What Are USDA Farm Subsidies? A Beginner's Guide
March 26, 2026
Every year the federal government sends billions of dollars to American farmers through a collection of programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These payments — loosely called "farm subsidies" — cover everything from disaster relief to commodity price supports to conservation incentives.
Why subsidies exist
Farming is uniquely volatile. Droughts, floods, pest outbreaks, and global commodity price swings can wipe out a season's income overnight. Congress created the modern farm safety net during the Great Depression and has expanded it through successive Farm Bills ever since. The goal is to keep domestic food production stable even when markets aren't.
The main types
- Commodity programs — price-linked payments for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, and other covered crops. The two main vehicles today are Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC).
- Conservation programs — payments for adopting environmentally beneficial practices (EQIP) or taking erodible land out of production (CRP).
- Disaster programs — emergency payments when weather events or disease outbreaks cause losses above a threshold.
- Loan programs — low-interest operating and ownership loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Who receives payments?
Most payments go to row-crop farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains, though livestock, dairy, and specialty-crop producers also participate in targeted programs. Payment sizes vary enormously — from a few hundred dollars for a small operation to millions for large farming enterprises. Browse recipient profiles to see named recipients in the public record, or use the search tool to find specific farms or companies.
Where does the data come from?
SubsidyLookup pulls from USASpending.gov, the federal government's official open-data portal for all federal spending. The site covers USDA financial assistance awards going back to FY2001. Because of privacy rules, individual farmers (as opposed to corporations or partnerships) may be listed as "REDACTED" in the data. Learn more about our data sources.