The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), offer financial assistance to agricultural producers. The ARC program provides payments when the actual revenue for a farm is less than a guarantee set based on historical data and market conditions. The PLC program provides payments when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its effective reference price. These programs aim to protect farmers from significant income losses due to fluctuations in crop prices or revenue shortfalls.
Eligible participants include agricultural producers who have an interest in a commodity grown on a farm with base acres.
Base Allocation Update
The opportunity for landowners to review their base allocation summaries and take necessary action ended Aug. 31, 2026. This included correcting inaccurate information, designating subsequent acres, or opting out of adding base acres. If landowners did not notify FSA of changes, the base allocation summary was considered accurate and complete.
FSA will provide more information after the base allocation review process is complete.
Background
On July 4, 2025, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed providing an additional 30 million base acres to be added to farms nationwide. The base acre allocation is in preparation for enrollment in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2026 and future years. The enrollment period will be announced at a later date.
Important Dates
- Base Allocation Summary Review – Closed Aug. 31, 2026
2026 ARC and PLC Election and Enrollment
How To Apply
The enrollment period and applications details will be announced at a later date.
Program Features
Covered Commodities
- 22 covered commodities including wheat, oats, barley, corn, grain sorghum, long grain rice, medium/short grain rice, temperate japonica rice, seed cotton, dry peas, lentils, large and small chickpeas soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seed, canola, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, crambe, and sesame seed.
- Program-specific reference prices and revenue guarantees.
Payment Triggers
- ARC payments are triggered when actual revenue falls below the guaranteed level.
- PLC payments are triggered when market year average prices fall below the effective reference price.
Benefits
- Provides financial support during periods of low prices or revenue shortfalls.
- Helps stabilize income for farmers and ranchers.
- Offers a safety net against market volatility.
Additional Benefits
- Financial Stability: Offers a safety net to manage price and revenue risks.
- Income Support: Helps maintain farm income stability during economic downturns.
- Flexibility: Producers can choose between ARC and PLC based on their individual needs and commodity markets.