As farmers prepare for spring planting, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency has finalized crop insurance prices for the 2026 growing season.
The new projected prices show only modest changes from what producers saw in the spring of 2025.
“So, for corn, we see a price that’s down about 1.7 percent. We also see prices for wheat being down about 5.5 percent, while soybean prices are up. It’s important to know that this is the spring price, and so we’ll have to wait to see what the harvest price looks like in the fall to know what coverage will be for crop insurance,” says Faith Parum, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Parum says the overall safety net for growers is a bit stronger this year. “For 2026, spring prices were finalized at approximately $4.62 per bushel for corn, $11.09 per bushel for soybeans, and $6.19 per bushel for wheat. Of course, there are other crops that have been finalized. Spring prices are set by the future prices through the month of February for these crops, and so this will be helpful in determining the coverage levels for crop insurance.”
That’s partly due to updates included in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made several adjustments to federal farm safety net programs, including crop insurance provisions designed to improve protection against market volatility and weather-related losses.
Parum adds, “There are other risk management tools like ARC and PLC. ARC county prices this year will be set at $5.03 for corn, $12.17 for soybeans, and $6.98 for wheat. There’s also PLC is set by the breakeven price. And so, these will provide a great and strong safety net for our farmers across the country.”
Crop insurance remains one of the most widely used risk management tools for farmers, helping protect their revenue if prices fall or yields drop due to drought, flooding, or other conditions.
With the 2026 planting season approaching, farmers and crop insurance agents are now reviewing coverage options and guarantees based on the newly established prices.
