FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Hancock County, Maine

$59,750 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 82/100

Find Your Programs

USDA Farm Subsidies — Hancock County

$59,750 in USDA farm subsidies to Hancock County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 11 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $57,968

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

$184,098 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 A.P.B. $50,786
2 B.G. $5,288
3 Blue Hill Berry Co. $1,088
4 J.L.M. $694
5 Sunnyside Farms Inc $470
6 S.J.L. $467
7 S.P.L. $467
8 J.D.A. $259
9 T.A. $113
10 R.C. $79

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

About Farming in Hancock County

Follow the money in Hancock County and a pattern emerges: recorded USDA payments here are concentrated — the top five recipients account for roughly 98% of the county's recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024). It also helps to know that by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Hancock County sits toward the less-supported end of Maine counties (Underserved Score 82/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding.

Hancock County has roughly 414 farms working about 60,238 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~146 acres per farm.

In Hancock County, farmland is valued near $4,058/acre (USDA NASS).

Hancock County is predominantly hay country — a mixed county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~21% of harvested cropland), vegetables (~4% of harvested cropland), and orchards & fruit (~1% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Recorded payments in Hancock County are fairly concentrated: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 98% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 11 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Maine counties listed below, Hancock County's Underserved Score (82/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~59/100), ranking above 4 of 4 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

Local signals from public data: Receives below-ME-average USDA $/acre.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Hancock County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Hancock 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
Penobscot County Farm Service Agency
1423 Broadway, Bangor, ME
(207) 947-3555
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Ellsworth Service Center
474 Bucksport Road, Ellsworth, ME
(207) 812-9710

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

82 out of 100
Strongly Underserved (low USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#2 of 13 most underserved in Maine (92nd pctile)
97th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 18.0/25
Producer Priority? 23.1/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 23.6/25
What drives this score
  • Receives below-ME-average USDA $/acre.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Elevated beginning-producer presence (75 per 100 farms)
  • Elevated women-producer presence (88 per 100 farms)
  • High veteran population (8.8%)
  • Elevated insured loss ratio (3.51) — higher recorded crop-loss claims
  • Lower insured-policy density than typical (0.1 policies/farm).

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 Hancock 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 →
Crop insurance & NAP coverage

This county shows lower-than-typical crop-insurance participation. These risk-protection programs are commonly relevant — coverage and eligibility depend on your operation.

Federal Crop Insurance →
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, Hancock County received about $0.99 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most ME counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #2,634 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (60,238 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 82).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
56,526
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$72,647
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
10.1%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
3.2%
(USDA ERS)
Land Value
$4,058/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
32
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
3,857
(USDA RMA)

Track new USDA programs for Hancock County

Get the free weekly USDA roundup — new programs, deadlines, and updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Hancock County receive?

Hancock County recipients received about $59,750 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 Hancock County?

In Hancock County — where hay leads the harvested cropland — farmers may be eligible for conservation (CRP, EQIP), commodity support (ARC/PLC), disaster assistance, 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; 82 for Hancock County — Strongly Underserved (low 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 Maine

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Hancock 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.