Farm operations
427
Avg 327 ac / farm
2022 USDA Census IN · FIPS 18067 Lower-middle by state sales TRACE CROP-HEAVY
Howard County, Indiana - Farm Data
Agricultural and commodity intelligence for Howard County. Ranked #55 of 92 counties in Indiana.
139,488 acres of agricultural land
- Cropland
- 94.9% 132,328 acres
- Other land
- 5.1% 7,160 acres
USDA NASS · 2022 Census of Agriculture
Howard County received $2.67 in Census government payments per agricultural acre, 0.4× the Indiana county median of $6.68.
According to the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture.
- $2.67
- government payments per agricultural acre
- $6.68
- Indiana county median per acre
- 0.40×
- Indiana median per acre
Payments per acre use the same NASS county table for receipts and acreage. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series.
According to the 2022 USDA NASS Census of Agriculture, Howard County, Indiana is a CROP-HEAVY county with federal farm payments per acre that stamp TRACE; commodity sales sit near state median and it shows low federal dependence.
Commodity sales
$137.4M
0.81× state median -- Near state median
Federal payments
$372K
0.3% of sales -- Low federal dependence
Net farm income
$43.0M
2022 cash income -- Typical net income
C
Farm economy grade: C -- Howard County's net farm income sits at the 65th percentile among 3,046 NASS-reporting counties nationally (2022 Census). Percentile-benchmarked, not a same-state comparison like the tier label above.
What the Howard County Farm Data Shows
Howard County, Indiana reads as a CROP-HEAVY county with TRACE federal payment intensity. In the NASS Census vocabulary this portal uses, cropland is 75% or more of agricultural land, a profile where ARC/PLC eligibility and crop insurance density matter more than pasture-side disaster titles; payments per agricultural acre fall in the lowest national quintile, under $3.41 an acre, so program receipts are a marginal line beside market revenue.
The state comparisons on this page use the 92 of 92 Indiana counties with published commodity sales, averaging the two central values when the count is even. Payments per acre use the 92 counties that report both receipts and acreage, and net-income peers are the 89 that reported a profit.
Pair the payment peers below before treating any single county as representative of Indiana.
Read with Howard County
Nearest NASS federal-payment peers and $/acre poles for Howard (TRACE · CROP-HEAVY), replacing the old fixed Related and same-state alphabetical strip.
TRACE CROP-HEAVY
Adams County, MS · LIGHT
$371K federal receipts is lower by $1K than Howard; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Dutchess County, NY · LIGHT
$373K federal receipts is higher by $1K than Howard; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Cabarrus County, NC · LIGHT
$371K federal receipts is lower by $1K than Howard; land stamp CROP-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Gordon County, GA · LIGHT
$374K federal receipts is higher by $2K than Howard; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Scott County (TRACE $/acre pole)
Scott sits near Howard on payments-per-acre ($2.70) while total receipts differ.
Henry County (TRACE $/acre pole)
Henry sits near Howard on payments-per-acre ($2.74) while total receipts differ.
Indiana ERS state roll-up
Howard stamps TRACE · CROP-HEAVY inside Indiana's NASS county table, open the state ERS payment stack next.
Census payments leaderboard
Open the national ranking of U.S. counties by NASS federal farm program payments to see the counties around Howard under the TRACE intensity band.
What to do with this
Three ways to keep going from Howard County, Indiana:
- See how Indiana compares nationally on ERS farm payments and income. Indiana state page
- Browse the full county table to compare payment intensity across the country. All counties
- Understand what actually drives county-level farm payments. Read the guide
County figures (2022 NASS Census of Agriculture) are a separate population from USDA ERS state and national payment series and must not be summed together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many farms are in Howard County, Indiana?
Howard County, Indiana has 427 farms (2022 USDA Census). Average farm size 327 acres; land stamp CROP-HEAVY.
What is the total agricultural production value of Howard County?
Howard County's total commodity sales are $137.4M (2022 Census of Agriculture), ranking #55 among 92 counties in Indiana.
How much federal farm assistance does Howard County receive?
Howard County received $372K in federal government farm program receipts (2022), stamping TRACE on NASS payments-per-acre ($2.67/acre) with a CROP-HEAVY land mix.
What is the net farm income in Howard County?
Net cash farm income for operations in Howard County is $43.0M (2022 Census of Agriculture).
State Overview
Indiana
92 counties · View state farm data
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 2022 Census of Agriculture · 2022
Dollar values reflect calendar year 2022 farm operations data.
PlainFarmData is an independent data portal, not affiliated with USDA, FSA, or any government agency. For official program eligibility or application guidance, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office.
Intensity stamp TRACE · land stamp CROP-HEAVY (NASS payments-per-acre / cropland share bands).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Verify with USDA NASS Census of Agriculture →
County farm figures on this page are rendered from the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture, no number is typed in by an editor. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.