FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Keya Paha County, Nebraska

$2.4M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 61/100

Find Your Programs

USDA Farm Subsidies — Keya Paha County

$2.4M in USDA farm subsidies to Keya Paha County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 210 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $2.0M
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $334,254
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $15,085

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

$4.0M 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 James Ferguson Enterprises Ltd $144,060
2 Diamond G Limited LLC $130,742
3 Tri R Farms Inc $122,527
4 Rlmj, LLC $98,291
5 J.W.R. $94,480
6 K.B. $83,113
7 C.G.B. $82,161
8 D.B. $72,385
9 M.K. $66,921
10 Hall Ranch Ltd $66,843

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

About Farming in Keya Paha County

Scale marks Keya Paha County out — farms here are large on average — about 2,032 acres apiece across roughly 169 operations (USDA NASS, 2022 Census). Beyond scale, this is grazing country — cattle run at roughly 13 head per 100 farmland acres (USDA NASS, 2022 Census), well above the row-crop norm.

Keya Paha County has roughly 169 farms working about 343,426 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~2,032 acres per farm.

In Keya Paha County, irrigated cropland rents for roughly $199/acre and farmland is valued near $1,790/acre (USDA NASS).

Keya Paha County is predominantly hay country — a forage county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~52% of harvested cropland), corn (~32% of harvested cropland), and soybeans (~6% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 13 head per 100 farmland acres (about 21,376 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Keya Paha County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 25% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 210 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Nebraska counties listed below, Keya Paha County's Underserved Score (61/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~43/100), ranking above 6 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

With grazing and forage a large part of the land use in Keya Paha 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 below-NE-average USDA $/acre.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Keya Paha County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Keya Paha 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
Brown County Farm Service Agency
731 E 4TH St, Ainsworth, NE
(402) 387-2242
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Spencer Service Center
108 W North St, Spencer, NE
(402) 589-9019

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

61 out of 100
Moderately Underserved
#26 of 93 most underserved in Nebraska (73rd pctile)
73rd national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 17.1/25
Producer Priority? 19.7/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 7.7/25
What drives this score
  • Receives below-NE-average USDA $/acre.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Farming-dependent county economy
  • Elevated women-producer presence (67 per 100 farms)
  • Notable veteran population (5.6%)
  • Above-median insured loss ratio (2.37).

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 Keya Paha 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 →
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, Keya Paha County received about $6.95 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most NE counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #1,173 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (343,426 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 61).

See how Keya Paha County ranks against all U.S. counties →

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
805
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$52,077
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
17.3%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
2.2%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$199/ac
(USDA NASS, irrig.)
Land Value
$1,790/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
335
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
150,689
(USDA RMA)

Track new USDA programs for Keya Paha County

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Keya Paha County receive?

Keya Paha County recipients received about $2.4M 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 Keya Paha County?

With grazing and forage prominent in Keya Paha 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; 61 for Keya Paha County — Moderately 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 Nebraska

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Keya Paha 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.