This year’s ARC/PLC decision is due a month later than usual. The farm safety net program choice doesn’t need to be made until April 15. For the bulk of the Corn Belt, ag economist Gary Schnitkey says PLC is likely to pay less for corn, soybeans, and wheat this season than ARC County. “Obviously, we don’t know all the prices and yields that will happen in 2025. If we have extremely low prices, PLC will pay more, but that’s a pretty remote case yet,” Schnitkey said.
So, the Farmdoc team at the University of Illinois leans toward taking ARC County rather than PLC for all three crops: corn, soybeans, and wheat. Unlike federal crop insurance, which requires a premium to be paid for the coverage level, the federal farm safety net programs are free of charge.
