What Does the Average Farmer Actually Get? The $5K Reality
$147.29B divided by 31,759,593 payments = $5K average. But averages hide a stunning inequality in how farm subsidies are distributed.
💡 Key Insight
The average farm subsidy payment is $5K, but this average is pulled up dramatically by large operations receiving millions. Most individual payments are far smaller — and 69% of farms receive nothing at all.
The Numbers
Across 31,759,593 individual USDA FSA payments from 2017–2025, the government distributed $147.29B through 157 different programs to recipients in 59 states. Simple division gives us $5K per payment.
But "per payment" isn't "per farmer." Many recipients receive multiple payments across different programs and years. The top recipients — large corporate operations, cooperatives, and multi-entity partnerships — accumulate millions over time.
Average Payment by Top Programs
| Program | Total | Payments | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRP Annual Rental | $15.72B | 6,291,255 | $2K |
| CFAP Round 2 | $14.23B | 1,072,969 | $13K |
| Price Loss Coverage Program | $14.19B | 5,390,462 | $3K |
| Market Facilitation Program 2019 | $13.55B | 1,718,751 | $8K |
| Emergency Commodity Assistance Program | $9.36B | 1,144,399 | $8K |
The Inequality Problem
According to USDA data, approximately 69% of U.S. farms receive no direct subsidy payments at all. Among those that do, the distribution is heavily skewed: the top 10% of recipients collect roughly three-quarters of all subsidy dollars. This means the "average" is a poor representation of what a typical farmer actually receives.
A small family farm might receive a $2,000 CRP payment for keeping 40 acres in conservation. Meanwhile, a large corporate operation might receive $500,000+ in a single year from multiple emergency programs. Both show up in the same average.
Who Are the Big Recipients?
Explore our top recipients page to see who's collecting the most. For more on the concentration of payments, read our analysis of the 10% problem or small farms vs. large operations.