FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Vilas County, Wisconsin

$4,234 in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Underserved Score: 86/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Vilas County

$4,234 in USDA farm subsidies to Vilas County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 2 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $4,234

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

$95,403 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 R.C.C. $3,892
2 M.K.R. $342

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

About Farming in Vilas County

On the support axis, Vilas County leans underserved: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Vilas County sits toward the less-supported end of Wisconsin counties (Underserved Score 86/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding. Set against that, veterans make up about 11% of the adult population (USDA ERS) — a community where veteran-and-beginning-farmer USDA programs may be especially worth a look.

Vilas County has roughly 34 farms working about 5,847 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~172 acres per farm.

In Vilas County, farmland is valued near $5,913/acre (USDA NASS).

Vilas County is predominantly hay country — a mixed county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~11% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Among the nearby Wisconsin counties listed below, Vilas County's Underserved Score (86/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~44/100), 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 WI counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Vilas County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Vilas 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
Oneida County Farm Service Agency
2187 North Stevens Street, Suite A, Rhinelander, WI
(715) 623-6716
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Rhinelander Service Center
2187 North Stevens Street, Suite A, Rhinelander, WI
(715) 362-5941

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

86 out of 100
Strongly Underserved (low USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#3 of 69 most underserved in Wisconsin (97th pctile)
99th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 24.5/25
Producer Priority? 15.4/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 22.2/25
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
  • Elevated women-producer presence (65 per 100 farms)
  • High veteran population (10.7%)
  • Lower insured-policy density than typical (0.2 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 Vilas 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 →
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, Vilas County received about $0.72 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 #2,720 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (5,847 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 86).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
23,885
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$63,779
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
12.3%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
3.9%
(USDA ERS)
Land Value
$5,913/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
7
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
772
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Vilas County receive?

Vilas County recipients received about $4,234 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 Vilas County?

In Vilas 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; 86 for Vilas County — Strongly Underserved (low USDA $/acre vs. peers)) 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 Vilas 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.