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In 2021, 110 farmers in cities within Fayette County received a total of $1 million in 186 farm subsidies, a 50.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2 million in 377 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dividing Ridge, LLC | $516,687 | $138,926 | -73.1% |
| ORR Agriculture, LLC | $177,684 | $113,299 | -36.2% |
| Fay-West Holsteins, LLC | $140,514 | $86,151 | -38.7% |
| Michael a Wascak | $71,417 | $78,941 | 10.5% |
| Allen Hill Dairy, LLC | $65,708 | $68,895 | 4.9% |
| Ferens Farms, LLC | $69,174 | $56,777 | -17.9% |
| JCL Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| JTE Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Gary Thomas | $45,096 | $41,335 | -8.3% |
| George R. Fencil | $31,431 | $31,280 | -0.5% |
| Dillon A. Cotter | $32,167 | $28,254 | -12.2% |
| Richard Paul Burd | $83,295 | $23,060 | -72.3% |
| Joseph L. Sebeck | $34,753 | $22,376 | -35.6% |
| Michael M Reskovac | $42,389 | $17,454 | -58.8% |
| Andrews Farms, LLC | $22,816 | $13,567 | -40.5% |
| Frank Zitney | $8,461 | $12,499 | 47.7% |
| Gregg Langley | $26,850 | $11,398 | -57.5% |
| Elaine Milan | $8,358 | $6,908 | -17.3% |
| Rodney L. Coldren | $6,625 | $6,625 | 0% |
| John Tabaj SR | $17,721 | $5,926 | -66.6% |
| Metro Farms, Inc. | $10,557 | $5,843 | -44.7% |
| Gene Thorpe | $33,276 | $5,800 | -82.6% |
| Holchin Farm, LLC | $23,661 | $5,775 | -75.6% |
| GJL Farm | $5,130 | $5,130 | 0% |
| Gary W. Coldren | $4,723 | $4,723 | 0% |
| Janice C. Miller | $4,405 | $4,405 | 0% |
| Robert J. McGill | $6,058 | $4,175 | -31.1% |
| Paul W. Turner | $4,075 | $4,075 | 0% |
| Steven Ralph Brown III | $7,529 | $3,740 | -50.3% |
| Frazier Farms | $0 | $3,174 | -- |
| Suzie Morris | $3,173 | $3,173 | 0% |
| Joseph Maruszewski | $3,162 | $3,162 | 0% |
| Baily Farms, LLC | $0 | $3,025 | -- |
| Ian R. Erdely | $15,623 | $3,010 | -80.7% |
| Robert J. Lynch | $10,718 | $2,647 | -75.3% |
| Work Land & Cattle Company | $11,448 | $2,615 | -77.2% |
| Jaid Cappellini | $5,946 | $2,587 | -56.5% |
| Keith P. Pritts | $4,724 | $2,557 | -45.9% |
| Francis Mutnansky Jr. | $8,100 | $2,518 | -68.9% |
| Charles E. Metros | $7,985 | $2,412 | -69.8% |
| James J. Lowe | $10,285 | $2,212 | -78.5% |
| Tim Gratchic | $2,186 | $2,186 | 0% |
| William M Hatalowich JR | $9,135 | $2,153 | -76.4% |
| Hay Hollow Cattle | $6,540 | $2,083 | -68.1% |
| Stark Farms | $13,371 | $2,047 | -84.7% |
| Ann Carolla | $4,957 | $2,039 | -58.9% |
| Bentley R. Fencil | $1,812 | $2,007 | 10.8% |
| Sean Goodwin | $9,592 | $1,918 | -80% |
| MC Cracken Farm | $8,886 | $1,915 | -78.4% |
| Ronald J. McGill | $10,534 | $1,896 | -82% |
| Gordon Anderson | $8,066 | $1,826 | -77.4% |
| Janet M Tabaj | $1,813 | $1,813 | 0% |
| Haley L. Sproul | $5,701 | $1,666 | -70.8% |
| William Melilli | $1,525 | $1,525 | 0% |
| Vincent P Makovics JR | $2,106 | $1,520 | -27.8% |
| Fort Hill Farms, Inc. | $10,143 | $1,486 | -85.3% |
| David L. Keefer | $2,482 | $1,459 | -41.2% |
| Russell A. Hillegas | $4,415 | $1,442 | -67.3% |
| Daniel R. McGill Jr. | $5,459 | $1,431 | -73.8% |
| Frank E. Martin | $7,156 | $1,415 | -80.2% |
| Sara J. Sickle | $10,194 | $1,408 | -86.2% |
| Andrea Janson | $9,066 | $1,386 | -84.7% |
| Pierce B. Willson | $8,292 | $1,365 | -83.5% |
