Farm Service Agency, University of Nebraska-Lincoln to Host Commodity Crop Safety Net Informational Webinar on Oct. 15

Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 8, 2026 - USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Nebraska is partnering with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center for Agricultural Profitability (CAP) on a webinar designed to educate commodity crop producers on the 2026 and 2027 Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs election and enrollment process. Producers can make elections and enroll for the 2026 crop year from now through Dec. 11, 2026, and for the 2027 crop year from Nov. 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027. Producers can learn about the ARC and PLC options for 2026 and 2027 during the FSA/CAP webinar scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Cathy Anderson, FSA production and compliance programs chief in Nebraska, and Brad Lubben, Extension policy specialist in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agricultural Economics, will present information relevant for producers, ag professionals and ag stakeholders. Webinar attendance is free. Register on the CAP website at cap.unl.edu/webinars.

ARC and PLC are key USDA safety-net programs that help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. These programs were extended to the 2031 production season through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

"With the 2026 ARC and PLC election and enrollment window now open, we'll review key points producers need to know as they work with their local FSA office," said Nebraska FSA State Executive Director Hilary Maricle. "All ARC and PLC program participants are encouraged to review their previous program elections and enroll ahead of the deadline. If producers do not make a 2026 ARC or PLC program election by Dec. 11, 2026, they will be ineligible for 2026 program assistance."

Brad Lubben, Extension policy specialist with CAP, said program changes and a different price outlook could shift how producers approach their ARC and PLC decisions for 2026 and 2027.

"After a year when producers automatically received the higher of the two programs, 2026 brings back an active choice between ARC and PLC," said Lubben. "Higher reference prices and changes to ARC shift the math from what producers have seen in past years. Understanding the program mechanics and analysis will help producers make sound enrollment decisions with FSA."

In-person ARC and PLC education meetings also are being planned for several locations across the state and will be announced soon.

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Persons with disabilities who require accommodations should contact Bobbie Kriz-Wickham at (402) 437-5896 or [email protected] by Oct. 13, 2026, or dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services.