May 19, 2021 11:48 am The application period for three schemes closed at midnight on Monday of this week (May 17), namely the Basic Payments Scheme (BPS) ; the National Reserve/Young Farmers Scheme (YFS); and the new Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM). The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has now finalised the number of applicants to each of these schemes. BPS For the BPS, the department confirmed that 128,742 applications had been received since the scheme opened to applicants on February 18. After the scheme was opened, farmers should have received a BPS information pack via post containing maps, land details and a ‘help sheet’ to assist in applications.