FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

$941,408 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 36/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Schuylkill County

$941,408 in USDA farm subsidies to Schuylkill County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 190 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $552,322
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $353,075
Dairy Programs $35,398

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

$2.1M 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 Haas Farms LLC $31,760
2 S.A.C. $26,590
3 H.E.M. $25,721
4 Halabura Farms $25,119
5 Hinkel Farms LLC $21,583
6 Schwalm Farms Inc $20,088
7 Lazy Dog Farms LLC $18,818
8 Zimmerman Farms $18,081
9 M.R. $17,678
10 E.C. $17,371

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

About Farming in Schuylkill County

On support per acre, Schuylkill County sits on the stronger side: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Schuylkill County is among the better-supported counties in Pennsylvania (Underserved Score 36/100). Set against that, recorded USDA payments here are broadly spread rather than concentrated — the top five recipients account for only about 14% of recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024).

Schuylkill County has roughly 710 farms working about 103,511 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~146 acres per farm.

In Schuylkill County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $80/acre and farmland is valued near $8,075/acre (USDA NASS).

Schuylkill County is predominantly corn country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are corn (~35% of harvested cropland), soybeans (~22% of harvested cropland), and hay (~17% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 9 head per 100 farmland acres (about 3,863 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Schuylkill County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 14% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 190 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Pennsylvania counties listed below, Schuylkill County's Underserved Score (36/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~61/100), ranking above 0 of 4 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

With grazing and forage a large part of the land use in Schuylkill 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 near or above the PA-average USDA $/acre.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Schuylkill County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Schuylkill 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
Schuylkill County Farm Service Agency
1104 Ag Center Dr, Pottsville, PA
(570) 622-1555
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Pottsville Service Center
1104 Ag Center Dr, Pottsville, PA
(570) 391-3315

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

36 out of 100
Near State Average
#49 of 64 most underserved in Pennsylvania (25th pctile)
26th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 1.7/25
Producer Priority? 14.6/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 19.0/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the PA-average USDA $/acre.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Above-average beginning producers (54 per 100 farms)
  • Above-average women producers (55 per 100 farms)
  • High veteran population (8.1%)
  • Elevated insured loss ratio (3.17) — higher recorded crop-loss claims
  • Lower insured-policy density than typical (0.5 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 Schuylkill 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, Schuylkill County received about $9.09 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in PA for USDA $/acre. That ranks #887 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (103,511 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 36).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
143,786
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$63,479
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
14.2%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
4.0%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$80/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$8,075/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
332
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
27,790
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Schuylkill County receive?

Schuylkill County recipients received about $941,408 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 Schuylkill County?

As a mainly corn-growing county, Schuylkill 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; 36 for Schuylkill County — Near State Average) 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 Pennsylvania

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Schuylkill 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.