Farm operations
427
Avg 327 ac / farm
2022 USDA Census IN · FIPS 18067 427 farms Lower-middle (#55/92) 95% cropland TRACE CROP-HEAVY
Howard County, Indiana - Farm Data
Agricultural and commodity intelligence for Howard County. Ranked #55 of 92 counties in Indiana.
139K acres of agricultural land
- Cropland
- 94.9% 132K acres
- Other land
- 5.1% 7K 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.
427 farms · $137.4M sales
Howard County, Indiana reports 427 farms and $137.4M in commodity sales in the 2022 USDA NASS Census of Agriculture, ranking #2302 of 2943 U.S. counties by federal farm program payments. According to the Census extract on PlainFarmData, in-state commodity-sales rank is #55 of 92 counties in Indiana; Census county totals are not a roll-up of USDA ERS state payment series.
- In-state sales rank #55 of 92
- National payments rank #2302 of 2943
- Govt payments / sales ratio 0.3%
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 reported 427 farm operations in the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, generating $137.4M in total commodity sales and receiving $372K in federal farm program payments. Intensity stamp TRACE ($2.67/acre); land stamp CROP-HEAVY. Net cash farm income came in at $43.0M. In-state sales rank #55 of 92 in Indiana.
Of 139,488 acres agricultural land, cropland dominates at 132,328 acres (94.9%) - a CROP-HEAVY profile where ARC/PLC eligibility and crop insurance density matter more than pasture-side disaster titles. Federal intensity is TRACE; pair the ABS payment peers below before treating any single county as representative of Indiana.
Land Use
$2.67 per acre of agricultural land · the median Indiana county receives $6.68. Payments per acre normalise federal support for farm size; both figures come from the same USDA NASS 2022 Census county table.
Total Ag Land
139,488 acres
Cropland
132,328 acres
Avg Farm Size
327 ac
Cropland share of agricultural land 94.9%
132,328 cropland acres · CROP-HEAVY stamp.
Land Use Breakdown
| Category | Acres | Share of Ag Land |
|---|---|---|
| Total agricultural land | 139,488 | 100.0% |
| Cropland | 132,328 | 94.9% |
| Pasture, range, woodland, other | 7,160 | 5.1% |
| Average farm size | 327 | acres / farm |
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).
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 (#2302)
Howard ranks #2302 of 2943 on NASS federal farm program payments under the TRACE intensity band.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
What to do with this
Howard County, Indiana stamps TRACE · CROP-HEAVY in the 2022 NASS Census, ranking #2302 of 2943 U.S. counties by federal farm program payments. Three places to go next:
- 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.
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.