North Dakota Farm Subsidy Data
USDA ERS Farm Income & Wealth Statistics · ND · Midwest · Data year: 2023
What the North Dakota Farm Data Shows
North Dakota has received $313M in cumulative USDA farm program payments between 1995 and 2024, including $120M in conservation payments (CRP, EQIP, CSP) and $190M in disaster assistance (CFAP, MFP, LFP, ERP). Net farm income for 2023 came in at $4.2B, sitting on top of $13.8B in gross cash income and $11.8B in total cash receipts from all commodities. The leading program category for North Dakota is Disaster Assistance. 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.
North Dakota's agriculture is anchored by Soybeans ($2.6B in cash receipts), Wheat ($2.5B in cash receipts), Corn ($1.9B in cash receipts), with the top three commodities accounting for a significant share of the state's $11.8B in total cash receipts. The crop-insurance loss ratio — indemnities paid out divided by premiums collected — stands at 156%, with $$500M in premiums and $$781M 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 North Dakota'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 North Dakota 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 | $294M |
| 2023 | $313M |
| 2022 | $1.5B |
| 2021 | $1.5B |
| 2020 | $1.8B |
| 2019 | $1.1B |
| 2018 | $739M |
| 2017 | $588M |
| 2016 | $622M |
| 2015 | $363M |
Cash Receipts by Commodity
Crop Insurance
Loss ratio = indemnities ÷ premiums. Above 100% means claims exceeded premiums.
Top counties in North Dakota by commodity sales
Top 5 North Dakota counties — commodity sales
Counties in North Dakota (53)
| County | Farms |
|---|---|
| Cass | 801 |
| Richland | 894 |
| Walsh | 850 |
| Pembina | 482 |
| Grand Forks | 956 |
| Stutsman | 829 |
| Cavalier | 527 |
| Bottineau | 719 |
| Traill | 465 |
| Ward | 634 |
| Mclean | 742 |
| Barnes | 739 |
| Wells | 438 |
| LA Moure | 543 |
| Dickey | 423 |
| Williams | 539 |
| Emmons | 510 |
| Mchenry | 664 |
| Morton | 688 |
| Ramsey | 512 |
Showing top 20 of 53 counties by commodity sales. View all counties →
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 North Dakota receive in farm subsidies?
North Dakota has received $313M in total USDA government farm payments (cumulative, 1995–2024), including $120M in conservation payments and $190M in disaster assistance.
What programs does North Dakota use most?
North Dakota's leading program category is Disaster Assistance. 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 North Dakota's crop insurance loss ratio?
North Dakota's crop insurance loss ratio is 156%, meaning insurers paid out 156% of every dollar collected in premiums. A ratio above 100% indicates significant crop losses relative to premiums.
What is North Dakota's net farm income?
North Dakota's net farm income is $4.2B (2023), with gross cash income of $13.8B and total cash receipts of $11.8B. Net farm income measures total agricultural output minus production expenses.
How much conservation funding does North Dakota receive?
North Dakota has received $120M 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 North Dakota's agriculture?
North Dakota's top agricultural commodities by cash receipts include Soybeans ($2.6B), Wheat ($2.5B), Corn ($1.9B). Total cash receipts across all commodities are $11.8B.
Agricultural Income
Compare in Midwest
Related Data for North Dakota
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.