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USDA: landowners have through August to verify base acre changes

USDA’s Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation says landowners can start verifying their data for base acre changes.

Richard Fordyce says landowners have until the end of August to review, correct or opt out of base acre changes at the Farm Service Agency.

“It’s a result of our history dig at Farm Service Agency. If that looks correct, you don’t need to do anything. If you find that there may be discrepancies, then there is an ability for you to try to make that correct.”

The USDA determined the new base acres from the planting history of 2019 through 2023. Fordyce tells Brownfield…

“These additional base acres now will qualify for our primary safety net program here at USDA.”

Fordyce says the USDA’s review has found slightly more than 30 million acres that appear eligible for an update, and if the agency must prorate because demand exceeds the Congressional cap, he’s expecting that to be modest.

“That won’t happen until we get a little further down the track.”

Fordyce says sign-up for the 2026 Ag Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs are expected to open following the verification deadline.