This Week In Ag #157
The first day of planting, the first day of harvest and the deadline for Federal Crop Insurance. These are three of the most important days of the year for farmers. That’s especially true this year, when farming is fraught with marketing challenges.
Today is the deadline to sign up for Federal Crop Insurance. FCI is one of the most valuable, albeit controversial, marketing and risk-protection tools for US farmers. Over 90% of commodity growers use it. To gain a better understanding, let’s break it down by the three words in its name, starting with the last.
Insurance. More like assurance than insurance. FCI offers revenue protection that guarantees growers a set level of annual farm income simply by planting seeds, regardless of what happens to their crop or the markets. This is established by taking your actual production history (APH), which is your annual average crop yield over at least four years. That’s multiplied by the Projected Price (PP). During February, the average futures prices for December corn and November soybeans are calculated to determine the projected price. That number is then multiplied by the level of coverage farmers opt for, ranging from 50% all the way to 95%. The higher the coverage level, the greater the guaranteed revenue, but the higher the premium. Beginning farmers receive an additional 15% premium reduction during their first two years of operation.
Crop. While FCI technically covers more than 100 crops, the focus is clearly on corn, soybeans and wheat. This is another bone of contention among critics, even those in the ag community, as premiums are more affordable for row-crop producers than specialty crops. Likewise, Midwest farmers typically see much lower premiums than producers in other parts of the country. As for those Projected Prices for 2026: corn is $4.62/bu, which is down 8 cents from last year. Soybeans are $11.09, up 55 cents from last year. Wheat is $6.19, down 46 cents. Last year, corn prices never exceeded the PP, as the actual market high occurred in February. These PPs affect which crops farmers choose to plant.
Federal. Is it ever! FCI is seen not only as a safety net for farmers but also as a matter of national security and financial stability. Given that rationale, it’s heavily subsidized by the federal government. And thanks to last year’s Big Beautiful Bill, it’s more subsidized than ever. Now 80% of FCI premiums are underwritten by the government, up from 65% in 2025 and 50% before that. This not only provides significant savings for farmers but also makes higher coverage levels more affordable. While Uncle Sam creates the products, FCI is sold by several licensed agents, including Farm Credit affiliates, insurance companies and independent agents. The cost for coverage is the same no matter where you buy it, so sellers compete on service, expertise and relationships. As with most federal programs these days, FCI is not without its detractors. As a line item, taxpayers are now on the hook for about $13 billion annually. This makes FCI a lightning rod for those who define it as socialized farming or welfare to farmers.
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This Week in Ag #37
One of the greatest inventions in history is the combine. The concept of threshing and separating grain in one operation revolutionized our food system, as well as redefined our labor force. Consider that in the mid-1800s, 90% of the US workforce was involved in some aspect of farming. Now it’s under 2%. To think my grandfather harvested corn by hand and threw the ears in a wagon! He used the pull-behind model in the 1940s to harvest small grains (that’s him, Fred Nichols, combining oats on our family farm). My mother still talks about dad wearing a Jesse James style mask while operating their first self-propelled combine without a cab.
