FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Sussex County, Virginia

$3.1M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2025)

Underserved Score: 20/100

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USDA Farm Subsidies — Sussex County

$3.1M in USDA farm subsidies to Sussex County recipients (2025).

Sum of payments to 153 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) $1.9M
Disaster Payments $569,365
Supplemental Disaster Relief (SDRP, one-time, included in Disaster Payments) $569,122
Price Loss Coverage (PLC) $269,351
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) $267,958
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $35,983
Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance (MASC, one-time) $21,747

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 Springhill Farms Partnership $294,300
2 A L Bailey Farms $230,928
3 Barnes Farms LLC $192,347
4 Five Ash Farm, LLC $189,137
5 Hanzlik Farms Inc $186,289
6 Old Hickory Farms Inc $166,309
7 Jw Cox Farms LLC $157,740
8 Woodview Farms $156,640
9 J.L.W. $136,062
10 Crystal Springs Farm LLC $103,517

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

About Farming in Sussex County

On support per acre, Sussex County sits on the stronger side: by USDA dollars per farmland acre, Sussex County is among the better-supported counties in Virginia (Underserved Score 20/100). Set against that, about 21% of residents live below the poverty line (USDA ERS), a level at which USDA's beginning-farmer and limited-resource provisions may be relevant.

Sussex County has roughly 106 farms working about 69,562 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~656 acres per farm.

In Sussex County, non-irrigated cropland rents for roughly $82/acre and farmland is valued near $2,861/acre (USDA NASS).

Sussex County is predominantly soybeans country — a row crop county. Its leading harvested crops are soybeans (~48% of harvested cropland), cotton (~21% of harvested cropland), and corn (~18% of harvested cropland) (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture).

Cattle run at roughly 1 head per 100 farmland acres (about 278 head of beef cows in inventory) here (USDA NASS, 2022 Census).

Recorded payments in Sussex County are relatively distributed: the top 5 recipients accounted for about 35% of the county's recorded USDA farm-subsidy dollars across 153 recipients (EWG Farm Subsidy Database, totalfarm, 2025). A descriptive split of recorded payments, not a measure of need.

Among the nearby Virginia counties listed below, Sussex County's Underserved Score (20/100) is lower (better-supported per acre) than the local average (~61/100), ranking above 0 of 6 of them (higher = historically less USDA $/acre than peers).

As a heavily row-crop county, Sussex 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 VA-average USDA $/acre.; High veteran population (10.2%).

Local USDA Offices for Sussex County

Your local USDA service center is where farms in Sussex 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
Sussex County Farm Service Agency
20125 Sussex Dr, Sussex, VA
(434) 246-8541
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Emporia Service Center
706 S Main St, Emporia, VA

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

20 out of 100
Well-Served (high USDA $/acre vs. peers)
#88 of 91 most underserved in Virginia (4th pctile)
4th national percentile
USDA Support Gap? 4.0/25
Producer Priority? 7.5/25
Insurance Coverage Gap? 5.3/25
What drives this score
  • Receives near or above the VA-average USDA $/acre.
  • High veteran population (10.2%)

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 Sussex 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, Sussex County received about $44.76 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That is among the better-supported counties in VA for USDA $/acre. That ranks #791 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2025 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (69,562 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 20).

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

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
10,757
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$53,020
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
20.9%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
4.1%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$82/ac
(USDA NASS, non-irrig.)
Land Value
$2,861/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
616
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
39,914
(USDA RMA)

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Sussex County receive?

Sussex County recipients received about $3.1M 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 Sussex County?

As a mainly soybeans-growing county, Sussex 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; 20 for Sussex 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 Virginia

Programs your farm could qualify for

Farms in Sussex 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.