ARC/PLC program steps and deadlines

Step 1: Base Reallocation & Yield Updates for 2014 Farm Bill Programs

• Base Reallocation based on 2009-2012 History

In August, you received a letter from FSA outlining the 2008 through 2012 “planted and considered planted” (“cropping”) history for all farms in which you had an interest in during the 2014 crop year. Some of the cropping history was missing due to various reasons such as farm or tract reconstitutions, transfer to a different administrative FSA County Office, etc. Our office has now completed the research needed on the missing cropping history for those farms, and an updated letter for each affected farm has been mailed to the applicable producers. If you do not receive a new letter during the next week or so, that means we did not note any missing data for your farm(s). If you do receive an updated letter, the cropping history shown in the updated letter for the applicable farm should be used instead of the cropping history data for that farm shown in the August letter. You should still review the cropping history for all your farms included in your letter and compare it to your own records to ensure it’s accuracy.

• Yield Updates

Now that we have the cropping history completed for you, we are ready for you to start working on getting your yields updated. We have a packet of information that will assist you in updating the yields for each of your farms and tracts. Quite a few crop insurance agents have indicated that they are willing to assist you with this process, since they have your yearly production reports on file.

Please contact our office or your crop insurance agent when you are ready to start this process. We will forward the yield update packet to either you, your agent, or both.

• Deadline

The deadline to complete Base Reallocation and Yield Updates in February 27, 2015.

Step 2: Program Election

This can be done by the operator between November 17, 2014 and March 31, 2015. You will determine which program you want to participate in. The options are:

1. Price Loss Coverage (PLC) which can be selected by crop;

2. Agricultural Risk Coverage-County (ARC-CO) which can be selected by crop; or

3. Agricultural Risk Coverage-Individual (ARC-IC) which applies to all crops.

Step 3: Enrollment

This can be done by the OPERATOR between April 1, 2015 and Summer 2015. Contracts will be completed at the same time for BOTH 2014 and 2015. Note: Payment, if applicable, will be made after the end of the marketing year (i.e. 2014 will be paid in October 2015).

To assist producers as they elect PLC, ARC-CO, or ARC-IC, USDA helped create online tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about what each program will mean for them under possible future scenarios. The new tools are now available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc and can be accessed at home any time.