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In 2021, 85 farmers in cities within Summit County received a total of $409,786 in 137 farm subsidies, a 31.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $597,840 in 225 farm subsidies.
Though farm subsidies support agriculture in the U.S., pumping $7 trillion into the economy, they are not without controversy.
The American Action Forum discovered that the most highly subsidized crops - corn, soy, wheat, and rice - are often consumed in highly processed ways, which leads to unhealthy eating habits and obesity, while the fruits and vegetables needed for a healthy diet are rarely subsidized.
"We are consuming more calories, fats, sodium, and sugars, and not enough beneficial nutrients and vitamins," Tara O'Neill Hayes wrote. "It is critical that both policymakers and the American public understand the influence that federal agricultural subsidies have on our food supply and diet and, in turn, our nutrition and health."
Farm subsidies have also been criticized for assisting the highest-earning agricultural businesses, not local farmers on their family farms who are barely getting by.
Kimberly Amadeo of The Balance said farmer subsidies "help high-income corporations, not poor rural farmers. Most of the money goes toward large agribusinesses."
The U.S. has provided farm subsidies since the Great Depression to assist farmers who weather price fluctuations and disasters, to help maintain consistent farming across the country.
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartong Farm, LLC | $134,633 | $91,335 | -32.2% |
| Merestead Farms, LLC | $74,228 | $43,551 | -41.3% |
| Richard E. Moore | $32,147 | $32,328 | 0.6% |
| Joan C. Weider | $10,973 | $30,713 | 179.9% |
| Natural Heritage, LLC | $1,476 | $25,646 | 1,637.5% |
| Frances M Cramer Trust | $6,466 | $13,953 | 115.8% |
| Burnell F Lowdon Trust | $33,517 | $11,089 | -66.9% |
| Virginia Scott M. Lynam | $11,365 | $11,073 | -2.6% |
| Wide Oval Enterprises, LLC | $6,218 | $10,553 | 69.7% |
| Brenda Nelson | $10,270 | $10,270 | 0% |
| Hawk Farm, LLC | $19,100 | $8,821 | -53.8% |
| Luther Farms | $11,028 | $7,292 | -33.9% |
| Ann G. Fossler | $7,391 | $6,754 | -8.6% |
| Sonja L. Melton | $0 | $5,889 | -- |
| Sholley Farm, LLC | $9,114 | $5,768 | -36.7% |
| William Pepple C. Tr | $0 | $5,665 | -- |
| Joan George | $5,108 | $5,108 | 0% |
| Mark W. Nettle | $11,490 | $4,744 | -58.7% |
| Joseph D. Fenicle | $5,461 | $4,167 | -23.7% |
| Deanna Simpson | $2,740 | $3,951 | 44.2% |
| Leo Kline | $18,129 | $3,917 | -78.4% |
| MJJ Holdings, LLC | $3,846 | $3,846 | 0% |
| James Nartker | $3,713 | $3,713 | 0% |
| Thomas M. Hughes | $4,032 | $3,394 | -15.8% |
| Pamela Jane Manwaring | $1,433 | $3,374 | 135.5% |
| Lee R Jensen Trust | $3,266 | $3,266 | 0% |
| Gregory Nemetz | $3,047 | $3,047 | 0% |
| Mindi M. Papania | $3,734 | $2,806 | -24.9% |
| Barbara P Davis Revocable Trust 2nd Restatement | $0 | $2,674 | -- |
| Daniel Hawk Farm, LLC | $2,984 | $2,220 | -25.6% |
| Letha L Lowdon Rev Trust | $8,055 | $2,011 | -75% |
| Richard L. Henry | $1,989 | $1,989 | 0% |
| Edna Instone | $0 | $1,871 | -- |
| Bryan E. Wilson | $1,870 | $1,870 | 0% |
| Barbara Davis Trust | $2,673 | $1,838 | -31.2% |
| Matthew Kovacs | $2,882 | $1,651 | -42.7% |
| Gerald R. Potts | $2,858 | $1,526 | -46.6% |
| Phyllis M Jensen Trust | $1,473 | $1,473 | 0% |
| Ann J. Peterson | $1,451 | $1,381 | -4.8% |
| Susan D. Speers | $2,755 | $1,377 | -50% |
| Douglas R. Henderson | $738 | $1,246 | 68.8% |
| Judith Piscazzi | $3,904 | $1,156 | -70.4% |
