2017 farm program payments announced, ARC County rates widely variable in Texas

Texas corn farmers can now determine their payments for the Agricultural Risk Coverage County (ARC-CO), as well as Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2017 crop year.

“In Texas, there was again a wide variability in ARC-CO payments between neighboring counties,” Texas Corn Producers Executive Director David Gibson said. “This is something we’ve continued to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to reduce so it better reflects county farm impacts statewide.”

Farmers can see their expected ARC-CO payment by using this online map from Kansas State University, or by referencing this spreadsheet.

Referencing the spreadsheet, Gibson explains how ARC-CO payments were determined:

“The big differences in payments come when the 2017 actual yield (column L) is less than the 2017 bench mark yield (column G). The bench mark yield was determined by using the 2012-2016 Olympic average for the county. The payment rate is the 2017 maximum payment rate (column K) minus 2017 actual revenue (column N).” 

For farmers enrolled in the PLC program, 2017 payments will be $.34 per bushel multiplied by 85 percent of the farm-proven yield.

TCP encourages farmers to review their payments for 2017. If there are questions or concerns, farmers should contact their county FSA office or can contact TCP at [email protected] or 806-763-CORN (2676).