USDA Opens 2026 ARC/PLC Sept. 16: 30M New Base Acres Added

TL;DR: USDA opened Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) enrollment for the 2026 crop year on Sept. 16, 2026, running through Dec. 11. More than 30 million new base acres were added, the first expansion in 20 years, enabled by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. Because eligible acres exceeded the national cap, FSA applied a 3.69 percent prorated reduction to all new acres.

Key takeaway

USDA added more than 30 million new base acres for 2026, the first expansion in 20 years, with a 3.69 percent prorated cut applied because demand exceeded the national cap.

What happened

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened enrollment for its two main commodity safety-net programs, Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), for the 2026 crop year on Sept. 16, 2026. The enrollment deadline is Dec. 11.

More than 30 million new base acres were added, the first such expansion in 20 years. Base acres are the historical crop acreage figures the Farm Service Agency (FSA) uses to calculate ARC and PLC payments. The expansion was made possible by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which passed through the reconciliation process.

Because the volume of eligible acres exceeded the nationwide 30-million-acre cap, FSA applied a 3.69 percent across-the-board prorated reduction to all newly allocated base acres. That means producers who qualified for new base will receive slightly less than their full requested allocation.

FSA has also set the 2027 enrollment window, which runs from Nov. 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027. Producers can see how the commodity title changes compare to prior law in our what's new vs. 2018 breakdown.

What it means

Producers must enroll by Dec. 11, 2026 to establish coverage under either ARC or PLC for the 2026 crop year. Both programs pay out when prices or revenues fall below set thresholds, so enrollment is the step that locks in the safety net for the year.

Here is what the changes mean for different groups:

• Farmers with newly eligible acres: More than 30 million acres of base are now available, but the 3.69 percent proration trims each allocation. The net effect is broader coverage across more land, at a slightly reduced per-acre base figure.
• Existing ARC/PLC participants: The core choice between ARC and PLC remains, and the Dec. 11 deadline applies to establishing 2026 coverage.
• Ag lenders: The base-acre expansion changes the collateral and cash-flow math for some borrowers, since safety-net eligibility affects expected program income.

The base-acre expansion is significant because base allocations had not grown in two decades. For the full commodity-title context, see our full bill summary and the funding breakdown.

What's next

The Dec. 11 enrollment deadline coincides with the continuing resolution (CR) funding deadline and the likely lame-duck farm bill window. That overlap means commodity-program decisions are landing at the same time Congress is expected to weigh broader farm bill action.

As of Sept. 20, 2026, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman has said he holds out hope for a pre-recess Senate floor vote, but was not sounding hopeful. He said Majority Leader John Thune has promised floor time. Readers can track that progress on our Senate status page and the broader timeline and status tracker.

The 2027 enrollment window opens Nov. 2, 2026, and runs through March 15, 2027, giving producers a later opportunity to establish coverage for the following crop year.

Frequently asked questions

When does 2026 ARC/PLC enrollment open and close?

USDA opened Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) enrollment for the 2026 crop year on Sept. 16, 2026. The deadline is Dec. 11, 2026. Producers must enroll by Dec. 11 to establish coverage under either the ARC or PLC safety-net option for the 2026 crop year. The 2027 enrollment window runs separately from Nov. 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027.

How many new base acres did USDA add for 2026?

USDA added more than 30 million new base acres for the 2026 crop year, according to the Farm Service Agency (FSA). This is the first base-acre expansion in 20 years. Base acres are the historical acreage figures FSA uses to calculate ARC and PLC payments, so the expansion broadens the number of acres eligible for commodity safety-net coverage.

Why is there a 3.69 percent reduction on new base acres?

FSA applied a 3.69 percent across-the-board prorated reduction because the volume of eligible acres exceeded the nationwide 30-million-acre cap. When more acres qualify than the cap allows, the reduction scales each new allocation down proportionally so the total stays within the limit. The reduction applies only to newly allocated base acres.

What made the base-acre expansion possible?

The base-acre expansion was made possible by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which passed through the reconciliation process. That legislation authorized the addition of more than 30 million new base acres, the first such expansion in 20 years. USDA's Farm Service Agency is implementing the change through the 2026 ARC/PLC enrollment period.

What is the difference between ARC and PLC?

Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) are the two main commodity safety-net programs. PLC pays when a commodity's price falls below a set reference price. ARC pays when revenue falls below a benchmark based on historical prices and yields. Producers choose between the two, and both require enrollment by the Dec. 11, 2026 deadline to establish 2026 coverage.

Sources

• USDA FSA , announcement of 2026-2027 ARC/PLC enrollment, dated 2026-09-16.
• Agri-Pulse , Boozman comments on Senate floor timing, dated 2026-09-16.