| Ellie's Acres, LLC | $0 | $1,114 | -- |
| Duane Aller | $2,365 | $1,073 | -54.6% |
| David M Oberthaler | $109 | $1,050 | 863.3% |
| Roger Harris | $1,214 | $880 | -27.5% |
| Cochran Family Legacy Trust | $792 | $792 | 0% |
| Linda Hoffman | $0 | $783 | -- |
| Gary Baker | $1,313 | $751 | -42.8% |
| Carol A. Bessemer | $733 | $733 | 0% |
| Melvin Steedly | $0 | $715 | -- |
| Frank D. Kovacs | $1,313 | $705 | -46.3% |
| Charles J. Idle | $1,885 | $684 | -63.7% |
| Bradley Bennett | $639 | $639 | 0% |
| Anna Cooley | $1,896 | $627 | -66.9% |
| Steven E. Brown | $0 | $623 | -- |
| Myla Hodge White | $1,716 | $612 | -64.3% |
| Joyce M. Mitchell | $402 | $601 | 49.5% |
| Susan Williams | $564 | $502 | -11% |
| William Saus | $501 | $501 | 0% |
| David A. Novak | $1,528 | $491 | -67.9% |
| E & a Farms | $480 | $480 | 0% |
| Bobby W. Starks | $1,357 | $412 | -69.6% |
| Robin Kiewatt | $829 | $405 | -51.1% |
| Ronald E. Garchar | $759 | $382 | -49.7% |
| Ppakx Holdings, LLC | $265 | $377 | 42.3% |
| Jennifer L. Klepinger | $608 | $377 | -38% |
| Kathleen Biecker | $1,272 | $352 | -72.3% |
| Wanda Tyner Trust | $344 | $344 | 0% |
| Ruth Sylvia Jones Rev Trustee | $342 | $342 | 0% |
| Joleen K Wurdack Rev Trust | $318 | $318 | 0% |
| Roger-the Roger Arnold Revocable Trust L Arnold | $0 | $314 | -- |
| Robert G. Turner III | $595 | $277 | -53.4% |
| PBZ Farm, LLC | $0 | $274 | -- |
| Nick Kechkes | $1,112 | $186 | -83.3% |
| Marla Walker Rieder | $294 | $172 | -41.5% |
| Mark Gradert | $96 | $155 | 61.5% |
| Dewey F Parks | $416 | $116 | -72.1% |
| Jeff Craven | $411 | $87 | -78.8% |
| Martha Hays Hoskins | $219 | $66 | -69.9% |
| Zwick Family Trust | $234 | $50 | -78.6% |
| Brian Daley | $496 | $49 | -90.1% |
| Clementine Johnson | $98 | $40 | -59.2% |
| Bailey Acres, LLC | $169 | $14 | -91.7% |
| Don L. Tolliver | $53 | $5 | -90.6% |
| Duane L. Hawk | $11,222 | $0 | -100% |
| Gloria Smith | $29,244 | $0 | -100% |
| HI-Vue Farms, LLC | $144 | $0 | -100% |
| Leatha Sparks Shockley | $95 | $0 | -100% |
| Oak Tree Hydroponic Farms, LLC | $9,992 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert N. MacGregor | $1,559 | $0 | -100% |
| Southgate Farm, LLC | $115 | $0 | -100% |
| Wanda L. Blanchard | $2,321 | $0 | -100% |
| Adam K. Smith | $700 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilpacs Partnership | $13,577 | $0 | -100% |
| Faye Duber | $551 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason Pirtle | $2,358 | $0 | -100% |
| Joanne P. Walker | $187 | $0 | -100% |
| Marlene J. Cox | $4,103 | $0 | -100% |
| John Duplay JR | $1,934 | $0 | -100% |
| Karl a Rinas River Run Tree Farm | $2,150 | $0 | -100% |
| Emily Mueller | $1,610 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelly Culp | $669 | $0 | -100% |
| C & G's Heritage Farms, LLC | $6,093 | $0 | -100% |
| The Spicy Lamb Farm, LLC | $931 | $0 | -100% |
| Eleanor D Krew | $1,780 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott Meyer | $3,817 | $0 | -100% |
| Vincent Slentz | $2,080 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacqueline Rose Ewald | $408 | $0 | -100% |
| Kathy Mcbride Estate | $1,135 | $0 | -100% |
| Kitchen Family Irrevocable Trust | $2,576 | $0 | -100% |
| Mindi Papania | $744 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger L. Arnold | $314 | $0 | -100% |
| Short Creek Whitetails, LLC | $88 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael L. Shively | $49 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $597,840 | $409,786 | -31.5% |
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