The deadline for applications for the basic payment scheme (BPS) has passed this week.

Last-minute online applications were being submitted up to the midnight deadline on 15 May.

This was the first year that paper applications were not accepted, with all applications required to be made online.

In total, there were 129,700 applications for BPS ahead of the 15 May deadline.

Some new farm partnerships that were still not issued with a registered farm partnership number ahead of the BPS deadline had issues making an application.

However, the Department accommodated these farmers in the interim.

Farmers can still submit BPS applications, but they will be subject to a 1% penalty of both BPS and greening for every working day they are late until 9 June.

On 10 June, the penalty will increase to 100% (from 18% on the previous day), after which point the Department’s terms and conditions state that applications will only be accepted in cases of force majeure.

The same rate of deduction will apply to the other main schemes. Amendments to submitted 2018 BPS applications, including the addition of parcels orplots, may be made online up to 31 May 2018 without penalty.

Preliminary checks

The Department will carry out preliminary checks of online BPS applications for any non-compliance in the areas of over-claims, dual claims and overlaps.

Farmers are notified via the online system and offered the opportunity to rectify any such non-compliance, with no penalty applied where the non-compliance is fully rectified by 19 June 2018.