Alaska Farm Subsidy Data
USDA ERS Farm Income & Wealth Statistics · AK · West · Data year: 2023
What the Alaska Farm Data Shows
Alaska has received $10M in cumulative USDA farm program payments between 1995 and 2024, including $9M in conservation payments (CRP, EQIP, CSP) and $1M in disaster assistance (CFAP, MFP, LFP, ERP). Net farm income for 2023 came in at $-12M, sitting on top of $72M in gross cash income and $50M in total cash receipts from all commodities. The leading program category for Alaska is Conservation. These figures come straight from the USDA Economic Research Service Farm Income and Wealth Statistics release — the same source file that Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Farm Service Agency use when they score Farm Bill proposals.
Alaska's agriculture is anchored by Cattle ($5M in cash receipts), with the top three commodities accounting for a significant share of the state's $50M in total cash receipts. The crop-insurance loss ratio — indemnities paid out divided by premiums collected — stands at 476%, with $$0M in premiums and $$0M in indemnity payments. A loss ratio above 100% means insurers paid out more in claims than they collected in premiums, a signal of significant yield or revenue shortfalls in recent years.
Reading Alaska's farm data correctly means holding three lenses at once: commodity cash receipts (which track market activity), government payments (which track federal policy), and net farm income (which tracks actual economic outcomes). These three numbers move independently — a bumper crop year can drive up receipts while depressing prices and triggering government payments; a disaster year can crush receipts while unlocking indemnities and disaster aid. Use the payment history, county table, and nearby-state comparison below to benchmark Alaska against its region before drawing conclusions about the health, resilience, or federal dependence of the state's agricultural economy.
Payment History (Recent Years)
| Year | Total |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $15M |
| 2023 | $10M |
| 2022 | $15M |
| 2021 | $18M |
| 2020 | $12M |
| 2019 | $12M |
| 2018 | $12M |
| 2017 | $7M |
| 2016 | $14M |
| 2015 | $11M |
Cash Receipts by Commodity
Crop Insurance
Loss ratio = indemnities ÷ premiums. Above 100% means claims exceeded premiums.
Top counties in Alaska by commodity sales
Top 5 Alaska counties — commodity sales
Counties in Alaska (5)
| County | Farms |
|---|---|
| Anchorage | 401 |
| Juneau | 94 |
| Fairbanks North Star | 295 |
| Kenai Peninsula | 317 |
| Aleutian Islands | 66 |
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (1995-2024) USDA Economic Research Service, Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (1995-2024) County data: USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Alaska receive in farm subsidies?
Alaska has received $10M in total USDA government farm payments (cumulative, 1995–2024), including $9M in conservation payments and $1M in disaster assistance.
What programs does Alaska use most?
Alaska's leading program category is Conservation. Key programs include the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and disaster assistance programs like CFAP and ERP.
What is Alaska's crop insurance loss ratio?
Alaska's crop insurance loss ratio is 476%, meaning insurers paid out 476% of every dollar collected in premiums. A ratio above 100% indicates significant crop losses relative to premiums.
What is Alaska's net farm income?
Alaska's net farm income is $-12M (2023), with gross cash income of $72M and total cash receipts of $50M. Net farm income measures total agricultural output minus production expenses.
How much conservation funding does Alaska receive?
Alaska has received $9M in conservation program payments (cumulative, 1995–2024). These include programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which support soil health, water quality, and habitat preservation.
What crops are most important to Alaska's agriculture?
Alaska's top agricultural commodities by cash receipts include Cattle ($5M). Total cash receipts across all commodities are $50M.
Agricultural Income
Compare in West
Related Data for Alaska
USDA Economic Research Service
Farm Income and Wealth Statistics
Released: February 5, 2026
Coverage: 1995–2024
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.