The ARC/PLC Enrollment Checklist: 7 lease details to have ready before Dec 11
Every farm needs a signed 2026 ARC/PLC contract by Friday, Dec. 11. Your leases decide who signs, who gets paid and which forms FSA needs. This free checklist shows you what to pull from each lease before your appointment.
- 7 lease details FSA asks for, in plain language
- How cash, crop-share and flex leases change who gets paid
- A farm-by-farm worksheet and an 8-week plan to Dec. 11
15-page PDF · Free · For farmers, landowners and farm managers
Get the checklist
Opens right away. We'll also email you a copy.
Your checklist is ready.
Open the PDF and start with Detail 1, your lease type. Print the worksheet on page 12, one per FSA farm.
Open the checklist (PDF)Book a 15-minute demo. Bring a lease spreadsheet and we'll show how your leases, owners and FSA IDs line up in Oaken.
Pick a 15-minute timePreview mode: nothing was sent to HubSpot. Add the form ID to go live.
The 7 lease details FSA needs for ARC/PLC
Changing your ARC or PLC choice is optional this year, but every farm has to sign a new 2026 contract. Old multi-year contracts ended with 2025. Here's what to pull from each lease first.
Lease type
Cash, crop-share or flex. FSA treats flex leases as cash leases, so the landowner isn't eligible for payments.
Who signs
Every owner and operator with a share must sign. One missing signature means no contract.
Farm and tract numbers
Match each lease's legal description to its FSA farm and tract numbers. Changes may need a reconstitution.
Lease dates
Start, end and renewal terms. Decide between a one-year contract and the 2026–2031 multi-year option.
Shares
Crop shares and payment shares by crop. They should match the lease and your acreage report.
Base acres
ARC and PLC pay on base acres. More than 30 million new base acres were added for 2026.
Eligibility paperwork
Conservation, operating plan and income forms on file, plus lease rules on tiling and clearing.
Get every checkbox
The full checklist adds what to pull, how FSA reads it, and what to watch for on each detail.
Get the free checklistSources: FSA news release, Sept. 15, 2026 · FSA Handbook 1-ARCPLC · FSA ARC/PLC 2026 fact sheet
Your lease type decides who gets the ARC/PLC payment
| Lease | Who's the producer | Does the landowner get paid? |
|---|---|---|
| Cash rent | The tenant | No. A landowner who only cash rents isn't eligible. |
| Crop-share | Owner and tenant | Yes, by their agreed share. Both sign. |
| Flex or combination | The tenant | No. FSA treats it as a cash lease, even with a bonus. |
Source: FSA Handbook 1-ARCPLC, paragraphs 216–222. Your county FSA office makes the final call.
Record 2025 ARC/PLC payments are landing now. 2026 will look different.
USDA expects about $13.8 billion in 2025 ARC and PLC payments, a record, sent by the end of October (AgWeb). A 5.7% sequestration cut comes out of each check.
Sources: farmdoc daily, 2025 Final ARC/PLC Payments · Ohio State Farm Office · Farm CPA Report · farmdoc daily, May 2026
No automatic "higher of" for 2026
For 2025, farms got the higher of ARC-CO or PLC. That was one time only. For 2026 you choose again (farmdoc).
Expect smaller 2026 checks
Paul Neiffer estimates $2.5 to $3 billion for the 2026 crop, with no PLC on corn or soybeans at current prices (Farm CPA Report).
You sign after harvest, so look at ARC-IC
You'll know your own yields before you sign. ARC-IC uses them, but pays on 65% of base (Farm CPA Report).
Use a simple rule of thumb
Pick PLC if the January cash price is below the effective reference price, otherwise ARC-CO. It was right 92% of the time for corn, soybeans and wheat (farmdoc).
Free expert help before Dec. 11
- farmdoc webinar, "First Look at the ARC/PLC Decision for 2026," Oct. 22, 11 a.m. CT (farmdoc daily)
- University of Minnesota Extension "2026 Farm Bill decision" webinar, Nov. 17, 11 a.m. CT (UMN Extension)
- ARC/PLC calculator and Farm Rent Evaluator (farmdoc FAST tools)
- County payment maps for Ohio (Ohio State)
- Year-end tax planning: Neiffer says this year it matters more than ever to meet with your CPA (AgWeb)
Which FSA forms use your lease details
Most of these forms are on farmers.gov Common Forms. Your FSA office prepares the ARC/PLC contract itself.
