FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Bartholomew County, Indiana

$797,252 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 8/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Bartholomew County

$797,252 in USDA farm subsidies to Bartholomew County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 373 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $621,213
Disaster Payments $174,667
Dairy Programs $1,374

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

$4.3M 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 N.Z.M. $32,893
2 Lynn K Finkel-finkel-kelleghan Family Trust $32,553
3 R.F. $26,609
4 Finkel Farms LLC $17,381
5 Shireman Jmw Farms $17,215
6 Speer Farms Inc $16,934
7 T.M. $14,575
8 C.B. $12,984
9 M.M. $12,917
10 K & G Farms Inc $11,838

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

About Farming in Bartholomew County

On support per acre, Bartholomew County sits on the stronger side: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Bartholomew County is among the better-supported counties in Indiana (Underserved Score 8/100). Set against that, recorded USDA payments here are broadly spread rather than concentrated — the top five recipients account for only about 16% of recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024).

Bartholomew County has roughly 502 farms working about 129,104 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~257 acres per farm.

In Bartholomew County, irrigated cropland rents for roughly $235/acre and farmland is valued near $6,180/acre (USDA NASS).

Bartholomew County is predominantly soybeans country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are soybeans (~51% of harvested cropland), corn (~43% of harvested cropland), and wheat (~5% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 2 head per 100 farmland acres (about 1,208 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Bartholomew County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 16% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 373 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Indiana counties listed below, Bartholomew County's Underserved Score (8/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~43/100), ranking above 0 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Bartholomew County farms growing covered commodities may be eligible for commodity-support programs such as Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and for federal crop insurance — eligibility depends on your crops and base acres, so check with your FSA office.

Local signals from public data: Receives near or above the IN-average USDA $/acre.; Above-average beginning producers (47 per 100 farms).

Local USDA Offices for Bartholomew County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Bartholomew 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
Bartholomew County Farm Service Agency
785 S Marr Road, Columbus, IN
(812) 378-1280
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Columbus Service Center
785 S Marr Road, Columbus, IN

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

8 out of 100
Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#92 of 92 most underserved in Indiana (1st pctile)
0th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 2.9/25
Producer Priority? 1.7/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 1.5/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the IN-average USDA $/acre.
  • Above-average beginning producers (47 per 100 farms)
  • Elevated women-producer presence (60 per 100 farms)
  • Notable veteran population (5.6%)

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 Bartholomew 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 →
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) →PLC (Price Loss Coverage) →
See the full set of USDA programs you could qualify for → free Subsidy Finder

USDA Funding Per Acre

Historically, Bartholomew County received about $6.18 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in IN for USDA $/acre. That ranks #1,290 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (129,104 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 8).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
84,003
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$79,870
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
10.0%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
2.8%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$235/ac
(USDA NASS, irrig.)
Land Value
$6,180/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
854
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
110,994
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Bartholomew County receive?

Bartholomew County recipients received about $797,252 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 Bartholomew County?

As a mainly soybeans-growing county, Bartholomew County farms with covered program crops may be eligible for commodity support (ARC/PLC) and federal crop insurance, alongside conservation programs (CRP, EQIP, CSP), disaster assistance, 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; 8 for Bartholomew County — Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)) 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 Indiana

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Bartholomew 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.