Will an Improved ARC-CO Program Pay More Often?

Aug 22, 2025

By Jonathan LaPorte

Recent legislation under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has included updates to several Farm Bill Commodity Programs. In particular, the Agricultural Risk Coverage program had several changes made to improve support benefits. ARC-CO, which provides protection based on county losses, has historically struggled to trigger payments for corn and soybean growers. That begs the question, do the ARC-CO updates mean producers will see actual payments more often?

Historically, corn and soybean producers have not received a lot of support from the ARC-CO program. The lack of support was notable during the 2018 Farm Bill period or 2019-2024 production seasons. In particular, from 2022 through 2024, the corn price dropped $2.00 per bushel, and soybeans dropped over $4.00 per bushel. The loss of value has significantly impacted short and long-term financial stability for many farms. During this period, ARC-CO offered limited support to producers in most counties. The fundamental lack of support led to calls for program reforms, many of which focused on the need for aid during these types of market conditions.

Source : msu.edu

Video: Grazing Network Group: What it is and how it benefits our operation

In the spring of 2023 OMAFA, along with the University of Guelph, gathered a group of 18 producers from the beef, sheep, and dairy sectors to support a three to four year research project related to measuring grass growth in Ontario. The producers use a Rising Plate Meter to capture grass growth and record livestock movements. This presentation will explain how the group interact/support one another, some initial findings, as well as the benefits for the research team and our farm.

The purpose of the Profitable Pastures conference is to bring fresh ideas and new research results to Ontario grazing managers across the ruminant livestock sectors. These conferences have a major focus on pasture management