FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Sawyer County, Wisconsin

$78,143 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 67/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Sawyer County

$78,143 in USDA farm subsidies to Sawyer County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 18 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $59,234
Dairy Programs $13,679

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

$877,704 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 D.L.Z. $12,727
2 N.S.K. $10,524
3 S.L.K. $9,891
4 K.R.K. $9,604
5 A.B.C. $6,874
6 A.K. $5,231
7 Hidden Acres Dairy LLC $4,432
8 Chippewa View Farms LLC $4,165
9 Pasanen Farms LLC $4,165
10 J.S.B. $2,746

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

About Farming in Sawyer County

One thing that sets Sawyer County apart is how its USDA money flows — recorded USDA payments here are concentrated — the top five recipients account for roughly 63% of the county's recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2024). Worth noting too: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Sawyer County sits toward the less-supported end of Wisconsin counties (Underserved Score 67/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding.

Sawyer County has roughly 144 farms working about 40,786 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~283 acres per farm.

In Sawyer County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $59/acre and farmland is valued near $3,335/acre (USDA NASS).

Sawyer County is predominantly hay country — a forage county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~45% of harvested cropland), corn (~23% of harvested cropland), and soybeans (~8% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 15 head per 100 farmland acres (about 3,070 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Sawyer County are fairly concentrated: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 63% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 18 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2024). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Wisconsin counties listed below, Sawyer County's Underserved Score (67/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~46/100), 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 Sawyer 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 less USDA $/acre than most WI counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Sawyer County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Sawyer 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
Rusk/Sawyer Farm Service Agency
1120 Lake Ave W, Ladysmith, WI
(715) 532-3786
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Spooner Service Center
800 N Front St, Spooner, WI
(715) 635-8228

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

67 out of 100
Underserved
#11 of 69 most underserved in Wisconsin (86th pctile)
83rd national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 20.9/25
Producer Priority? 18.7/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 7.5/25
What drives this score
  • Receives less USDA $/acre than most WI counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Above-average beginning producers (44 per 100 farms)
  • Elevated women-producer presence (76 per 100 farms)
  • High veteran population (9.6%)

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 Sawyer 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 →
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) →PLC (Price Loss Coverage) →
See the full set of USDA programs you could qualify for → free Subsidy Finder

USDA Funding Per Acre

Historically, Sawyer County received about $1.92 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is less USDA $/acre than most WI counties — often a sign of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding. That ranks #2,322 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (40,786 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 67).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
18,552
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$59,053
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
15.0%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
4.2%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$59/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$3,335/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
93
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
13,844
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Sawyer County receive?

Sawyer County recipients received about $78,143 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 Sawyer County?

With grazing and forage prominent in Sawyer 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; 67 for Sawyer 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 Wisconsin

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Sawyer 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.