The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency is delivering approximately $201.6 million in farm safety net and conservation program payments to Wisconsin farmers, ranchers, and landowners. The payments are part of approximately $15.6 billion in nationwide assistance announced by the USDA for the 2025 and 2026 crop years.
The payments come through two main programs: Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), which help farmers manage income losses from commodity price declines or revenue shortfalls, and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides annual rental payments to landowners who establish long-term vegetation covers for conservation.
Beginning with the 2025 crop year, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act increased the payment limit for ARC and PLC from $125,000 to $155,000. For the 2025 crop year specifically, the limit is $160,000. Producers automatically receive whichever program offers the higher payment rate, regardless of their election. The act also added 1,988,344.80 base acres in Wisconsin, which will improve the farm safety net starting with the 2026 crop year.
The CRP payments cover 165,562 acres currently under active contracts in Wisconsin. Conservation program payments support rural economies while protecting natural resources and wildlife habitat, according to the agency.
"These dollars help producers and landowners in our state cover operating expenses, purchase supplies and equipment, and do business with local companies, creating a positive economic ripple effect throughout our rural communities," said Sandy Chalmers, State Executive Director in Wisconsin.
Producers can enroll in ARC and PLC for the 2026 crop year through December 11, 2026, and for the 2027 crop year from November 2, 2026, through March 15, 2027. Ten crops triggered PLC payments for the 2025 crop year: barley, canola, corn, dry peas, flaxseed, grain sorghum, oats, safflower, soybeans, and wheat.