USDA Unveils Key New Programs to Help Farmers Manage Risk

Direct payments are a thing of the past. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced two farm safety net programs that offer farmers protection when the market causes substantial drops in crop prices and/or revenues. The Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are now available and producers will have through early spring of 2015 to select which program works best for their business. To help farmers choose between ARC and PLC, USDA helped create online tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about what each program will mean for them under possible future scenarios. “We’re committed to giving farmers as much information as we can so they can make an informed decision between these programs,” said Vilsack. “These resources will help farm owners and producers boil the information down, understand what their options are, and ultimately make the best decision on which choice is right for them.  Learn more and use the new tools to determine which program works best.