Enrollment Open for Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage Programs for 2021 Production Season

LINCOLN, Nebraska, Dec. 9, 2020 — Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period is open through March 15, 2021, and producers are encouraged to begin working with their USDA county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office now to complete the process. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safetynet programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. ARC/PLC payments for the 2019 production season were distributed in October, and payments for the 2020 production season will go out in fall 2021.

“Safety-net programs like ARC and PLC are designed to help producers mitigate some of the financial stressors associated with crop production. I encourage farmers to evaluate their program elections and enroll for the 2021 crop year,” said Nebraska FSA State Executive Director Nancy Johner.

Producers can learn more about the ARC and PLC options during a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Farm and Ranch Management Series webinar scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 17. Nebraska FSA Production and Compliance Programs Chief Cathy Anderson will present on ARC and PLC options for the 2021 production season, while Brad Lubben from the UNL Department of Agricultural Economics will discuss the economics of the programs and provide an Ag Policy Update. Those interested can register at go.unl.edu/ou4m.

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price.

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.

2021 Elections and Enrollment Producers can elect coverage and enroll in crop-by-crop ARCIndividualCounty or PLC, or ARC-for the entire farm, for the 2021 crop year. Although election changes for 2021 are optional, enrollment