(10) UNION BARGAINING UNIT INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES SEVERANCE PLAN

Since the acquisition of the farming operations on May 1, 2000, the Partnership provides a severance plan that covers union members that are not part of the defined benefit pension plan and are classified as intermittent employees per the bargaining unit agreements. The severance plan provides for the payment of 8 days of pay for each year worked (upon the completion of 3 years of continuous service) if the employee becomes physically or mentally incapacitated, permanently laid off by the Partnership for reasons clearly beyond their control due to a permanent reduction in workforce, or reaches the age of 60 or older and terminates their employment with the Partnership. The Partnership accounts for the benefit by determining the present value of the future benefits based upon an actuarial analysis. The projected benefit obligation includes the obligation of previous employers which the Partnership acquired.

The following reconciles the changes in the severance benefit obligation and plan assets for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 to the funded status of the plan and the amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands).

	2013			2012			2011
Change in severance obligation:
Severance obligation at beginning of year	$	412		$	367		$	377
Service cost	20			16			17
Interest cost	14			14			17
Acturial loss	(34		)	15			11
Benefits paid	(31		)	—			(61		)
Settlements	—			—			6
Severance obligation at end of year	$	381		$	412		$	367

Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	0		$	0		$	0
Employer contribution	31			—			61
Benefits paid	(31		)	—			(61		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	0		$	0		$	0

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of:
Accrued severance liability (current)	$	(71	)	$	(61	)	$	(57	)
Accrued severance liability (non-current)	(310		)	(351		)	(310		)
Net amount recognized	$	(381	)	$	(412	)	$	(367	)

The amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) at December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	2013		2012		2011
Net actuarial loss	$	16	$	51	36

There will be no estimated net actuarial loss that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic cost for the year ending December 31, 2014.

The components of net periodic cost for the years December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

	2013		2012		2011
Service cost	$	20	$	16	$	17
Interest cost	14		14		17
Amortization of net loss	1		—		—
Settlement loss	—		—		6
Net periodic pension cost	$	35	$	30	$	40

The net actuarial gain recognized in other comprehensive income in the year ended December 31, 2013 is $35,000. The net actuarial loss recognized in other comprehensive loss was $15,000 and $11,000 in the year ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

	2013		2012		2011
Weighted average assumptions
Discount rate	4.60	%	3.70	%	4.10	%
Rate of compensation increase	1.65	%	1.65	%	1.65	%

The discount rate was determined based on an analysis of interest rates for high-quality, long-term corporate debt. This analysis created a yield curve of annualized individual discount rates for period from one to thirty years. The discount rate used to determine the severance benefit obligation as of the balance sheet date is the rate in effect at the measurement date. The same rate is also used to determine the net periodic cost for the fiscal year.

The Partnership expects to make $71,000 in contributions to the plan in 2014.

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future services, as appropriate, are expected to be paid:

Years Ending December 31,	(in thousands)
2014	$	71
2015	16
2016	51
2017	15
2018	22
2019-2023	172