FARMGRANT COUNTY PROFILE · PUBLIC USDA DATA

Monterey County, California

$11.1M in USDA farm subsidies to county recipients (2024)

Opportunity Score: 60/100

Get Matched to Programs

USDA Farm Subsidies — Monterey County

$11.1M in USDA farm subsidies to Monterey County recipients (2024).

Sum of payments to 232 recipients in this county, EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm), 2024 single year.

Program Breakdown (selected programs, EWG/USDA 2024)

Disaster Payments $10.9M
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) $128,584
Dairy Programs $2,018

Selected program components shown individually. These are separate EWG/USDA pulls and are not additive to the headline subsidy total — no combined "total" is shown. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database / USDA, 2024.

Crop Insurance Premium Subsidy

$17.8M in federal crop-insurance premium subsidy (RMA, 2024).

This is a separate program total (premium-subsidy dollars only) — it is not part of the subsidy headline above and is shown on its own. Source: USDA RMA via EWG, 2024.

Top Subsidy Recipients

# Recipient 2024 Total
1 Angelo Vineyards LLC $662,201
2 Rancho Espinoza Inc $562,905
3 Christensen & Giannini LLC $500,000
4 Long Valley Partners Lp $500,000
5 Boutonnet Farms Inc $500,000
6 Rosenberg Family Ranch LLC $499,929
7 Orradre Farming Inc $329,247
8 Panziera Ranches Lp $311,004
9 Blanco Farms LLC $276,804
10 Butler & Short Gp $236,657

Top recipients by EWG totalfarm (2024). These named payments sum toward the headline total above. Source: EWG Farm Subsidy Database.

About Farming in Monterey County

Monterey County has roughly 1,057 farms working about 1,338,477 acres of land in farms (USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture), averaging ~1,266 acres per farm.

In Monterey County, irrigated cropland rents for roughly $1,810/acre and farmland is valued near $12,799/acre (USDA NASS).

Local signals from public data: Moderately below state-average USDA $/acre; Above-average beginning producers (44 per 100 farms).

FarmGrant Opportunity Score

60 out of 100
Moderate Opportunity
#25 of 58 in California (59th pctile)
73rd national percentile
Funding Gap? 15.0/25
Program Eligibility? 9.0/25
Insurance Opportunity? 25.0/25
Economic Need? 11.0/25
What drives this score
  • Moderately below state-average USDA $/acre
  • Above-average beginning producers (44 per 100 farms)
  • Above-average women producers (59 per 100 farms)
  • Very high loss ratio (5.01) — disaster programs likely applicable
  • Low insured-policy density (0.3 policies/farm)
  • Moderate poverty (14.0%)
  • Above-average unemployment (7.0%)

An opportunity-gap indicator (0–100) built from up to four public-data components — not a prediction that any farm will get funding or qualifies for a program. Sources: USDA ERS, NASS, RMA, and EWG subsidy records.

USDA Funding Per Acre

Historically, Monterey County received about $8.28 per acre of farmland in USDA subsidies. That ranks #990 of 3,032 U.S. counties for USDA dollars per farmland acre.

2024 USDA subsidy $ (EWG totalfarm) ÷ land-in-farms acres (1,338,477 acres, USDA NASS 2022 Census). A descriptive county-wide statistic — not a prediction of what any individual farm received or will receive.

See how Monterey County ranks against all U.S. counties →

County Land Economics & Demographics

Population
430,723
(2023, USDA ERS)
Median Income
$86,809
(USDA ERS)
Poverty Rate
14.0%
(USDA ERS)
Unemployment
7.0%
(USDA ERS)
Cropland Rent
$1,810/ac
(USDA NASS, irrig.)
Land Value
$12,799/ac
(USDA NASS, 2022 Census)
Insurance Policies
289
(USDA RMA)
Acres Insured
642,250
(USDA RMA)

Track new USDA programs for Monterey County

Get the free weekly USDA roundup — new programs, deadlines, and updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much USDA funding does Monterey County receive?

Monterey County recipients received about $11.1M in USDA farm subsidies in 2024, per the EWG Farm Subsidy Database (totalfarm). This is a single-year county total of recorded payments, not a forecast of future funding.

What USDA programs are available to farmers in Monterey County?

Farmers may be eligible for a range of USDA programs — conservation (e.g. CRP, EQIP), commodity support (ARC/PLC), disaster assistance, federal crop insurance, and FSA loans. Eligibility depends on your farm; use the free Subsidy Finder to see programs you could qualify for.

How is the FarmGrant Opportunity Score calculated?

The Opportunity Score (0–100; 60 for Monterey County) is an opportunity-gap indicator built from up to four public-data components — funding gap, program eligibility, insurance opportunity, and economic need — using USDA ERS, NASS, RMA, and EWG records. It is not a prediction that any farm will receive funding or qualifies for a specific program.

Nearby Counties in California

Could your farm benefit?

Farms in Monterey County may qualify for USDA programs based on crop, conservation, and disaster activity. Run the free Subsidy Finder to see which programs you could qualify for, then prep your local USDA office visit.

Find Your Programs Prep USDA Visit Deadlines

Data as of June 02, 2026. Subsidy figures: USDA/EWG 2024 release. Farmland acres: USDA NASS 2022 Census. Opportunity score refreshed monthly. Each figure above carries its own data year; this page is never fresher than its oldest input.