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In 2021, 38 farmers in cities within Orange County received a total of $453,924 in 64 farm subsidies, an 85% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $3 million in 151 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| D Breen Farms, Ltd. | $0 | $79,995 | -- |
| Sidney Vellenga | $52,236 | $57,909 | 10.9% |
| John H. Devries | $77,301 | $56,438 | -27% |
| David Shapiro | $43,936 | $43,936 | 0% |
| Down State Farms, LLC | $0 | $38,406 | -- |
| Melissa A. Menendez | $37,875 | $30,547 | -19.3% |
| W Michael Simpson | $31,245 | $22,226 | -28.9% |
| Carl H. Balbach | $22,752 | $21,422 | -5.8% |
| Robert Stap | $72,015 | $17,814 | -75.3% |
| Paul G Ewanciw | $13,320 | $17,093 | 28.3% |
| Howard Shapiro | $13,730 | $13,730 | 0% |
| Coon Family Trustee | $27,997 | $7,774 | -72.2% |
| Pillmeier Produce Farms | $37,924 | $5,830 | -84.6% |
| Mary M. Decerbo | $5,034 | $4,547 | -9.7% |
| Hoyt Farms, LLC | $11,626 | $4,410 | -62.1% |
| Joyce Schloicka | $4,298 | $4,298 | 0% |
| Keith Joseph Lysack | $21,231 | $3,744 | -82.4% |
| Joseph S Blazeski | $11,407 | $3,313 | -71% |
| Gary T Glowaczewski | $2,300 | $3,191 | 38.7% |
| Michael R Pillmeier | $2,258 | $2,258 | 0% |
| Jacob Gros | $6,254 | $2,141 | -65.8% |
| Triple D Farms, LLC | $4,192 | $2,048 | -51.1% |
| Echo Dairy Farm, LLC | $8,190 | $1,802 | -78% |
| Mark W. Hoyt | $5,552 | $1,517 | -72.7% |
| Melanie Archer Graetzer | $657 | $1,009 | 53.6% |
| Frankie's Produce Farms, Inc. | $66,114 | $919 | -98.6% |
| Bernard Bates Family Trust | $2,406 | $799 | -66.8% |
| Trotwood, LLC | $3,371 | $796 | -76.4% |
| Brian M. Pawelski | $0 | $638 | -- |
| Jeffrey L. Hedges | $318 | $539 | 69.5% |
| Peter J Ewanciw | $2,488 | $524 | -78.9% |
| Historic Brown Family Farm, LLC | $1,709 | $467 | -72.7% |
| Howard E. Gill | $693 | $411 | -40.7% |
| James Kleister | $2,827 | $394 | -86.1% |
| Kimberly Loy Kishpaugh | $2,119 | $366 | -82.7% |
| Lawrence Farms Orchards, Inc. | $61,242 | $332 | -99.5% |
| Edward Cossa | $1,353 | $251 | -81.4% |
| James R. Wiest | $1,493 | $90 | -94% |
| Dagele Bros Produce Company | $296,848 | $0 | -100% |
| Double D Produce, Inc. | $235,671 | $0 | -100% |
| F & J Produce, Inc. | $25,498 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank Pikul | $12,981 | $0 | -100% |
| R and R Dagele Produce, Inc. | $42,739 | $0 | -100% |
| Yurchuk Farms, LLC | $34,507 | $0 | -100% |
| Harold Baxter | $3,499 | $0 | -100% |
| Rock Ridge Farm, LLC | $433 | $0 | -100% |
| Freedom Hill Farm, LLC | $20,724 | $0 | -100% |
| Wessels' Farms, Inc. | $400,644 | $0 | -100% |
| John Yarosz | $480 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn A. Fleming | $10,719 | $0 | -100% |
| Taida Orchids NY, Inc. | $202,389 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe R. Miedema | $152 | $0 | -100% |
| Ppew Tank Enterprises, LLC | $2,460 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard J. Wieboldt | $226 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald G Soudant | $136 | $0 | -100% |
| Colden Springs Farm | $606 | $0 | -100% |
| Crist Bros. Orchards, Inc. | $1,072,587 | $0 | -100% |
| John Valk Jr. | $358 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $3,023,120 | $453,924 | -85% |
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