FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Richmond County, North Carolina

$30,166 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 77/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Richmond County

$30,166 in USDA farm subsidies to Richmond County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 25 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $17,451
Disaster Payments $9,085
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $3,631

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

$474,126 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 J.M. $6,912
2 R.H.C.J. $5,471
3 E.W.K.J. $2,274
4 J.D.K. $2,274
5 R.K.L. $1,986
6 L.P.C. $1,695
7 M.J.W.C.I. $1,695
8 C.E.C. $1,347
9 Sedberry Farms LLC $1,119
10 L.H. $784

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

About Farming in Richmond County

Where Richmond County really stands out is support intensity — by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Richmond County sits toward the less-supported end of North Carolina counties (Underserved Score 77/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding. By contrast, 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.

Richmond County has roughly 261 farms working about 57,946 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~222 acres per farm.

In Richmond County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $48/acre and farmland is valued near $4,944/acre (USDA NASS).

Richmond County is predominantly hay country — a forage county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~36% of harvested cropland), corn (~25% of harvested cropland), and soybeans (~22% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 6 head per 100 farmland acres (about 1,992 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Richmond County are fairly concentrated: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 63% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 25 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby North Carolina counties listed below, Richmond County's Underserved Score (77/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~56/100), ranking above 6 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

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

Local USDA Offices for Richmond County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Richmond 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
Richmond County Farm Service Agency
123 Caroline St, Rockingham, NC
(910) 895-3950
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Rockingham Service Center
123 Caroline St, Rockingham, NC

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

77 out of 100
Underserved
#2 of 92 most underserved in North Carolina (99th pctile)
94th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 23.4/25
Producer Priority? 14.1/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 16.7/25
What drives this score
  • Receives less USDA $/acre than most NC counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Elevated beginning-producer presence (62 per 100 farms)
  • Above-average women producers (57 per 100 farms)
  • Notable veteran population (6.6%)
  • Elevated insured loss ratio (3.44) — 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 Richmond 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, Richmond County received about $0.52 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most NC counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #2,784 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (57,946 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 77).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
42,324
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$50,242
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
22.6%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
4.6%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$48/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$4,944/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
186
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
7,158
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Richmond County receive?

Richmond County recipients received about $30,166 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 Richmond County?

In Richmond 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; 77 for Richmond 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 North Carolina

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Richmond 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.