Producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2024 crop year.
The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15. The extension of the 2018 Farm Bill through Sep. 30 allows authorized programs, such as ARC and PLC, to continue operating.
“These programs provide critical financial protections against commodity market volatilities for many American farmers so don’t delay enrollment,” advises FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Avoid the rush and contact your local FSA office for an appointment because even if you are not changing your program election for 2024, you still need to sign a contract to enroll.”
2024 Elections and Enrollment
ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC provide crop-by-crop protection. ARC-Individual (ARC-IC) protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2024 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2024 unless an election change is made.
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 grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
Learn more: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/arcplc_program/index
2022 Crop Year Payments
This fall, FSA issued payments totaling more than $267 million to agricultural producers who enrolled in the 2022 ARC-CO option and the ARC ARC-IC option for covered commodities that triggered a payment.
Payments through the PLC option did not trigger for the 2022 crop year.
Payments for crops that may trigger for the 2023 crop year will be issued in the fall of 2024.
Crop Insurance Considerations
ARC and PLC are part of a broader USDA safety net that also includes crop insurance and marketing assistance loans.
Producers are reminded that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop
insurance products.
Need more information? Contact your local USDA Service Center: https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator