Thousands of farmers are being told the “eye in the sky” has detected a different crop in a land parcel to the one declared in their BISS application, which will delay payment unless resolved.

The satellite-using Area Monitoring System has detected a crop not declared on the BISS application.

As many as three thousand farmers have been notified that a parcel has been identified as either “Incorrect Crop” or “Multiple Crop”.

The difference

“Incorrect Crop” denotes a difference in the crop category declared and the finding under the remote AMS satellite system.

“Multiple Crop” could mean the AMS has detected either the presence of potentially two or more crops within a single land parcel where only one was declared.

It also could indicate the presence of an ineligible feature, in particular a permanent structure, eg, a house, farm roadway or farm building.

Applicants will have until 2 October 2023 to respond to the notification “to ensure payment to the affected herd is not delayed” the Department state in a communication to farm advisers.

Two-stage process

In each case, farmers must respond in a two-stage process. Firstly, either the farmer or their adviser must amend their BISS application, clarifying the cropping and any ineligible features on the parcel highlighted.

Secondly, the farmer or their adviser must send photographic proof from the land parcel in question. This can only be completed using the “AgriSnap” app, which geotags the location the photograph was taken from.

This photographic evidence must be provided, even where farmers accept the Department’s interpretation of the cropping in the land parcel.

Farm advisers are unhappy at the extra workload this will create, particularly where the farmer accepts the AMS finding.