FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Eaton County, Michigan

$9.4M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2025)

Underserved Score: 15/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Eaton County

$9.4M in USDA farm subsidies to Eaton County recipients (2025).

Sum of payments to 483 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2025 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2025)

Emergency Commodity Assistance (ECAP, one-time) $4.7M
Disaster Payments $3.2M
Supplemental Disaster Relief (SDRP, one-time, included in Disaster Payments) $3.2M
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $1.3M
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $146,423
Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance (MASC, one-time) $54,122

Selected USDA programs recorded in this county for 2025, each shown as its own figure. This is not a breakdown of the headline total above and the rows are not meant to be added up: the list is not exhaustive, and where one program sits inside another the same dollars appear on two lines, so a total of these rows can come out higher than the headline. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database / USDA, 2025. SDRP is part of the Disaster Payments figure, not additional to it. Emergency Commodity Assistance, Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance, Supplemental Disaster Relief are one-time programs funded by the American Relief Act, 2025.

Top Subsidy Recipients

# Recipient 2025 Total
1 N.C.S. $315,175
2 D.M.F. $269,689
3 J.B.F. $269,689
4 S F Grain Inc $224,375
5 Brodbeck Farms Kory Brodbeck Gen Ptr $198,479
6 Mcelmurry Farms LLC $192,669
7 G.S. $183,597
8 J.L.S. $183,597
9 B.A.B. $162,120
10 M.H. $151,416

Top recipients by EWG totalfarm (2025). These named payments sum toward the headline total above. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database.

About Farming in Eaton County

Eaton County reads differently from many of its peers on support — by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Eaton County is among the better-supported counties in Michigan (Underserved Score 15/100). By contrast, recorded USDA payments here are broadly spread rather than concentrated — the top five recipients account for only about 14% of recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2025).

Eaton County has roughly 953 farms working about 199,560 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~209 acres per farm.

In Eaton County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $138/acre and farmland is valued near $5,160/acre (USDA NASS).

Eaton County is predominantly soybeans country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are soybeans (~50% of harvested cropland), corn (~31% of harvested cropland), and wheat (~10% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 4 head per 100 farmland acres (about 4,152 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Eaton County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 14% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 483 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2025). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Michigan counties listed below, Eaton County's Underserved Score (15/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~63/100), ranking above 0 of 5 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Eaton County farms growing covered commodities may be eligible for commodity-support programs such as Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and for federal crop insurance — eligibility depends on your crops and base acres, so check with your FSA office.

Local signals from public data: Receives near or above the MI-average USDA $/acre.; Notable veteran population (7.6%).

Local USDA Offices for Eaton County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Eaton 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
Eaton County Farm Service Agency
551 Courthouse Dr, Charlotte, MI
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Charlotte Service Center
551 Courthouse Dr, Charlotte, MI
(517) 588-6306

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

15 out of 100
Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#67 of 72 most underserved in Michigan (8th pctile)
2nd national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 4.1/25
Producer Priority? 4.0/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 3.8/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the MI-average USDA $/acre.
  • Notable veteran population (7.6%)

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 Eaton 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 →
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) →PLC (Price Loss Coverage) →
See the full set of USDA programs you could qualify for → free Subsidy Finder

USDA Funding Per Acre

Historically, Eaton County received about $47.17 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in MI for USDA $/acre. That ranks #714 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2025 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (199,560 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 15).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
108,820
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$73,130
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
10.1%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
3.6%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$138/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$5,160/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
1,120
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
125,606
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Eaton County receive?

Eaton County recipients received about $9.4M in USDA farm subsidies in 2025, 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 Eaton County?

As a mainly soybeans-growing county, Eaton County farms with covered program crops may be eligible for commodity support (ARC/PLC) and federal crop insurance, alongside conservation programs (CRP, EQIP, CSP), disaster assistance, 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; 15 for Eaton County — Well-Served (high 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 Michigan

Programs your farm could qualify for

Farms in Eaton 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 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.