Track the programs that pay out in your county.
Indiana recorded $889.6M in USDA farm program payments and federal crop insurance premium subsidies (2025). In 2025, 31,627 recipients collected payments.
Totals for 2025 include one-time American Relief Act, 2025 programs (ECAP, SDRP and MASC) that are not expected to recur at this level, which is why 2025 runs well above prior years. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database (farm.ewg.org), from USDA Farm Service Agency records obtained under FOIA plus USDA Risk Management Agency crop insurance data. Totals combine commodity, disaster, and conservation payments with federal crop insurance premium subsidies. Nationally, roughly a quarter to a third of this dataset's total is premium subsidy, which is paid to insurance companies to lower what farmers pay for coverage rather than paid to farmers as income (share estimated from EWG's published national category totals for 2025). For comparison, USDA's Economic Research Service reported about $30.5 billion in “direct government payments” for 2025, a smaller figure because ERS excludes crop insurance entirely.
Drought conditions affect LFP eligibility, crop insurance claims, and emergency program access.
What NRCS pays for conservation practices through EQIP in Indiana.
Indiana farmers may qualify for ARC-CO/PLC crop protection, EQIP and CSP conservation programs, federal crop insurance, CRP rental payments, FSA loans, and various disaster assistance programs.
EQIP application batching periods in Indiana typically occur in fall for the following year's funding. Contact your local NRCS office for current ranking dates.
Beginning farmers should visit their local FSA office first. They may qualify for higher EQIP cost-share (up to 90%), dedicated FSA loan set-asides, NAP fee waivers, and CRP priority scoring.
Indiana farmers may apply for EQIP (50-75% cost-share for cover crops, drainage, nutrient management) and CSP (annual payments for maintaining existing conservation practices like no-till and diverse rotations).
How-to-Apply Guides
Programs for Historically Underserved Farmers
Specialized Resources