ARC vs PLC › California
ARC-CO and PLC · FSA official
California ARC-CO benchmark yields for 2026, by county
FSA’s official program year 2026 ARC-CO benchmark yields for 31 California counties, by crop and by practice where FSA splits irrigated and non-irrigated. FSA has not posted 2027 benchmarks; the 2027 benchmark shifts the window one year.
Prices that apply in every county. 2026 effective reference price: corn $4.42, soybeans $10.71, wheat $6.35. 2026 ARC-CO benchmark price: corn $5.03, soybeans $12.17, wheat $6.98. When the county yield comes in at its benchmark, ARC-CO pays when the season-average price ends at $4.52 or lower for corn, $10.95 for soybeans and $6.28 for wheat.
Official benchmark yield and revenue by county
Benchmark yield in bu/acre (FSA, 2026). Revenue = yield × 2026 benchmark price, $/acre. Max/base ac = 12% of revenue on 85% of base.
| County | Crop | Practice | Yield | Revenue | Max/base ac |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | Corn | All practices | 144.53 | $727 | $74 |
| Wheat | All practices | 75.64 | $528 | $54 | |
| Amador | Corn | All practices | 151.62 | $763 | $78 |
| Wheat | All practices | 74.97 | $523 | $53 | |
| Butte | Wheat | All practices | 82.06 | $573 | $58 |
| Colusa | Corn | All practices | 218.44 | $1,099 | $112 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 89.63 | $626 | $64 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 55.30 | $386 | $39 | |
| Contra Costa | Corn | All practices | 130.82 | $658 | $67 |
| Wheat | All practices | 74.30 | $519 | $53 | |
| Fresno | Corn | All practices | 155.20 | $781 | $80 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 90.19 | $630 | $64 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 33.97 | $237 | $24 | |
| Glenn | Corn | All practices | 211.29 | $1,063 | $108 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 88.78 | $620 | $63 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 54.53 | $381 | $39 | |
| Imperial | Wheat | All practices | 115.60 | $807 | $82 |
| Kern | Corn | All practices | 141.54 | $712 | $73 |
| Kings | Corn | All practices | 141.54 | $712 | $73 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 84.92 | $593 | $60 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 26.58 | $186 | $19 | |
| Madera | Corn | All practices | 125.83 | $633 | $65 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 83.96 | $586 | $60 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 33.35 | $233 | $24 | |
| Merced | Corn | All practices | 159.90 | $804 | $82 |
| Wheat | All practices | 87.99 | $614 | $63 | |
| Modoc | Wheat | Irrigated | 77.43 | $540 | $55 |
| Monterey | Wheat | All practices | 72.72 | $508 | $52 |
| Placer | Corn | All practices | 146.08 | $735 | $75 |
| Wheat | All practices | 82.06 | $573 | $58 | |
| Riverside | Corn | All practices | 158.21 | $796 | $81 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 91.29 | $637 | $65 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 33.06 | $231 | $24 | |
| Sacramento | Corn | Irrigated | 153.44 | $772 | $79 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 62.23 | $313 | $32 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 72.09 | $503 | $51 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 48.13 | $336 | $34 | |
| San Benito | Corn | All practices | 143.00 | $719 | $73 |
| Wheat | All practices | 69.39 | $484 | $49 | |
| San Joaquin | Corn | All practices | 161.89 | $814 | $83 |
| Wheat | All practices | 86.97 | $607 | $62 | |
| Santa Barbara | Wheat | All practices | 79.07 | $552 | $56 |
| Santa Clara | Wheat | All practices | 75.30 | $526 | $54 |
| Shasta | Wheat | All practices | 77.53 | $541 | $55 |
| Siskiyou | Wheat | Irrigated | 65.55 | $458 | $47 |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 33.75 | $236 | $24 | |
| Solano | Corn | All practices | 182.48 | $918 | $94 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 76.31 | $533 | $54 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 55.61 | $388 | $40 | |
| Sonoma | Corn | All practices | 147.53 | $742 | $76 |
| Wheat | All practices | 78.64 | $549 | $56 | |
| Stanislaus | Corn | All practices | 169.12 | $851 | $87 |
| Wheat | All practices | 75.40 | $526 | $54 | |
| Sutter | Corn | All practices | 224.51 | $1,129 | $115 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 78.85 | $550 | $56 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 92.00 | $642 | $66 | |
| Tehama | Corn | All practices | 175.88 | $885 | $90 |
| Wheat | All practices | 77.53 | $541 | $55 | |
| Tulare | Corn | All practices | 136.47 | $686 | $70 |
| Yolo | Corn | All practices | 220.11 | $1,107 | $113 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 86.28 | $602 | $61 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 78.88 | $551 | $56 | |
| Yuba | Corn | All practices | 205.21 | $1,032 | $105 |
| Wheat | All practices | 84.00 | $586 | $60 |
A county or crop not listed: FSA’s files have nothing for it. Ask the county FSA office for “the 2026 ARC-CO benchmark yield for my county, crop and practice (irrigated or non-irrigated)”, or look it up in FSA’s program data (file: ARC-CO benchmark yields and revenues, program year 2026). Then type it into the calculator.
PLC vs ARC-CO break-even at the benchmark yield
When the county yield comes in at its benchmark, which program pays more depends on the season-average price and on your PLC yield as a share of the county’s official benchmark. Expressed that way, the break-even is the same in every California county. 2026 prices, corn:
| PLC yield, % of your official benchmark | Which pays more, by season-average price |
|---|---|
| 60% | PLC: $3.41 or lower ARC-CO: $3.42 to $4.52 |
| 70% | PLC: $3.55 or lower ARC-CO: $3.56 to $4.52 |
| 80% | PLC: $3.66 or lower ARC-CO: $3.67 to $4.52 |
| 90% | PLC: $3.74 or lower ARC-CO: $3.75 to $4.52 |
| 100% | PLC: $3.81 or lower ARC-CO: $3.82 to $4.52 |
Soybeans:
| PLC yield, % of your official benchmark | Which pays more, by season-average price |
|---|---|
| 60% | PLC: $8.27 or lower ARC-CO: $8.28 to $10.95 |
| 70% | PLC: $8.62 or lower ARC-CO: $8.63 to $10.95 |
| 80% | PLC: $8.88 or lower ARC-CO: $8.89 to $10.95 |
| 90% | PLC: $9.08 or lower ARC-CO: $9.09 to $10.95 |
| 100% | PLC: $9.24 or lower ARC-CO: $9.25 to $10.95 |
Wheat:
| PLC yield, % of your official benchmark | Which pays more, by season-average price |
|---|---|
| 60% | PLC: $4.95 or lower ARC-CO: $4.96 to $6.17 |
| 70% | PLC: $5.15 or lower ARC-CO: $5.16 to $6.12 |
| 80% | PLC: $5.30 or lower ARC-CO: $5.31 to $6.00 |
| 90% | PLC: $5.41 or lower ARC-CO: $5.42 to $5.66 |
| 100% | PLC: $6.34 or lower ARC-CO: never |
Per base acre, both programs on 85% of base. Your PLC yield is on the FSA-156EZ. A county yield below benchmark favors ARC-CO.
An estimate, not a USDA determination. FSA ARC/PLC · FSA program data · Find your county office
Related: ARC vs PLC calculator · California cash rent by county · California yield by year · California Farmland Atlas
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