(NAFB.com) – Enrollment for the USDA’s ARC and PLC Programs will not open until after the 2026 planting season. AgroLatam said the announcement comes as USDA readies a 61-page final rule implementing updates required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. Key changes include higher PLC reference prices, a 90 percent guarantee level for ARC, and expanded base acre eligibility for farmers with historically non-program crops. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce said the delays are due to the Farm Service Agency workload and the complex nature of implementing the new federally-mandated provisions. According to the rule, farmers will likely know their 2026 production and yields before enrolling in PLC and ARC – a significant shift in timing that could allow more informed decisions but may compress the planning window for each U.S. producer. At the same time, enrollment in the Dairy Margin Coverage began on Monday, January 12.