FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Mower County, Minnesota

$36.3M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2025)

Underserved Score: 31/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Mower County

$36.3M in USDA farm subsidies to Mower County recipients (2025).

Sum of payments to 1,093 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2025 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2025)

Disaster Payments $20.4M
Supplemental Disaster Relief (SDRP, one-time, included in Disaster Payments) $20.4M
Emergency Commodity Assistance (ECAP, one-time) $12.5M
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $2.9M
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $425,107
Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance (MASC, one-time) $1,836

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 Oehlke Farms $538,071
2 Gehling Legacy Farms $431,874
3 Lena Mehmen Family Farms Gp $423,128
4 Oudekirk Bros Partnership $420,419
5 Meadow View Farms $393,521
6 Roe Farms Ptr $384,135
7 D.J.C. $317,915
8 Triple H Farms $311,557
9 Carpenter Farms General Partnership $308,625
10 Grass & Sons Farms $298,609

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

About Farming in Mower County

In Mower County, the striking pattern is how widely support is shared: recorded USDA payments here are broadly spread rather than concentrated — the top five recipients account for only about 6% of recorded farm-subsidy dollars (EWG, totalfarm, 2025). Worth noting too: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Mower County is among the better-supported counties in Minnesota (Underserved Score 31/100).

Mower County has roughly 999 farms working about 380,070 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~380 acres per farm.

In Mower County, irrigated cropland rents for roughly $286/acre and farmland is valued near $8,240/acre (USDA NASS).

Mower County is predominantly corn country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are corn (~52% of harvested cropland), soybeans (~41% of harvested cropland), and vegetables (~4% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 6 head per 100 farmland acres (about 6,002 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Mower County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 6% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 1,093 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2025). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Minnesota counties listed below, Mower County's Underserved Score (31/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~39/100), ranking above 2 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Mower 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 MN-average USDA $/acre.; Rural (non-metro) county.

Local USDA Offices for Mower County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Mower 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
Mower County Farm Service Agency
1408 21ST Ave Nw, Austin, MN
(507) 433-2343
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Austin Service Center
1408 21ST Ave Nw, Austin, MN
(507) 433-8429

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

31 out of 100
Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#71 of 84 most underserved in Minnesota (17th pctile)
20th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 7.9/25
Producer Priority? 14.5/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 1.1/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the MN-average USDA $/acre.
  • Rural (non-metro) county
  • Notable veteran population (7.8%)

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 Mower 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, Mower County received about $95.50 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in MN for USDA $/acre. That ranks #140 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2025 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (380,070 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 31).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
40,058
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$66,578
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
13.1%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
2.6%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$286/ac
(USDA NASS, irrig.)
Land Value
$8,240/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
2,525
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
354,242
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Mower County receive?

Mower County recipients received about $36.3M 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 Mower County?

As a mainly corn-growing county, Mower 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; 31 for Mower 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 Minnesota

Programs your farm could qualify for

Farms in Mower 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.