Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage — free revenue and price protection for covered commodity crops. 15-minute signup at FSA.
Time to Apply
15 minutes at FSA office
Cost to Apply
Free. No fee to elect or enroll.
Where to Apply
Your local FSA office
Complexity
Low — sign election at FSA, 15 minutes
You must choose ARC-CO or PLC for each covered commodity crop (corn, soybeans, wheat, etc.) each year. ARC-CO protects against county revenue drops. PLC protects against national price drops below a reference price. You can choose differently for each crop.
Tip: Use FSA's free online ARC/PLC decision tool at fsa.usda.gov to compare which pays more for your crops
The election period typically opens in fall and runs through March 15. You must make your election by the deadline — if you miss it, your previous year's choice carries forward. New farms must make an initial election.
Tip: Set a calendar reminder for February — don't wait until March 15 to visit FSA
Bring your photo ID and FSA farm number (FSA will have it on file). The election takes about 15 minutes — you sign form CCC-866 indicating your choice for each crop on each farm. FSA staff can explain the current year's projections.
Tip: This is one of the simplest USDA processes — walk in, sign a form, walk out. Don't overthink it.
Once enrolled, payments are calculated and issued automatically if triggered. ARC-CO pays when actual county revenue falls below the benchmark. PLC pays when the national average price falls below the reference price. No claim needed — it just shows up.
Tip: Payments are typically issued the following October, after the marketing year data is finalized
ARC-CO tends to pay more in years with moderate revenue dips. PLC tends to pay more when commodity prices crash hard below reference levels. When in doubt, PLC is the safer choice for most farmers.
You choose per crop, per farm — you can put corn on ARC-CO and soybeans on PLC if the projections favor that split.
The election is FREE. There is zero cost to signing up. If you grow covered commodities and aren't enrolled, you're leaving free protection on the table.
FSA's online decision tool (fsa.usda.gov) lets you compare projected ARC-CO vs. PLC payments based on current commodity prices and your county's data. Use it before your visit.
Missing the March 15 deadline — your choice automatically defaults to the prior year's election, which may not be optimal for current market conditions.
Not re-evaluating each year — market conditions change. What was right last year may not be right this year. Check the decision tool annually.
Confusing ARC-CO with ARC-IC — ARC-IC (Individual Coverage) uses your farm's actual revenue, not the county's. It's rarely the better choice unless your yields are very different from the county average.
Forgetting about base acres — ARC-CO and PLC pay on base acres, not planted acres. Your base acres are determined by historical planting, not what you're growing this year.
Election period: typically October through March 15. Payments: following October if triggered.
Never miss an ARC-CO deadline. Free daily USDA data. Unsubscribe anytime.