Sept. 30 deadline to update safety-net program crop yields approaching

Press release

WASHINGTON — USDA’s Farm Service Agency is reminding farm owners that they have a one-time opportunity to update Price Loss Coverage program yields for covered commodities on the farm.

The deadline is Sept. 30 to update yields, which are used to calculate the PLC payments for 2020 through 2023. Additionally, producers who elected Agriculture Risk Coverage should also consider updating their yields.

“The last time farmers could update yields for these important safety-net programs was in 2014,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “It is the farm owner’s choice whether to update or keep existing yields. So, if you rent, you’ll need to communicate with your landlord who will be the one to sign off on the yield updates.”

Updating yields requires the signature of one owner on a farm and not all owners. If a yield update is not made, no action is required to maintain the existing base crop yield on file with FSA.

For program payments, updated yields will apply beginning with the 2020 crop year which, should payments trigger, will be paid out in October 2021.

Determining yield updates

The updated yield will be equal to 90 percent of the average yield per planted acre in crop years 2013-2017. That excludes any year where the applicable covered commodity was not planted and is subject to the ratio obtained by dividing the 2008-2012 average national yield by the 2013-2017 average national yield for the covered commodity.

The chart following provides the ratio obtained by this calculation.

Covered Commodity National Yield Factor

Barley 0.9437

Canola 0.9643

Chickpeas, Large 1.0000

Chickpeas, Small 0.9760

Corn 0.9000

Crambe 1.0000

Flaxseed 1.0000

Grain Sorghum 0.9077

Lentils 1.0000

Mustard Seed 0.9460

Oats 0.9524

Peanuts 0.9273

Peas, Dry 0.9988

Rapeseed 1.0000

Rice, Long 0.9330

Rice, Medium 0.9887

Rice, Temp Japonica 0.9591

Safflower 1.0000

Seed Cotton 0.9000

Sesame Seed 0.9673

Soybeans 0.9000

Sunflower Seed 0.9396

Wheat 0.9545

If the reported yield in any year is less than 75 percent of the 2013-2017 average county yield, the yield will be substituted with 75 percent of the county average yield.

More information

PLC yields may be updated on a covered commodity-by-covered commodity basis by submitting FSA form CCC-867 to include a farm owner’s signature.

For more information, reference resources, and decision tools, visit http://farmers.gov/arc-plc . People can contact their local FSA county office for assistance at http://farmers.gov/service-center-locator .