LUBBOCK, TX – Cotton producers must make a new Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage decision for the 2026 crop after receiving special one-time treatment for 2025 payments.
Plains Cotton Growers Director of Field Services Mark Brown says producers should receive the higher of ARC or PLC for the 2025 crop regardless of their original enrollment choice. That provision does not continue for 2026.
Brown says producers now have until December 11 to choose between ARC and PLC. He says the decision can vary significantly by county and farm, making a single statewide recommendation difficult.
Cotton producers also need to consider crop insurance choices. Brown says producers participating in the Stacked Income Protection Plan cannot also receive ARC or PLC on those acres, while Supplemental Coverage Option remains available with certain program choices.
Brown recommends producers review farm-specific calculations before making an election and avoid waiting until the final days, when Farm Service Agency offices could be especially busy.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Cotton growers should compare ARC, PLC and crop insurance options carefully before the December 11 enrollment deadline.