Farms throughout cities in Fairfield County received $946,313 less in subsidies in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to the year before.
In 2021, 61 farmers in cities within Fairfield County received a total of $452,086 in 95 farm subsidies, a 67.7% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.4 million in 173 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| H & H Shellfish, LLC | $0 | $145,512 | — |
| Courville Services, LLC | $0 | $68,325 | — |
| Willow Creek Partners, LLP | $84,398 | $51,778 | -38.7% |
| Sam’s Seafood, LLC | $0 | $21,876 | — |
| Teresa Fernandes | $0 | $20,087 | — |
| Fankhanel Farms L /0 Alan Fank, P C | $39,676 | $16,000 | -59.7% |
| Plasko’s Farm, LLC | $0 | $14,970 | — |
| Kentucky Farm, LLLP | $0 | $7,965 | — |
| Flat and Black | $7,582 | $7,582 | 0% |
| Welch Family 2012 Trust | $6,093 | $7,155 | 17.4% |
| National Audubon Society, Inc. | $7 | $6,643 | 94,800% |
| Ray Wetli, LLC | $6,517 | $6,500 | -0.3% |
| Pearle’s Fields, LLC | $19,771 | $6,451 | -67.4% |
| Evelyn D Vulliet Estate | $0 | $6,432 | — |
| Shirley B. Mabe | $11,004 | $6,410 | -41.7% |
| Amber Edwards | $15,109 | $5,109 | -66.2% |
| Century Evelyn Farm, LLC | $21,276 | $4,419 | -79.2% |
| Rick M. Roark | $10,249 | $4,003 | -60.9% |
| Scarlett Taylor | $3,789 | $3,789 | 0% |
| Keith B Josephson Irrev Trust | $4,944 | $3,723 | -24.7% |
| M K Salmans Trustee for CGS | $2,383 | $3,194 | 34% |
| Marilyn Timbers | $2,719 | $3,156 | 16.1% |
| Kelly Real Estate Trust | $7,438 | $2,589 | -65.2% |
| Nathan W. Riggs | $2,416 | $2,416 | 0% |
| C Miller Farm Properties LP | $8,877 | $2,164 | -75.6% |
| Paul Szatkowski | $2,325 | $2,003 | -13.8% |
| Volker Bahnemann | $1,589 | $1,589 | 0% |
| Jack K Nyquist-Jack K Nyquist Rev Trust | $0 | $1,480 | — |
| Marjorie Q. Gaines | $1,456 | $1,456 | 0% |
| Daniel E. Dunn | $1,263 | $1,385 | 9.7% |
| Geraldine Sanderson | $944 | $1,245 | 31.9% |
| Abigail Hicks | $2,295 | $970 | -57.7% |
| Constance M. Kevil | $2,295 | $970 | -57.7% |
| Charles Share of MK Salmans Gen Skipping Trust | $5,833 | $931 | -84% |
| Norma Englert – Peter and Norma Englert Family Trust | $2,812 | $848 | -69.8% |
| Dan F. Decker | $2,320 | $748 | -67.8% |
| Nancy Saiers | $1,254 | $743 | -40.7% |
| Linnea P. Martin | $3,151 | $722 | -77.1% |
| Charles Salmans | $3,781 | $663 | -82.5% |
| Elizabeth A. Mounts | $1,481 | $658 | -55.6% |
| Charles A. White | $220 | $655 | 197.7% |
| Tom A. Nelson | $2,578 | $625 | -75.8% |
| Tiani Osborn | $833 | $595 | -28.6% |
| John Luscombe | $1,891 | $514 | -72.8% |
| Homefront Farmers, LLC | $0 | $500 | — |
| William F. Fulton | $0 | $500 | — |
| Shearwater Coffee Roasters, LLC | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Richard A. Williamson | $489 | $489 | 0% |
| Double D Ranch & Land Company, LLC | $1,341 | $436 | -67.5% |
| Robert L. Secrest | $1,306 | $394 | -69.8% |
| Emily Rana Corse | $1,165 | $337 | -71.1% |
| Mary L. Weidenhamer | $382 | $324 | -15.2% |
| Barbara Bahnemann | $315 | $315 | 0% |
| Homestake Nursery, LLC | $269 | $269 | 0% |
| Gerald Pollack | $261 | $261 | 0% |
| Taryn C. King | $567 | $221 | -61% |
| Brenda Sorrels | $178 | $178 | 0% |
| Agricultural Associates, LLC | $138 | $138 | 0% |
| Holly Jane Weatherby | $123 | $72 | -41.5% |
| Marjorie E Streckfus Revocable Trust | $7,798 | $67 | -99.1% |
| Delphine Lambert-Murphy | $37 | $37 | 0% |
| Hollandia Nurseries, LLC | $221,828 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul Cook | $541 | $0 | -100% |
| Viengmany Soukhaseum | $1,430 | $0 | -100% |
| Cynthia L. Ryan | $1,379 | $0 | -100% |
| Pineview, LLC | $37 | $0 | -100% |
| Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses, LLC | $227,345 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles D. Ferris III | $1,456 | $0 | -100% |
| Ferris Acres Farm, LLC | $1,122 | $0 | -100% |
| Heather Kimball | $10,108 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen Paproski | $296 | $0 | -100% |
| Trout Gaskins | $1,293 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian C. Wulff | $3,161 | $0 | -100% |
| Seed to Table, LLC | $26,647 | $0 | -100% |
| Wayne J. Kubicek | $3,508 | $0 | -100% |
| Fred Monahan | $24,129 | $0 | -100% |
| Jones Family Farms, LLC | $216,108 | $0 | -100% |
| Stella Mar Oyster Company, LLC | $77,587 | $0 | -100% |
| G & B Shellfish, Inc. | $141,412 | $0 | -100% |
| James M Steidlmayer Estate | $1,912 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Rae Loh | $1,933 | $0 | -100% |
| David J. Farabee | $4,308 | $0 | -100% |
| Kentucky Farm, GP | $3,216 | $0 | -100% |
| Rita L. Lewis | $474 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen Porter | $574 | $0 | -100% |
| Bessties, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Hummock Island Shellfish, LLC | $11,188 | $0 | -100% |
| Gordon Nugent | $9,640 | $0 | -100% |
| Pramer Oyster Company, Inc. | $97,829 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,398,399 | $452,086 | -67.7% |
