An increase to base acres for USDA programs like the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for landowners was announced on May 26. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in 2025 provided the additional available 30 million base acres.
Eligible landowners will receive notification by direct mail, and will have from June 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026 to review their base allocation summary and take action if needed, as described below. Additional base acres will automatically be added to your coverage unless you opt out.
After reviewing the Base Allocation Summary, landowners should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office if:
- Acreage history data is incorrect or missing
- There are “subsequent acres” listed and you would like to choose the subsequent acreage for base allocation
- To opt out of receiving any additional base acres
- To appeal the accuracy of information contained in the Base Allocation Summary
Landowners and farm operators will have to work together closely to make sure historic data is accurate with their local FSA office before August 31, 2026.
Starting June 1, 2026, landowners will be able to access their Base Allocation Summary online or in their local FSA office. To learn more and to view your Base Acre Allocation Summary, visit FSA’s website here.
The following paragraph is from a copy of the Landowner Base Allocation Letter:
“The Base Allocation Summary lists the acreage of commodities reported to FSA for farm(s) you are currently the landowner and/or operator of according to FSA’s records. For each covered commodity, the report provides the farm’s reported acres by covered commodity for any planted, prevented planted, failed, double crop, and subsequent acres (acres planted after an initial commodity) for 2019-2023. For non-covered commodities, the total number of acres are listed for each year 2019-2023. This information also provides a determination of your farm(s) eligibility to receive an additional allocation of base acres and maximum number of acres you are eligible for under the base allocation process. If the total amount of additional base acre allocations nationwide exceeds the 30 million acre cap, a pro rata reduction will be applied.”
There is a cap to the base acres available, but according to the USDA, “if eligible requests exceed the nationwide cap of 30 million acres, USDA will apply an across-the-board, prorated reduction to all approved new base acres.”
If FSA is not notified, the Base Allocation Summary will be considered accurate and complete.
Locate your local FSA office here.