The deadline is March 15 for agricultural producers to make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2023 crop year.
These two programs are the key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs to help producers withstand fluctuations in either 2023 prices for certain crops (PLC) or revenue (price and yield, ARC).
Enrollment for 2023’s crop year program closes March 15. The deadline is here.
Also, March 15, 2023, is the final date to unenroll from 2023 Seed Cotton ARC/PLC, if a producer has purchased the supplemental crop insurance coverage referred to as STAX. Failure to withdraw a farm on which 2023 cotton will be planted will result in the cancellation of crop insurance STAX coverage for that year.
Most producers have already enrolled, and there are only a few left on all the farms that normally participant in ARC/PLC. 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.
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in crop-by-crop ARC-County or PLC, or ARC-Individual for the entire farm for the 2023 crop year. Although election changes for 2023 are optional, 2023 re-enrollment requires a new contract be signed by all producers that share in the crops being grown in 2023.
2023 is the last year of the 2018 Farm Bill, and producers will have the opportunity to make new program elections during this annual sign-up. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a shared interest in crops produced on the farm. The election decision-making is limited to operators of the farm and landowners with a crop share interest in the crops grown on the farm in 2023. No election is permanent and can always be changed before the sign-up deadline in the current year.
Farms that change operators, owners or producers in 2023 will always require a new ARC/PLC contract be signed with FSA.
