Farm operations
498
Avg 396 ac / farm
2022 USDA Census SD · FIPS 46127 Upper-middle by state sales HEAVY CROP-HEAVY
Union County, South Dakota - Farm Data
Agricultural and commodity intelligence for Union County. Ranked #33 of 66 counties in South Dakota.
197,254 acres of agricultural land
- Cropland
- 90.4% 178,315 acres
- Other land
- 9.6% 18,939 acres
USDA NASS · 2022 Census of Agriculture
Union County received $11.84 in Census government payments per agricultural acre, 0.7× the South Dakota county median of $18.22.
According to the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture.
- $11.84
- government payments per agricultural acre
- $18.22
- South Dakota county median per acre
- 0.65×
- South Dakota 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, Union County, South Dakota is a CROP-HEAVY county with federal farm payments per acre that stamp HEAVY; commodity sales sit near state median and it shows below-typical federal dependence.
Commodity sales
$171.9M
1.0× state median -- Near state median
Federal payments
$2.3M
1.4% of sales -- Below-typical dependence
Net farm income
$50.1M
2022 cash income -- Typical net income
C
Farm economy grade: C -- Union County's net farm income sits at the 69th percentile among 3,046 NASS-reporting counties nationally (2022 Census). Percentile-benchmarked, not a same-state comparison like the tier label above.
What the Union County Farm Data Shows
Union County, South Dakota reads as a CROP-HEAVY county with HEAVY 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 second-highest national quintile, $11.30 to $18.39 an acre, heavy federal support relative to the acreage.
The state comparisons on this page use the 66 of 66 South Dakota counties with published commodity sales, averaging the two central values when the count is even. Payments per acre use the 66 counties that report both receipts and acreage, and net-income peers are the 66 that reported a profit.
Pair the payment peers below before treating any single county as representative of South Dakota.
Read with Union County
Nearest NASS federal-payment peers and $/acre poles for Union (HEAVY · CROP-HEAVY), replacing the old fixed Related and same-state alphabetical strip.
HEAVY CROP-HEAVY
Monroe County, WI · MID
$2.3M federal receipts is higher by - than Union; land stamp CROP-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Sumter County, SC · HEAVY
$2.3M federal receipts is lower by $1K than Union; land stamp CROP-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Saluda County, SC · DENSE
$2.3M federal receipts is lower by $3K than Union; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Woodson County, KS · MID
$2.3M federal receipts is lower by $4K than Union; land stamp CROP-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Genesee County (HEAVY $/acre pole)
Genesee sits near Union on payments-per-acre ($11.72) while total receipts differ.
Benton County (HEAVY $/acre pole)
Benton sits near Union on payments-per-acre ($11.71) while total receipts differ.
South Dakota ERS state roll-up
Union stamps HEAVY · CROP-HEAVY inside South Dakota'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 Union under the HEAVY intensity band.
What to do with this
Three ways to keep going from Union County, South Dakota:
- See how South Dakota compares nationally on ERS farm payments and income. South Dakota 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 Union County, South Dakota?
Union County, South Dakota has 498 farms (2022 USDA Census). Average farm size 396 acres; land stamp CROP-HEAVY.
What is the total agricultural production value of Union County?
Union County's total commodity sales are $171.9M (2022 Census of Agriculture), ranking #33 among 66 counties in South Dakota.
How much federal farm assistance does Union County receive?
Union County received $2.3M in federal government farm program receipts (2022), stamping HEAVY on NASS payments-per-acre ($11.84/acre) with a CROP-HEAVY land mix.
What is the net farm income in Union County?
Net cash farm income for operations in Union County is $50.1M (2022 Census of Agriculture).
State Overview
South Dakota
66 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 HEAVY · 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.