USDA Announces 2026-27 Enrollment for Farm Safety-Net Programs
Information from the Miami County Farm Service Agency
WASHINGTON - Agricultural producers can begin enrolling in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2026 and 2027 crop years.
The programs, commonly known as ARC and PLC, have been updated to include more than 30 million new base acres. The expansion is the first increase in base acres in 20 years and was authorized under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.
Because eligible acres exceeded the nationwide 30 million-acre limit, the USDA Farm Service Agency is applying an across-the-board 3.69% reduction to newly allocated base acres.
Producers can make elections and enroll for the 2026 crop year from Sept. 16 through Dec. 11, 2026. Enrollment for the 2027 crop year runs from Nov. 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027.
Base allocation notifications
The opportunity for landowners to review their base allocation summaries and request changes ended Aug. 31. The process included correcting inaccurate information, designating subsequent acres or opting out of adding base acres.
Landowners did not lose base acres through the allocation process.
If landowners did not notify the FSA of changes, their base allocation summary is considered accurate and complete. The 3.69% reduction will apply to all newly allocated base acres.
Base allocation notifications will be available beginning Sept. 16. Landowners can access notifications online through the FSA’s ARC and PLC webpage using a Login.gov account. Those without a Login.gov account can contact their local FSA county office beginning Sept. 16 to obtain their notification.
Enrollment period
Producers can change their election and enroll in ARC-County or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual, which protects the entire farm.
Although election changes for 2026 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Existing multiyear contracts ended in 2025. Producers have the option of signing a new multiyear contract covering 2026 through 2031.
Producers who do not submit their 2026 election by Dec. 11 will retain their 2025 election for crops on the farm but will be ineligible for payments for the 2026 program year.
Landowners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm.
Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long-grain rice, medium- and short-grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
Some land-grant universities offer online decision tools to help producers evaluate election options using crop data specific to their farming operations.
Producers can make elections and enroll online through the FSA’s ARC and PLC webpage using a Login.gov account or by making an appointment at their local FSA office.
Crop insurance considerations
ARC and PLC elections and enrollment can affect eligibility for some crop insurance products.
Under changes made by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, producers can add Supplemental Coverage Option or Enhanced Coverage Option coverage regardless of their ARC or PLC election. Previously, producers who elected ARC-County or ARC-Individual were ineligible to purchase SCO coverage for the same acres.
Upland cotton producers who enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the Stacked Income Protection Plan, or STAX, on planted cotton acres for that farm.
More information about crop insurance is available through the USDA Risk Management Agency.
For more information about ARC and PLC, producers can visit the USDA Farm Service Agency’s ARC and PLC webpage or contact their local FSA county office.
