of equipment, ask the seller if there are any liens or encumbrances on the equipment, and ask them to provide you with the make, model, year and serial number of the equipment,” says Martin.
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For a small fee, any Alberta Registries authorized agent can conduct a lien search to determine if a piece of equipment is held as security. If there is a lien on the equipment, contact the secured party and ask how the lien can be discharged. Many times payment arrangements can be made jointly to the seller and the secured party to ensure the lien on the equipment is discharged.
Purchasing stolen equipment does happen, especially in cases where the purchaser does not know the seller. An Internet database of reported stolen farm equipment, vehicles and other personal property in Canada is maintained by the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). A search for stolen personal property can be found on the CPIC website at www.cpic-cipc.ca. A positive response to a search does not automatically mean the item is stolen, and the item status should be confirmed with the local police.
“Doing a little research prior to purchasing used equipment from private individuals can protect producers from legal issues down the road,” says Martin.
More information can be found at www.farmersadvocate.gov.ab.ca or by calling 310-FARM (3276).
