ARC, PLC sign-up now open, decision tools available

From the National Association of Wheat Growers

Wheat growers have until Thursday, Dec. 11, 2026, to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) for the 2026 crop year. After Congress paid producers the higher of the two programs for 2025, this year the choice is back in growers’ hands and reflects the new program provisions enacted last year.

The later-than-usual deadline works in wheat’s favor. The 2026 wheat crop is already in the bin, the marketing year is underway, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun publishing monthly prices. That means growers can make this decision with far better information than in a typical year. A few minutes with a good decision tool, plus a conversation with a trusted advisor, can make a real difference in what your base acres earn.

Several land-grant universities publish free ARC/PLC decision aids. These three stand out as easy to use, but are by no means the only tools available:

• K-State ARC/PLC Tradeoff Tool (agmanager.info). Built by Kansas State University, where more than half of base acres are wheat base, this spreadsheet works for any state, county, and crop. Its standout feature shows the marketing-year price at which PLC would start paying more than ARC. A short tutorial video is available on the same site.
• Texas A&M AFPC Decision Aid (afpc.tamu.edu). The Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) has updated its free online decision aid to reflect the new farm program provisions. AFPC’s tools are used by growers and lenders nationwide.
• University of Illinois Farm Bill What-If Tool (farmdoc.illinois.edu/policy-toolbox). This Excel-based tool offers the most options for growers who want to dig into price and yield scenarios. Farmdoc’s recent research found that farmers as a group captured only about two-thirds of the ARC and PLC payments available in 2021–24, a strong reason to run the numbers rather than default to last year’s choice.

Whichever tool you use, plug in your own farm’s yields and base acres rather than relying on default values.

Online tools are a great starting point, but the best decisions come from pairing the numbers with local expertise. Before you finalize your election, consider checking in with your land-grant university and county Extension office. Many state Extension economists publish state-specific guidance, payment estimates, and webinars, and they can help you interpret tool results for your county.

Your local co-op is another option. Co-op staff often see how ARC and PLC decisions play out across many operations in your area. Your farm accountant or business consultant can weigh the election against your cash flow, crop insurance choices, and overall risk management plan for the year, and your local USDA Farm Service Agency staff know the program rules inside and out, can confirm your base acres and PLC yields, and can answer questions specific to your farm records.

Once you’ve made your decision, enrollment is straightforward, and you have two options:

• Online: Make your election and enroll at fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc using a Login.gov account. If you haven’t set up Login.gov yet, do it early so you aren’t scrambling near the deadline.
• In person: Call your local FSA county office to schedule an appointment. FSA staff can walk you through your options and complete the enrollment with you.

Don’t wait until the last week. FSA offices get busy as deadlines approach, and an early start leaves time to gather records and get your questions answered. The deadline is Thursday, Dec. 11, 2026.