Ag News
Enroll Title I crops in ARC/PLC programs for 2026 crops by Dec. 11
Posted on Oct 07, 2026 at 13:52 PM
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has completed the base acre allocation update for farms enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. The update was announced last fall, and signup ran from June 1 - Aug. 31. The update was authorized by provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law July 4, 2025.
The base acre update gave landowners a chance to reallocate and increase base acres for Title I crops such as cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, barley, oats and more, in preparation for enrollment in ARC and PLC beginning with the 2026 and future crop years. This was the first base acre expansion USDA offered in 20 years.
USDA capped the number of new base acres that could be added to 30 million nationwide. Because eligible acres submitted exceeded the limit, USDA FSA is applying an across-the-board prorated reduction of 3.69% to all newly allocated base acres. Landowners did not lose any existing base acres through the allocation process.
Now that the base allocation process has ended, producers can enroll their eligible 2026 Title I crops in the ARC or PLC crop protection programs through Dec. 11, 2026. ARC County and PLC both provide crop-by-crop protection. ARC-Individual protects the entire farm. Election changes for the 2026 crop year are optional, but producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Existing multi-year contracts ended in 2025.
Producers do have the option to sign a new multi-year contract for 2026 through 2031. Producers who opt out of a multi-year contract can enroll for the 2027 crop year from Nov. 2, 2026 through March 15, 2027.
If producers do not submit their 2026 crop election for ARC or PLC by Dec. 11, their election will remain the same as their 2025 election for crops on the farm, and the farm is ineligible for 2026 program year payments. Landowners cannot enroll in either program unless they have an interest in the farm.
Depending on the crop, the ARC or PLC program producers choose may affect their eligibility for some crop insurance products. Upland cotton farmers who choose to enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) on their planted cotton acres for that farm.
Producers can now add the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) or the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) regardless of their ARC or PLC election. Previously, producers who chose to enroll their crops in either of the ARC programs were ineligible to buy SCO for the same acres but the Working Families Tax Cuts Act removed this restriction.
The Texas A&M Agricultural & Food Policy Center offers an online decision tool to help producers decide which ARC or PLC program to choose using crop data specific to their farm. UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences economists advise producers to use the tool, available at https://afpc.tamu.edu/tools/farmbill/2026. To access the Texas A&M online decision tool, you will have to create a free account by providing your email address and creating a password. If you have questions, please call 1(888)890-5663.
Producers who have a USDA Login.gov account may make their program elections and enroll online at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc or they can make an appointment at their local FSA office, which can be found online at www.fsa.usda.gov/fsa-office-locator. Crop insurance information is available at www.rma.usda.gov/.
The Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Company contracts with three companies - Rain & Hail, Sompo, and Crop Risk Services - to offer crop insurance. GFB has experienced crop insurance agents statewide. Find your local agent and learn more at www.GFBInsurance.com or email crops@gfbinsurance.com.
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