Underserved Score: 80/100
We have no recorded EWG farm-subsidy payments for Clay County in the 2025 data. This is common for counties with little program-crop acreage, urban counties, and Alaska boroughs — it does not mean a farm here cannot apply for USDA programs.
Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2025. Absence of a
county recipient row only means no payments were attributed to this county in that release.
What stands out about Clay County is its people: veterans make up about 17% of the adult population (USDA ERS) — a community where veteran-and-beginning-farmer USDA programs may be especially worth a look. On a separate note, by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Clay County sits toward the less-supported end of Florida counties (Underserved Score 80/100) — often a marker of pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land rather than unclaimed funding.
Clay County has roughly 326 farms working about 37,483 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~115 acres per farm.
In Clay County, farmland is valued near $6,932/acre (USDA NASS).
Clay County is predominantly hay country — a forage county. Its leading harvested crops are hay (~75% of harvested cropland), vegetables (~4% of harvested cropland), and orchards & fruit (~2% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).
Cattle run at roughly 18 head per 100 farmland acres (about 4,927 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).
Among the nearby Florida counties listed below, Clay County's Underserved Score (80/100) is higher (less USDA support per acre) than the local average (~50/100), 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 Clay 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 FL counties — often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land, not unclaimed funding.; High veteran population (16.8%).
No 2025 EWG farm-subsidy recipient payments are recorded for this county — common for counties with little program-crop acreage or largely non-farm land use. Lower USDA $/acre often reflects pasture, specialty, or non-commodity land use, not unclaimed funding, and farms here may still apply for USDA programs.
Your local USDA service center is where farms in Clay County apply for FSA and NRCS programs and get free, in-person help — they handle program sign-ups, conservation plans, and loan applications.
Source: USDA Service Center locator (Farmers.gov). Office details can change — confirm current hours and appointments via farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
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.
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.
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.
This county has a notable veteran-producer population. These USDA programs carry veteran priority — if that's you, they're worth a look.
This county shows lower-than-typical crop-insurance participation. These risk-protection programs are commonly relevant — coverage and eligibility depend on your operation.
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No EWG farm-subsidy recipient payments are recorded for Clay County in the 2025 data. That is common for counties with little program-crop acreage or largely non-farm land, and does not mean farms here cannot apply for USDA programs.
With grazing and forage prominent in Clay 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.
The Underserved Score (0–100; 80 for Clay 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.
Compare USDA subsidy data and Underserved Scores for nearby Florida counties.
Farms in Clay 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.
Data as of August 27, 2026. Subsidy figures: USDA/EWG 2025 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.