FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Wapello County, Iowa

$4.1M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 18/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Wapello County

$4.1M in USDA farm subsidies to Wapello County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 642 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $3.7M
Disaster Payments $400,899
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $12,516
Dairy Programs $4,123

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

$7.3M 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 Philip D Lyon Revocable Trust $50,374
2 L.H. $49,114
3 R.M.B. $48,939
4 J.K.B. $46,515
5 Lamis Farms Inc $45,677
6 Woodrow And Peggy Miltenberger Revocable Trust $45,372
7 D.H. $43,426
8 Willhoit Farms Inc $42,992
9 R.D.S. $42,921
10 T.W. $42,119

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

About Farming in Wapello County

Support in Wapello County spreads broadly rather than pooling — recorded USDA payments here are broadly spread rather than concentrated — the top five recipients account for only about 6% of recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024). Worth noting too: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Wapello County is among the better-supported counties in Iowa (Underserved Score 18/100).

Wapello County has roughly 682 farms working about 195,594 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~287 acres per farm.

In Wapello County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $242/acre and farmland is valued near $6,657/acre (USDA NASS).

Wapello County is predominantly soybeans country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are soybeans (~48% of harvested cropland), corn (~39% of harvested cropland), and hay (~10% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 7 head per 100 farmland acres (about 5,954 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Wapello County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 6% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 642 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Iowa counties listed below, Wapello County's Underserved Score (18/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~24/100), ranking above 2 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Wapello 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 IA-average USDA $/acre.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Wapello County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Wapello 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
Wapello County Farm Service Agency
2938 Oak Meadow Dr, Ottumwa, IA
(641) 684-6515
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Ottumwa Service Center
2938 Oak Meadow Dr, Ottumwa, IA
(641) 682-0752

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

18 out of 100
Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#88 of 99 most underserved in Iowa (12th pctile)
3rd national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 5.2/25
Producer Priority? 5.7/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 2.1/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the IA-average USDA $/acre.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Elevated women-producer presence (70 per 100 farms)
  • Notable veteran population (6.8%)

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 Wapello 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 veteran producers

This county has a notable veteran-producer population. These USDA programs carry veteran priority — 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, Wapello County received about $21.16 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in IA for USDA $/acre. That ranks #193 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (195,594 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 18).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
35,166
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$61,642
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
13.8%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
3.5%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$242/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$6,657/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
1,227
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
113,999
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Wapello County receive?

Wapello County recipients received about $4.1M 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 Wapello County?

As a mainly soybeans-growing county, Wapello 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; 18 for Wapello 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 Iowa

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Wapello 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.