There is only a matter of hours remaining before the closure of the 2021 standard application period for the 2021 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and a number of other schemes, including transfer of entitlements, Young Farmer / National Reserve Schemes, straw incorporation measure, Areas of Natural Constraint and the Protein Aid Scheme.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s helpdesk is operating extended opening hours and will be available to help with queries right up until the deadline of midnight on 17 May. Those seeking help should call 076-106 4420.

Where applicants are still waiting on clarification on an aspect of the BPS application, the important thing now is to ensure an application is submitted in advance of the closing date.

Changes can be made after 17 May via the amendment facility for BPS/ANC.

Amendments such as the addition of parcels or plots of land or rectifying an incorrectly claimed area, for example, may be made online until 31 May 2021.

Amendments

As discussed below, certain amendments can be made after this date.

The terms and conditions state that late amendments with additional parcels/plots or amended claimed areas will be accepted online up to and including 9 June 2021 with a penalty.

Payment on the parcel(s) concerned will be reduced by 1% for each working day in this period that the amendment is late.

The terms and conditions also state that an applicant may withdraw land, reduce the claimed area of a parcel or change use from eligible to ineligible (for example, the transfer of a house site), from your application without penalty at any time after the 31 May 2021 closing date for amendments, provided the following criteria are satisfied:

  • The Department has not notified you about any issues concerning your 2021 BPS application.
  • You have not been notified of an on-the-spot inspection.
  • An on-the-spot inspection does not reveal any non-compliances for the parcel(s) concerned.
  • You have not been either fully or partially paid under the BPS in respect of 2021.
  • Exceptional cases

    However, an application is permitted to correct obvious or innocent errors at any time after the 31 May 2021 closing date for amendments.

    Furthermore, you may also change a declared crop use, provided that the original crop was eligible for payment. You are not entitled to alter the crop use from an ineligible to an eligible crop.

    The Department says it will consider each request to correct an obvious or innocent error on its individual merits.

    In both situations outlined above, concerning amendments up to and after 31 May, if the Department has:

  • Already informed you of irregularities in the application.
  • Has given notice of its intention to carry out an on-the-spot inspection.
  • Where an on-the-spot inspection reveals irregularities.
  • then amendments shall not be authorised in respect of the agricultural parcels affected by the irregularities.