FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Columbia County, Arkansas

$68,089 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 75/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Columbia County

$68,089 in USDA farm subsidies to Columbia County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 69 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $68,086

Selected program components shown individually. These are separate EWG/USDA pulls and are not additive to the headline subsidy total — no combined "total" is shown. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database / USDA, 2024.

Crop Insurance Premium Subsidy

$68,086 in federal crop-insurance premium subsidy (RMA, 2024).

This is a separate program total (premium-subsidy dollars only) — it is not part of the subsidy headline above and is shown on its own. Source: USDA RMA via EWG, 2024.

Top Subsidy Recipients

# Recipient 2024 Total
1 K.C.C. $7,344
2 H.L.B. $7,328
3 L.Y. $6,180
4 M.S.B. $6,017
5 R.J.S. $5,374
6 J.J.D. $3,507
7 M.D.H. $2,704
8 B E Cattle Co LLC $2,126
9 H.W.B.I. $2,021
10 T.S. $1,840

Top recipients by EWG totalfarm (2024). These named payments sum toward the headline total above. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database.

About Farming in Columbia County

Economics color the picture in Columbia County — about 23% of residents live below the poverty line (USDA ERS), a level at which USDA's beginning-farmer and limited-resource provisions may be relevant. Alongside that, by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Columbia County sits toward the less-supported end of Arkansas counties (Underserved Score 75/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding.

Columbia County has roughly 269 farms working about 58,575 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~218 acres per farm.

In Columbia County, farmland is valued near $2,902/acre (USDA NASS).

Columbia County is predominantly hay country — a forage county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~90% of harvested cropland), vegetables (~1% of harvested cropland), and orchards & fruit (~1% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 15 head per 100 farmland acres (about 5,537 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Columbia County are fairly concentrated: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 47% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 69 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Arkansas counties listed below, Columbia County's Underserved Score (75/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~65/100), ranking above 4 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

With grazing and forage a large part of the land use in Columbia County, conservation and grazing-oriented USDA programs — such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and grassland options under CRP — may be worth asking your local NRCS office about. This is signposting from county land-use patterns, not an eligibility determination.

Local signals from public data: Receives less USDA $/acre than most AR counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Columbia County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Columbia County apply for FSA and NRCS programs and get free, in-person help — they handle program sign-ups, conservation plans, and loan applications.

Farm Service Agency
Lafayette County Farm Service Agency
2 Agriplex Dr, Lewisville, AR
(870) 921-4206
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Lewisville Service Center
2 Agriplex Dr, Lewisville, AR

Source: USDA Service Center locator (Farmers.gov). Office details can change — confirm current hours and appointments via farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

FarmGrant Underserved Score

75 out of 100
Underserved
#16 of 67 most underserved in Arkansas (78th pctile)
92nd national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 19.5/25
Producer Priority? 12.3/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 24.3/25
What drives this score
  • Receives less USDA $/acre than most AR counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Elevated beginning-producer presence (55 per 100 farms)
  • Above-average women producers (59 per 100 farms)
  • Notable veteran population (5.9%)
  • Elevated insured loss ratio (3.70) — higher recorded crop-loss claims

The Underserved Score (0–100) is a descriptive, relative measure of how little USDA farm-program support this county has historically received per acre compared with other counties — built from up to three public-data components (USDA support per acre, producer-priority composition, and crop-insurance coverage). Lower USDA $/acre often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land use, not unclaimed funding. This is not a measure of need, deservedness, or eligibility, and it does not predict that any farm will receive funding. Sources: USDA NASS, RMA, ERS, and EWG subsidy records.

Programs to look at in Columbia County

These are USDA programs commonly relevant to counties like this one, based on public county patterns. They are not a determination that you qualify — you may be eligible; check with your local FSA or NRCS office.

Conservation programs most farms can use

Counties receiving below-average USDA dollars per acre are often under-enrolled in conservation programs open to most land. You may be eligible — these are worth asking your NRCS or FSA office about.

CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) →EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) →
Priority for beginning producers

This county has a high share of beginning producers per 100 farms. These USDA programs give beginning producers priority scoring, set-asides, or higher cost-share — if that's you, they're worth a look.

FSA Microloan →FSA Direct Operating Loan →
Disaster & loss-protection programs

This county shows an elevated insured loss history. These disaster and risk-protection programs are commonly relevant — coverage and eligibility depend on your operation.

LFP (Livestock Forage Disaster Program) →
Commodity support (if you grow program crops)

If you grow covered program crops, these commodity-support programs may apply. Eligibility depends on your crops and base acres — check with your FSA office.

ARC-CO (Agriculture Risk Coverage — County) →
See the full set of USDA programs you could qualify for → free Subsidy Finder

USDA Funding Per Acre

Historically, Columbia County received about $1.16 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most AR counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #2,573 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (58,575 acres, USDA NASS 2022 Census). A descriptive county-wide statistic — not a prediction of what any individual farm received or will receive. This is the same axis as the Underserved Score above (less $/acre → higher Underserved Score, currently 75).

See how Columbia County ranks against all U.S. counties →

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
22,150
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$44,175
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
23.3%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
4.3%
(USDA ERS)
Land Value
$2,902/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Columbia County receive?

Columbia County recipients received about $68,089 in USDA farm subsidies in 2024, per the EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm). This is a single-year county total of recorded payments, not a forecast of future funding.

What USDA programs are available to farmers in Columbia County?

With grazing and forage prominent in Columbia County, conservation and working-lands programs (EQIP, CSP, grassland CRP) and disaster/livestock assistance may be especially relevant, alongside federal crop insurance and FSA loans. Eligibility depends on your farm; use the free Subsidy Finder to see programs you could qualify for, then confirm with your local FSA or NRCS office.

How is the FarmGrant Underserved Score calculated?

The Underserved Score (0–100; 75 for Columbia County — Underserved) is a descriptive, relative measure of how little USDA farm-program support this county has historically received per acre compared with other counties, built from three public-data components — USDA support per acre, producer-priority composition, and crop-insurance coverage (USDA NASS, RMA, ERS, and EWG records). Lower USDA support per acre often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land use rather than unclaimed funding. It is not a measure of need or eligibility and does not predict that any farm will receive funding.

Nearby Counties in Arkansas

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Columbia County may qualify for USDA programs based on crop, conservation, and disaster activity. Run the free Subsidy Finder to see which programs you could qualify for, then prep your local USDA office visit.

Find Your Programs Prep USDA Visit Deadlines

Data as of June 08, 2026. Subsidy figures: USDA/EWG 2024 release. Farmland acres: USDA NASS 2022 Census. Underserved Score refreshed monthly. Each figure above carries its own data year; this page is never fresher than its oldest input.