Farmers in some Kansas counties may see higher 2017-18 Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) payments despite the fact that the Olympic Marketing Year Average price guarantees have fallen for corn, sorghum, soybeans and wheat.
For the full analysis and estimates from Art Barnaby, KSU Department of Agricultural Economics, see: http://www.agmanager.info/crop-insurance/risk-management-strategies/higher-arc-guarantees-spite-lower-prices. USDA’s official numbers for 2017 crops will be published a few days before July 1 for winter wheat and at the end of September 2018 - about a year after the fall crops’ harvest.
You can choose what crop you want to look for at the top right of the interactive map (scroll over counties if yours isn’t already shown) here: http://www.agmanager.info/ag-policy/arc-county-guarantees-comparison-201718-201415/kansas-arc-county-guarantees-comparison and see how the payments in your county will compare with the initial payments in 2014.
There is no decision to be made at this time, as ARC vs. PLC was a one-time decision. But should the existing farm bill be extended or a new farm bill be passed that includes these programs, new signup likely will be required, according to Barnaby.
