Kansas farmers may have more time than they think to decide which federal farm program will provide their best fit for the 2026 crop, and a Kansas State University agricultural economist is encouraging producers to use that extra time.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency announced Sept. 15 that election and enrollment for the 2026 crop year will run from Sept. 16 through Dec. 11. The election and enrollment period for the 2027 crop year will run from Nov. 2 through March 15, 2027.
K-State Extension farm economist Robin Reid said the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs provide income protection based on revenue or commodity prices. Producers can choose ARC-County or PLC on a crop-by-crop basis, and make different decisions on different FSA farm numbers.
According to Reid, the delayed 2026 decision deadline gives farmers an unusual opportunity to have more information about their crop before making their election.
“There is a real advantage this year by harvesting this crop before we are required to make the ARC/PLC decision,” Reid said. “Especially on wheat base, the marketing year has already started and we have a couple of prices already published from USDA.”
Other crops have just begun their marketing years, Reid said, but price estimates are available.
The timing of the decision could make this year's harvest particularly useful in evaluating ARC and PLC. If relatively high grain prices persist through the marketing year, Reid said, the choice could depend largely on county yields.
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