2020 Farm Subsidies
USDA farm subsidy spending and payments for fiscal year 2020.
🦠 COVID-19 pandemic response drove record spending
$38.73B
Total Spending
6,111,541
Payment Records
#1 of 9
Rank (2017–2025)
+170%
vs. Average
Top States in 2020
| # | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $3.19B |
| 2 | Texas | $2.84B |
| 3 | California | $2.68B |
| 4 | Nebraska | $2.29B |
| 5 | Illinois | $1.93B |
| 6 | Kansas | $1.92B |
| 7 | North Dakota | $1.83B |
| 8 | Minnesota | $1.83B |
| 9 | South Dakota | $1.65B |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $1.36B |
| 11 | Missouri | $1.26B |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $1.10B |
| 13 | Indiana | $999.2M |
| 14 | Ohio | $877.5M |
| 15 | Colorado | $869.3M |
| 16 | Arkansas | $815.7M |
| 17 | Montana | $815.2M |
| 18 | Georgia | $798.2M |
| 19 | Washington | $787.7M |
| 20 | North Carolina | $681.7M |
Top Programs in 2020
| # | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CFAP Round 2 | $12.95B |
| 2 | CFAP CARES Act | $5.49B |
| 3 | CFAP CCC Payments (A) | $5.11B |
| 4 | Price Loss Coverage Program | $4.97B |
| 5 | Market Facilitation Program 2019 | $3.39B |
| 6 | CRP Annual Rental | $1.77B |
| 7 | Whip Plus 3 Assistance | $1.26B |
| 8 | Agriculture Risk Coverage (County) | $969.7M |
| 9 | Agricultural Risk Coverage — Individual | $304.2M |
| 10 | Whip — Sugar Beet Cooperatives | $285.0M |
| 11 | Livestock Forage Program | $221.8M |
| 12 | TMP/MFP 2019 Speciality Crops | $182.4M |
| 13 | Dairy Margin Coverage | $181.7M |
| 14 | Seafood Trade Relief Program | $176.7M |
| 15 | Dis/Wh2 2019 Wfhurrindemp | $173.0M |
All Years Comparison
📊 Why 2020 Data Matters
2020 was the single largest year for farm subsidies in American history. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which alone distributed over $23 billion. Combined with ongoing trade war payments and traditional programs, total spending hit $38.73B — more than the previous three years combined. This year permanently changed the baseline expectation for farm spending: once farmers received emergency payments at this scale, political pressure to maintain elevated support levels became enormous. Understanding 2020 is essential to understanding everything that followed.