USDA Finalizes Record $13.8B ARC/PLC Payments for 2025 Crop

TL;DR: USDA's Farm Service Agency finalized a record $13.8 billion in 2025-crop ARC/PLC payments, with money reaching producer bank accounts the week of October 19, 2026. Final per-base-acre averages are $51 for corn, $29 for soybeans, and $47 for wheat. FSA Administrator Fordyce credited higher OBBBA reference prices and the payment limit for the record gross figure.

Key takeaway

The 2025-crop ARC/PLC payout of $13.8 billion is the largest since the programs began in 2014, driven partly by higher OBBBA reference prices.

What happened

USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) finalized 2025-crop payment rates for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs after calculating final marketing year average (MYA) prices. Total payments reached a record $13.8 billion for the 2025 crop year. Funds began landing in producer bank accounts the week of October 19, 2026.

The final MYA prices used were corn at $4.16, soybeans at $10.50, and wheat at $5.06 per bushel. Final average payments per base acre came in at $51 for corn, $29 for soybeans, $47 for wheat, $119 for seed cotton, and $244 for peanuts. The corn rate was revised down from an earlier estimate of $62 to the final $51.

FSA Administrator Fordyce credited higher reference prices under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and the payment limit as factors behind the record gross figure. ARC and PLC are the main commodity safety-net programs, paying producers when prices or revenue fall below set thresholds. For how commodity support is structured in the pending reauthorization, see our full bill summary and funding breakdown.

What it means

For row-crop producers, the record payout provides a meaningful cash injection at a time of tight margins. These are the largest ARC/PLC payments since the programs were established in 2014. The money is tied to the 2025 crop year, so it arrives roughly a year after the production it covers.

Payment averages vary widely by commodity. Here is how the final per-base-acre figures break down:

• Corn: $51 (revised down from an earlier $62 estimate)
• Soybeans: $29
• Wheat: $47
• Seed cotton: $119
• Peanuts: $244

Higher reference prices under OBBBA raised the price floors that trigger PLC payments, which helped lift the total. The $160,000 payment limit also shapes how much any single producer can receive. These mechanics are among the changes tracked in our rundown of what's new versus the 2018 Farm Bill.

Progressive Farmer notes the payments will not fully offset higher 2026-27 fuel and fertilizer costs. Producers budgeting for the coming season should treat the payments as partial relief rather than a full backstop against rising input costs.

What's next

As of October 20, 2026, FSA payments are actively reaching producer accounts, and the agency has completed the rate-setting process for the 2025 crop year. Producers who have not yet seen deposits can expect them in the coming days based on the week-of-October-19 start.

Attention now likely turns to how ARC and PLC reference prices are handled in the broader Farm Bill 2.0 reauthorization. The commodity title remains a focal point for lawmakers weighing price-floor levels against program cost, a debate readers can follow on our timeline and status page.

Because these payments reflect prior-year prices, the next ARC/PLC cycle will depend on the 2026 marketing year averages, which are not yet final. Producers and lenders can track legislative movement affecting future safety-net levels through our vote tracker.

Frequently asked questions

How much are the 2025 ARC/PLC payments?

USDA's Farm Service Agency finalized a record $13.8 billion in total ARC/PLC payments for the 2025 crop year. Final average payments per base acre are $51 for corn, $29 for soybeans, $47 for wheat, $119 for seed cotton, and $244 for peanuts. This is the largest payout since the programs were established in 2014.

When will ARC/PLC payments hit my bank account?

Payments began landing in producer bank accounts the week of October 19, 2026, after USDA's Farm Service Agency finalized 2025-crop payment rates. Deposits are being distributed over the following days. The payments cover the 2025 crop year and arrive roughly a year after that production, reflecting the time needed to calculate final marketing year average prices.

Why is the corn payment lower than earlier estimates?

The corn per-base-acre rate was revised down from an earlier estimate of $62 to a final $51. Final payment rates depend on the final marketing year average price, which for corn settled at $4.16 per bushel. As MYA prices are finalized, earlier projected rates can rise or fall, and in this case the corn figure moved lower.

Why are 2025 ARC/PLC payments a record?

FSA Administrator Fordyce credited higher reference prices under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) as a factor in the record $13.8 billion payout. Higher reference prices raise the price floors that trigger payments, and the payment limit also shapes the total. Together these drove the largest ARC/PLC payout since the programs began in 2014.

Will the payments cover higher 2026 input costs?

Not fully. Progressive Farmer notes the record payments will not completely offset higher 2026-27 fuel and fertilizer costs. Producers should view the payments as partial relief for tight margins rather than a full backstop against rising input expenses. The money is tied to 2025 production and arrives about a year after that crop year.

Sources

• Farm Policy News , Record $13.8 billion ARC/PLC payments finalized for 2025 crop year, dated 2026-10-19.