WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will generate about $13.8 billion in gross payments for the 2025 crop year, the largest annual payout since the programs began.
The Farm Service Agency says 16 crops triggered Price Loss Coverage payments, including corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, rice, seed cotton, canola, and several pulse crops. Agriculture Risk Coverage payments depend on county-level revenue losses.
USDA says the $13.8 billion total is before payment-limit reductions and a required 5.7 percent sequestration cut. For 2025, producers will automatically receive the higher payment rate from either ARC or PLC, regardless of their original program election.
The Working Families Tax Cuts Act also increased the payment limit, with the 2025 cap set at $160,000. USDA says the law strengthened reference prices and revised other program calculations beginning with the 2025 crop year.
Enrollment for the 2026 crop year is now open. USDA also added 30 million new base acres nationwide, with those acres affecting ARC and PLC coverage beginning in 2026.
