Farmers signed a record 1.77 million contracts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) farm safety net programs—Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs—for the 2019 crop year. That is more than 107 percent of the total contracts signed compared with a five-year average.

USDA also reminds farmers that June 30 is the deadline to enroll in ARC and PLC for the 2020 crop year.

“Producers for several years have experienced low commodity prices, a volatile trade environment and catastrophic natural disasters,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “Farmers looking to mitigate these risks recognize that ARC and PLC provide the financial protections they need to weather substantial drops in crop prices or revenues.”

Farmers interested in enrolling for 2020 should contact their FSA county office. Farmers must enroll by June 30 and make their one-time update to PLC payment yields by Sept. 30.

FSA attributes the significant participation in the 2019 crop year ARC and PLC programs to increased farmer interest in the programs under the 2018 Farm Bill and to an increase in eligible farms because of the selling and buying of farms and new opportunities for beginning farmers and military veterans with farms having 10 or fewer base acres.

Enrollment for the 2019 farm safety net programs ended March 16.

USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing.

While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with farmers by phone and using online tools whenever possible.

All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment.

More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

For more information on ARC and PLC, download the program fact sheet or the 2014-2018 farm bills comparison fact sheet. Online ARC and PLC election decision tools are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

To locate the nearest USDA Service Center, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.