Posted March 2, 2015
Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that a one-time extension will be provided to
producers for the new safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill,
known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC),
according to a USDA release available here.
Farm Futures also published an article available here
and THV 11 here.
The final
day to update yield history or reallocate base acres has been extended one
additional month from Feb. 27, 2015. The final day for farm owners and
producers to choose ARC or PLC coverage also remains March 31, 2015.
“This is
an important decision for producers, because these programs provide financial
protection against unexpected changes in the marketplace. Producers are working
to make the best decision they can. And we're working to ensure that they've
got the time, the information, and the opportunities to have those final
conversations, review their data, and to visit the Farm Service Agency to make
those decisions,” said Vilsack.
Vilsack
said that the extended deadline was primarily due to the challenges with
southern operations, according to Farm
Futures.
“Based on
our most recent best guess we have roughly 60% of farm operations that have made
the (base acre) election.”
The
extension was made, says Tony Franco, chief of farm programs for USDA's Farm
Service Agency in Arkansas, “because of the complexity of the farm ill,”
according to THV
11.
Producers
needing more information on the programs, Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price
Loss Coverage. can contact their local Farm Service Agency office or go to www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.
For more information on farm bills, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