| Edward W. Bertovich Jr. | $6,895 | $1,283 | -81.4% |
| Thomas Nalevanko | $4,801 | $1,253 | -73.9% |
| Scott T. Patterson | $2,219 | $1,145 | -48.4% |
| Daniel L. Duncan | $12,518 | $987 | -92.1% |
| Karen Phillips-Shwallon | $948 | $948 | 0% |
| Kenneth F. Schrock | $4,290 | $943 | -78% |
| Daniel B. Fike | $2,740 | $914 | -66.6% |
| Todd Grenke | $2,828 | $897 | -68.3% |
| Garrett J Quarrick | $3,168 | $825 | -74% |
| Sally M Finley-Nicholls | $2,305 | $731 | -68.3% |
| John F. Strickler III | $3,278 | $730 | -77.7% |
| Mark A. Anderson | $2,995 | $725 | -75.8% |
| George Faverio | $0 | $691 | -- |
| Alex Michael Grote | $3,048 | $687 | -77.5% |
| Brent Chaikcic | $3,350 | $651 | -80.6% |
| Terry Bird | $3,140 | $622 | -80.2% |
| Michael A. Deller Jr. | $2,960 | $588 | -80.1% |
| Michael J. Ruby | $1,408 | $572 | -59.4% |
| Barry G Ackinclose | $2,427 | $492 | -79.7% |
| D'Isidoro Farm | $2,090 | $479 | -77.1% |
| Kosanko Family Partners LP | $4,841 | $437 | -91% |
| John R Teslovich | $3,603 | $434 | -88% |
| Andrew Koposko | $1,452 | $384 | -73.6% |
| Robin Medved | $1,540 | $372 | -75.8% |
| B Team Productions, Inc. | $1,054 | $371 | -64.8% |
| Doris K. Hayes | $364 | $364 | 0% |
| Ernest N. Hayes | $364 | $364 | 0% |
| James W. Hayes | $364 | $364 | 0% |
| Robert D. Hayes | $541 | $364 | -32.7% |
| Thomas W. Hayes | $364 | $364 | 0% |
| Bruce Q. Hixson | $12,685 | $364 | -97.1% |
| Joseph E Kulikoski | $792 | $326 | -58.8% |
| Dale W Heltebran | $397 | $280 | -29.5% |
| William Hustosky | $1,274 | $261 | -79.5% |
| Kathie McGill | $1,034 | $228 | -77.9% |
| John A. Rerko | $737 | $170 | -76.9% |
| Michael J. Homer | $550 | $168 | -69.5% |
| Donald Phillips | $146 | $146 | 0% |
| Christopher J. Rerko | $826 | $138 | -83.3% |
| Linda Meredith | $0 | $107 | -- |
| Henry T. Cochran | $736 | $101 | -86.3% |
| William M. Elliott | $392 | $76 | -80.6% |
| Timothy Erdely | $545 | $73 | -86.6% |
| William A. Smith Jr. | $352 | $69 | -80.4% |
| Gus A. Kern | $0 | $51 | -- |
| Linda A. Cottom | $10,648 | $20 | -99.8% |
| George Malenock JR | $474 | $14 | -97% |
| David J. Biggerstaff | $449 | $0 | -100% |
| Gahc LP | $6,608 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey Fleming | $1,485 | $0 | -100% |
| Martins Flowers and Shrubs, Inc. | $8,063 | $0 | -100% |
| Duda's Farm, Inc. | $108,332 | $0 | -100% |
| Christner Farms, LLC | $32,915 | $0 | -100% |
| Cloyd D. Lilley | $3,266 | $0 | -100% |
| Donna Rae Rice | $1,431 | $0 | -100% |
| Rose Marie Sproat | $4,983 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph a Harim SR | $541 | $0 | -100% |
| Quarter Pine Tree Farm Christmas | $13,428 | $0 | -100% |
| Kyle Hillegas | $6,766 | $0 | -100% |
| Delbert D. Carson | $990 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin Stricklin | $156 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael T. Olexa | $2,162 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Sickle | $326 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard A. Allen | $935 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Metros | $283 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael B Takoch | $247 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $2,032,004 | $1,006,738 | -50.5% |
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