FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Richland County, South Carolina

$264,849 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 48/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Richland County

$264,849 in USDA farm subsidies to Richland County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 19 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $262,067
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $1,281

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

$983,075 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 H.H.H.A.S. $99,351
2 Three Sisters Produce LLC $71,461
3 J.C. $24,821
4 H.H.H.J. $21,063
5 Gonzales' Land & Timber LLC $13,151
6 M.R.H. $6,886
7 Gl&t LLC $5,777
8 W.S. $4,284
9 L3 Farm LLC $4,276
10 R.G.H. $3,871

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

About Farming in Richland County

One thing that sets Richland County apart is how its USDA money flows — recorded USDA payments here are concentrated — the top five recipients account for roughly 87% of the county's recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024). Worth noting too: veterans make up about 10% of the adult population (USDA ERS) — a community where veteran-and-beginning-farmer USDA programs may be especially worth a look.

Richland County has roughly 340 farms working about 76,011 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~224 acres per farm.

In Richland County, farmland is valued near $5,124/acre (USDA NASS).

Richland County is predominantly corn country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are corn (~45% of harvested cropland), cotton (~18% of harvested cropland), and soybeans (~15% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 3 head per 100 farmland acres (about 1,436 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Richland County are fairly concentrated: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 87% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 19 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby South Carolina counties listed below, Richland County's Underserved Score (48/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~41/100), ranking above 4 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Richland 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 SC-average USDA $/acre.; Elevated beginning-producer presence (59 per 100 farms).

Local USDA Offices for Richland County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Richland 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
Calhoun/Richland County Farm Service Agency
904 F R Huff Dr, St Matthews, SC
(803) 874-3379
Natural Resources Conservation Service
St Matthews Service Center
904 F R Huff Dr, St Matthews, SC

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

48 out of 100
Near State Average
#21 of 44 most underserved in South Carolina (55th pctile)
49th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 11.1/25
Producer Priority? 7.6/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 18.4/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the SC-average USDA $/acre.
  • Elevated beginning-producer presence (59 per 100 farms)
  • Elevated women-producer presence (62 per 100 farms)
  • High veteran population (9.6%)
  • Elevated insured loss ratio (2.96) — higher recorded crop-loss claims
  • Lower insured-policy density than typical (0.4 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 Richland 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, Richland County received about $3.48 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most SC counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #1,867 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (76,011 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 48).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
425,138
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$61,508
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
15.9%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
3.0%
(USDA ERS)
Land Value
$5,124/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
145
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
13,149
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Richland County receive?

Richland County recipients received about $264,849 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 Richland County?

As a mainly corn-growing county, Richland 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; 48 for Richland 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 South Carolina

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Richland 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.