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In 2021, 42 farmers in cities within Kings County received a total of $137,886 in 62 farm subsidies, a 90.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.5 million in 115 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Wilkinson | $15,798 | $21,279 | 34.7% |
| Immoboliare, Corp. | $14,630 | $14,236 | -2.7% |
| Sarah J. Shey | $0 | $11,134 | -- |
| J. M. Neblett | $10,224 | $10,224 | 0% |
| Michael D. Bennett | $31,160 | $8,162 | -73.8% |
| Mina Fields Johnson | $0 | $8,141 | -- |
| Vernard Foley | $785 | $7,381 | 840.3% |
| Meera Joshi | $6,357 | $6,357 | 0% |
| HFP Ranch, L. P. | $0 | $5,942 | -- |
| Larry Kraitenberg | $22,077 | $5,200 | -76.4% |
| Louise K. Wagner | $4,517 | $4,517 | 0% |
| Heather B. Kane | $4,373 | $4,373 | 0% |
| Hundhausen Farm, LLC | $10,567 | $3,847 | -63.6% |
| Ralph T Turner Declaration of Trust | $2,329 | $3,679 | 58% |
| Joan Marie Christian | $3,348 | $3,383 | 1% |
| Gabriel Selby | $0 | $2,502 | -- |
| Timothy C Sozen | $5,866 | $2,023 | -65.5% |
| Daniel E. Fox | $1,844 | $1,844 | 0% |
| David-David M Gaston Rev Liv Trustee Mark Gaston | $3,164 | $1,691 | -46.6% |
| Alexandra Thompson | $7,809 | $1,680 | -78.5% |
| We Are the New Farmers, Inc. | $0 | $1,187 | -- |
| Kevin Rolwing | $1,416 | $979 | -30.9% |
| Andrea Hopson | $0 | $811 | -- |
| Patricia A. Austin | $730 | $730 | 0% |
| Neal Groothuis-Groothuis Holdings Trust | $2,440 | $724 | -70.3% |
| Eleny Xydous | $322 | $607 | 88.5% |
| Dorothy S. Brooke | $835 | $585 | -29.9% |
| Stephen Tosh | $2,723 | $537 | -80.3% |
| Bear's Fruit, LLC | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Lexunder, Inc. | $0 | $500 | -- |
| Roland Mcnee Fam L. Tr | $0 | $489 | -- |
| Shirley J. Osgood | $2,465 | $489 | -80.2% |
| SMGS Management, LLC | $0 | $408 | -- |
| Totoro Farms, LLC | $345 | $345 | 0% |
| Cass Luskin | $752 | $293 | -61% |
| Mary Geiger | $664 | $231 | -65.2% |
| Matthew C. Norgard | $490 | $222 | -54.7% |
| Elizabeth Estabrook | $304 | $191 | -37.2% |
| John B. Cramer | $304 | $134 | -55.9% |
| William C. Cramer | $304 | $134 | -55.9% |
| Jesse Saba | $114 | $113 | -0.9% |
| Clay Cunningham | $3,096 | $82 | -97.4% |
| ARK Foods Group, Inc. | $1,330,344 | $0 | -100% |
| Ashley A. Womble | $2,675 | $0 | -100% |
| Austin J. Cox | $585 | $0 | -100% |
| Conor Kelly | $2,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Green Table Farms, LLC | $4,284 | $0 | -100% |
| Ike Britt Jr. | $2,570 | $0 | -100% |
| Joyce Hayes | $524 | $0 | -100% |
| Laura Holwegner | $765 | $0 | -100% |
| Lorimer St. Fish Project, Inc. | $6,662 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael D. Green | $684 | $0 | -100% |
| Monfefo, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Naomi Kroeger | $2,997 | $0 | -100% |
| Westley T. Hayes | $524 | $0 | -100% |
| Zachary Auston Bruner | $68 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,518,260 | $137,886 | -90.9% |
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