ARC vs PLC › Colorado
ARC-CO and PLC · FSA official
Colorado ARC-CO benchmark yields for 2026, by county
FSA’s official program year 2026 ARC-CO benchmark yields for 48 Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Corn | Irrigated | 170.07 | $855 | $87 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 33.60 | $169 | $17 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 48.14 | $586 | $60 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 51.16 | $357 | $36 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 28.29 | $197 | $20 | |
| Alamosa | Corn | All practices | 137.67 | $692 | $71 |
| Wheat | All practices | 78.13 | $545 | $56 | |
| Arapahoe | Corn | All practices | 32.27 | $162 | $17 |
| Wheat | All practices | 20.89 | $146 | $15 | |
| Archuleta | Wheat | All practices | 15.97 | $111 | $11 |
| Baca | Corn | Irrigated | 161.14 | $811 | $83 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 25.33 | $127 | $13 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 50.88 | $619 | $63 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 38.09 | $266 | $27 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 17.32 | $121 | $12 | |
| Bent | Corn | All practices | 127.51 | $641 | $65 |
| Soybeans | All practices | 53.21 | $648 | $66 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 30.91 | $216 | $22 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 14.67 | $102 | $10 | |
| Boulder | Corn | All practices | 190.35 | $957 | $98 |
| Wheat | All practices | 47.14 | $329 | $34 | |
| Broomfield | Corn | All practices | 139.55 | $702 | $72 |
| Cheyenne | Corn | Irrigated | 175.21 | $881 | $90 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 36.71 | $185 | $19 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 47.54 | $579 | $59 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 55.94 | $390 | $40 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 23.63 | $165 | $17 | |
| Conejos | Corn | All practices | 137.67 | $692 | $71 |
| Wheat | All practices | 73.60 | $514 | $52 | |
| Costilla | Wheat | All practices | 45.00 | $314 | $32 |
| Crowley | Corn | All practices | 159.34 | $801 | $82 |
| Wheat | All practices | 31.20 | $218 | $22 | |
| Custer | Wheat | All practices | 49.60 | $346 | $35 |
| Delta | Corn | All practices | 212.22 | $1,067 | $109 |
| Wheat | All practices | 73.67 | $514 | $52 | |
| Denver | Corn | All practices | 112.32 | $565 | $58 |
| Wheat | All practices | 33.96 | $237 | $24 | |
| Dolores | Corn | All practices | 122.93 | $618 | $63 |
| Wheat | All practices | 13.44 | $94 | $10 | |
| Douglas | Wheat | All practices | 32.53 | $227 | $23 |
| Eagle | Wheat | All practices | 70.40 | $491 | $50 |
| El Paso | Corn | All practices | 89.30 | $449 | $46 |
| Wheat | All practices | 33.66 | $235 | $24 | |
| Elbert | Corn | All practices | 34.70 | $175 | $18 |
| Wheat | All practices | 27.26 | $190 | $19 | |
| Fremont | Wheat | All practices | 34.20 | $239 | $24 |
| Garfield | Corn | All practices | 196.56 | $989 | $101 |
| Wheat | All practices | 31.94 | $223 | $23 | |
| Huerfano | Corn | All practices | 145.67 | $733 | $75 |
| Wheat | All practices | 48.00 | $335 | $34 | |
| Kiowa | Soybeans | All practices | 42.99 | $523 | $53 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 24.84 | $173 | $18 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 18.80 | $131 | $13 | |
| Kit Carson | Corn | Irrigated | 164.81 | $829 | $85 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 45.24 | $228 | $23 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 43.04 | $524 | $53 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 57.20 | $399 | $41 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 34.89 | $244 | $25 | |
| La Plata | Corn | All practices | 169.58 | $853 | $87 |
| Wheat | All practices | 15.97 | $111 | $11 | |
| Larimer | Corn | All practices | 183.99 | $925 | $94 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 60.71 | $424 | $43 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 31.95 | $223 | $23 | |
| Las Animas | Corn | All practices | 126.67 | $637 | $65 |
| Wheat | All practices | 15.11 | $105 | $11 | |
| Lincoln | Corn | Irrigated | 147.08 | $740 | $75 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 34.13 | $172 | $18 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 46.65 | $568 | $58 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 50.58 | $353 | $36 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 25.43 | $178 | $18 | |
| Logan | Corn | Irrigated | 198.65 | $999 | $102 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 52.92 | $266 | $27 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 50.93 | $620 | $63 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 64.45 | $450 | $46 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 39.20 | $274 | $28 | |
| Mesa | Corn | All practices | 215.80 | $1,085 | $111 |
| Soybeans | All practices | 50.88 | $619 | $63 | |
| Wheat | All practices | 114.29 | $798 | $81 | |
| Moffat | Wheat | All practices | 19.08 | $133 | $14 |
| Montezuma | Corn | All practices | 134.84 | $678 | $69 |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 58.77 | $410 | $42 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 19.90 | $139 | $14 | |
| Montrose | Corn | All practices | 221.01 | $1,112 | $113 |
| Wheat | All practices | 73.67 | $514 | $52 | |
| Morgan | Corn | Irrigated | 202.57 | $1,019 | $104 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 35.95 | $181 | $18 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 51.00 | $621 | $63 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 67.94 | $474 | $48 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 33.90 | $237 | $24 | |
| Otero | Corn | All practices | 180.58 | $908 | $93 |
| Soybeans | All practices | 54.21 | $660 | $67 | |
| Wheat | All practices | 44.16 | $308 | $31 | |
| Phillips | Corn | Irrigated | 206.73 | $1,040 | $106 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 59.36 | $299 | $30 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 60.14 | $732 | $75 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 64.48 | $450 | $46 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 37.55 | $262 | $27 | |
| Prowers | Corn | Irrigated | 150.65 | $758 | $77 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 28.53 | $144 | $15 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 56.21 | $684 | $70 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 38.85 | $271 | $28 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 20.96 | $146 | $15 | |
| Pueblo | Corn | All practices | 199.46 | $1,003 | $102 |
| Wheat | All practices | 32.73 | $228 | $23 | |
| Rio Blanco | Wheat | All practices | 20.60 | $144 | $15 |
| Rio Grande | Wheat | All practices | 86.13 | $601 | $61 |
| Routt | Wheat | All practices | 24.67 | $172 | $18 |
| Saguache | Corn | All practices | 154.87 | $779 | $79 |
| Wheat | All practices | 76.96 | $537 | $55 | |
| San Miguel | Wheat | All practices | 18.97 | $132 | $14 |
| Sedgwick | Corn | Irrigated | 189.08 | $951 | $97 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 56.80 | $286 | $29 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 55.26 | $673 | $69 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 69.76 | $487 | $50 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 41.95 | $293 | $30 | |
| Washington | Corn | Irrigated | 194.21 | $977 | $100 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 44.62 | $224 | $23 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 48.88 | $595 | $61 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 58.44 | $408 | $42 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 34.29 | $239 | $24 | |
| Weld | Corn | Irrigated | 204.96 | $1,031 | $105 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 28.35 | $143 | $15 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 48.45 | $590 | $60 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 65.01 | $454 | $46 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 28.12 | $196 | $20 | |
| Yuma | Corn | Irrigated | 216.37 | $1,088 | $111 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 48.80 | $245 | $25 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 50.51 | $615 | $63 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 70.77 | $494 | $50 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 44.91 | $313 | $32 |
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 Colorado 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 · Colorado cash rent by county · Colorado yield by year · Colorado Farmland Atlas
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