ARC vs PLC › New Mexico
ARC-CO and PLC · FSA official
New Mexico ARC-CO benchmark yields for 2026, by county
FSA’s official program year 2026 ARC-CO benchmark yields for 20 New Mexico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaves | Corn | All practices | 151.60 | $763 | $78 |
| Curry | Corn | Irrigated | 116.03 | $584 | $60 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 42.07 | $212 | $22 | |
| Soybeans | All practices | 43.67 | $531 | $54 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 47.34 | $330 | $34 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 9.63 | $67 | $7 | |
| De Baca | Wheat | All practices | 26.73 | $187 | $19 |
| Doña Ana | Corn | All practices | 191.77 | $965 | $98 |
| Wheat | All practices | 86.91 | $607 | $62 | |
| Eddy | Corn | All practices | 151.60 | $763 | $78 |
| Harding | Wheat | All practices | 37.18 | $260 | $26 |
| Hidalgo | Corn | All practices | 199.53 | $1,004 | $102 |
| Lea | Corn | All practices | 145.63 | $733 | $75 |
| Luna | Corn | All practices | 196.77 | $990 | $101 |
| Otero | Wheat | All practices | 86.91 | $607 | $62 |
| Quay | Corn | All practices | 205.79 | $1,035 | $106 |
| Wheat | All practices | 9.40 | $66 | $7 | |
| Rio Arriba | Wheat | All practices | 23.44 | $164 | $17 |
| Roosevelt | Corn | Irrigated | 99.29 | $499 | $51 |
| Corn | Non-irrigated | 42.07 | $212 | $22 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 49.64 | $346 | $35 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 10.09 | $70 | $7 | |
| San Juan | Corn | All practices | 191.16 | $962 | $98 |
| Wheat | All practices | 76.50 | $534 | $54 | |
| San Miguel | Corn | All practices | 178.49 | $898 | $92 |
| Santa Fe | Corn | All practices | 180.85 | $910 | $93 |
| Wheat | All practices | 43.07 | $301 | $31 | |
| Sierra | Corn | All practices | 189.58 | $954 | $97 |
| Torrance | Wheat | All practices | 45.73 | $319 | $33 |
| Union | Corn | All practices | 181.02 | $911 | $93 |
| Soybeans | All practices | 42.33 | $515 | $53 | |
| Wheat | Irrigated | 52.53 | $367 | $37 | |
| Wheat | Non-irrigated | 15.44 | $108 | $11 | |
| Valencia | Corn | All practices | 178.49 | $898 | $92 |
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 New Mexico 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 · New Mexico cash rent by county · New Mexico yield by year · New Mexico Farmland Atlas
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