| Form | What it is | Lease details it uses |
|---|---|---|
| CCC-861 | ARC-CO and PLC contract, signed by every producer with a share | Lease type, who signs, shares, base acres |
| CCC-862 | ARC-IC contract for whole-farm individual coverage | Lease type, who signs, shares |
| AD-1026 | Highly erodible land and wetland conservation certification | New ground, tiling, drainage and clearing rules |
| CCC-902 | Farm operating plan for payment eligibility | Entities, members, who farms the ground |
| CCC-941 | Average adjusted gross income certification | Each person and entity on the lease |
| FSA-578 | Report of acreage | Crop shares by field |
| FSA-155 | Request for farm reconstitution | Farm and tract changes, new owners or operators |
| FSA-156EZ | Farm record summary with base acres and yields | Farm and tract numbers, base acres |
Sources: farmers.gov Common Forms · FSA Handbook 1-ARCPLC · FSA Handbook 2-CM. Also see Oaken's guide to lease records for USDA filings.
Bring it to your FSA appointment
- A page for each of the 7 details: what to pull, how FSA reads it, what to watch for
- ARC vs PLC on one page, with 2026 effective reference prices
- What record 2025 payments mean for 2026, from farmdoc, Ohio State and Paul Neiffer
- A farm-by-farm worksheet to fill in for each FSA farm number
- An 8-week plan back from Dec. 11, and 8 questions to ask FSA
Keep all 7 details in one place, every year
Oaken is farmland lease management software. Enter a lease once and it's ready for FSA, your lender and your tax preparer.
Fixed, flex and crop-share leases with their signed copies
Every owner, family contact and entity, with phone and email
Acres and FSA IDs on each lease, with parcel maps
Renewal countdowns at 90, 60 and 30 days
Crop-share and flex payments figured and reconciled for you
Request documents from owners and file them under the right farm
Signed forms and filings stored under each lease and landowner
Your spreadsheets imported, with white-glove help
Book a 15-minute demo
Bring a lease spreadsheet. We'll show you how it imports and how the 7 checklist details line up for your farms. No setup fees.
"What used to take me 2–3 months to manage, happens now in a matter of hours."Kassi Rowland, Tom Farms, Indiana
ARC/PLC enrollment FAQ
When is the 2026 ARC/PLC enrollment deadline?
Friday, Dec. 11, 2026. Sign-up for the 2026 crop year opened Sept. 16. Sign-up for the 2027 crop year runs Nov. 2, 2026 through March 15, 2027.
Do I have to sign up again if I didn't change programs?
Yes. Changing your election is optional, but every farm needs a signed 2026 contract to be paid. Multi-year contracts from earlier years ended with the 2025 crop.
Does a landowner who cash rents get ARC or PLC payments?
No. On a cash lease the tenant is the producer, and a landowner who only cash rents isn't eligible. On a crop-share lease, the owner and tenant split payments by their shares.
How does FSA treat a flex lease?
For ARC/PLC, FSA treats a flex or combination lease (a guaranteed amount plus a bonus or share) as a cash lease. The landowner isn't eligible for payments.
What's the difference between ARC and PLC?
PLC pays when the national average price falls below the effective reference price ($4.42 corn, $10.71 soybeans and $6.35 wheat for 2026). ARC-CO pays when county revenue falls below 90% of its benchmark. Both pay on 85% of base acres. ARC-IC uses your own farm's revenue and pays on 65% of base acres.
When are ARC/PLC payments made?
After the crop's marketing year ends. 2025 payments, a record of about $13.8 billion, are going out in October 2026, less a 5.7% sequestration cut. Any 2026 payments would arrive in October 2027.
Should I sign a multi-year ARC/PLC contract?
You can sign for 2026 through 2031, but farm CPA Paul Neiffer warns against doing it casually. Prices, county yields and your leases can change, and a yearly choice has value.
What forms do I need for ARC/PLC?
The ARC-CO/PLC contract (CCC-861) or ARC-IC contract (CCC-862), plus eligibility forms on file: AD-1026, CCC-902 and CCC-941. Changes to farms may also need an FSA-155 reconstitution.
Is the checklist free?
Yes. It's a free 15-page PDF. Fill in the form and it opens right away.
For education only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Oaken is not affiliated with USDA or the Farm Service Agency. Your county FSA office makes the final call on your farm. Facts from the FSA ARC/PLC program page, University of Illinois farmdoc, Ohio State, University of Minnesota Extension and Paul Neiffer, current as of Oct. 16, 2026.