Enroll now in USDA farm programs before deadline

Feb 29, 2024

By Farms.com

Agricultural producers are in the final stretch to enroll in the USDA's Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year, with a looming deadline of March 15, 2024. These key safety net programs, overseen by the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), aim to provide indispensable income support to farmers confronting significant price or revenue downturns.

In New York, progress is evident, with 74% of the anticipated contracts already finalized, demonstrating the agricultural community's active participation. Jim Barber, FSA's State Executive Director in New York, emphasizes the programs' role in mitigating market uncertainties at no additional cost to the producer. He encourages farmers to make their program elections soon to avoid missing out on this critical support.

Farmers can elect coverage under ARC-County or PLC for specific crops, or ARC-Individual for comprehensive farm protection. While changing elections for 2024 is not mandatory, signing an annual contract is essential for receiving program benefits. Failure to enroll by the deadline disqualifies producers from receiving payments for the 2024 crop year.

The programs cover a broad array of commodities, from grains to oilseeds, ensuring a wide impact across the agricultural sector. Producers are also advised to consider how enrollment affects eligibility for various crop insurance options, with tools available to assist in making the best decision for their operations.

This initiative is part of the USDA's commitment, under the current administration, to fostering a more resilient and equitable agricultural sector, emphasizing local and regional food systems, fair markets, and climate-smart practices.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.