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In 2021, 50 farmers in cities within Addison County received a total of $2.5 million in 110 farm subsidies, a 69% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $8 million in 248 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $317,562 | -- |
| Allandra Farm, Inc. | $509,988 | $212,638 | -58.3% |
| Four Hills Farm | $1,736,166 | $179,034 | -89.7% |
| Roger & Patricia Scholten | $124,103 | $141,460 | 14% |
| Vorsteveld Farm, LLP | $1,144,902 | $140,803 | -87.7% |
| Gosliga Farm, Inc. | $703,383 | $139,999 | -80.1% |
| Foster Bros Farm, Inc. | $400,999 | $139,293 | -65.3% |
| Correia Family Limited Partnership | $0 | $132,960 | -- |
| Jerry Butler | $109,891 | $128,490 | 16.9% |
| Hatch Farm, Inc. | $409,606 | $124,952 | -69.5% |
| Kellogg Bay Dairy, LLC | $167,447 | $115,583 | -31% |
| Allendale Farm LP | $528,274 | $113,386 | -78.5% |
| Dale C. Briggs | $134,110 | $103,896 | -22.5% |
| Jeff & Lise Fifield | $84,019 | $67,395 | -19.8% |
| Christopher & Paula Roeloffs | $67,151 | $65,199 | -2.9% |
| Essex Farm, LLC | $101,380 | $57,131 | -43.6% |
| David A. Kehoe | $36,243 | $49,389 | 36.3% |
| Brian Kayhart | $35,351 | $42,975 | 21.6% |
| Brad Sprague | $26,505 | $40,226 | 51.8% |
| Jeffrey Phillips | $22,610 | $27,112 | 19.9% |
| Layn Farms | $81,032 | $26,315 | -67.5% |
| Monument Farms, Inc. | $413,991 | $21,758 | -94.7% |
| Apico /Champlain Valley Apiar, Inc. | $18,921 | $21,359 | 12.9% |
| Robert & Suzanne Hunt | $144,371 | $11,901 | -91.8% |
| David Werner | $4,820 | $10,359 | 114.9% |
| Chimney Point Farm LP | $16,133 | $9,423 | -41.6% |
| Mark Boivin | $8,726 | $8,561 | -1.9% |
| Harry G. Veldman | $285,566 | $6,675 | -97.7% |
| Kevin Williams | $0 | $4,492 | -- |
| Dennis C. Mueller | $4,095 | $4,095 | 0% |
| Rosemary A. Mueller | $4,095 | $4,095 | 0% |
| Daniel J. Rowe | $14,294 | $3,527 | -75.3% |
| Carl Debisschop | $6,918 | $3,191 | -53.9% |
| James K Cossaart | $6,825 | $3,170 | -53.6% |
| Jonathan P & Maryann Connor | $1,402 | $1,402 | 0% |
| Lee F. Terrier | $6,447 | $1,322 | -79.5% |
| Dan M. Kehoe | $3,012 | $1,168 | -61.2% |
| Aaron Thomas | $0 | $1,146 | -- |
| Wesley Smith | $4,727 | $1,108 | -76.6% |
| Raymond S. Dykema | $8,136 | $684 | -91.6% |
| Kayhart Farms, Inc. | $1,869 | $603 | -67.7% |
| Joseph Severy | $595 | $577 | -3% |
| Havey Family Duckland PRT LP | $1,521 | $507 | -66.7% |
| Nathan Miller | $2,079 | $430 | -79.3% |
| Henry R. Dimuzio Jr. | $1,645 | $400 | -75.7% |
| Jay A. Rogers | $673 | $380 | -43.5% |
| Trent L Roleau | $6,841 | $243 | -96.4% |
| Ethan Gevry | $53,850 | $175 | -99.7% |
| Justin T. Smith | $54 | $29 | -46.3% |
| Laurel Jackson | $111 | $3 | -97.3% |
| Alan Saunders | $392 | $0 | -100% |
| Benjamin Smith | $633 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian P. Schlesinger | $3,102 | $0 | -100% |
| Elizabeth Rene Hill | $1,485 | $0 | -100% |
| Jill A. Kopel | $20,578 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin J. Audy | $3,153 | $0 | -100% |
| LRF Organics, LLC | $12,086 | $0 | -100% |
| Burton D & Beth Cole | $98 | $0 | -100% |
| Kristyn Jerome | $2,145 | $0 | -100% |
| Oliver Hill Farm | $1,233 | $0 | -100% |
| Amy Morsman | $183 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency | $632 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $86,844 | $0 | -100% |
| Jennifer Lf Kennett | $3,266 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Jenry Morsman IV | $183 | $0 | -100% |
| Kirk Webster | $9,091 | $0 | -100% |
| Quarry Road Farms, Inc. | $92,692 | $0 | -100% |
| Spencer Blackwell | $23,493 | $0 | -100% |
| Alden Harwood | $158 | $0 | -100% |
| Correia Family Limited Partnershi | $274,812 | $0 | -100% |
| David R. Carmichael | $95 | $0 | -100% |
| Doug & Ruth Gould | $85 | $0 | -100% |
| Samuel H. Devries | $912 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven J. Volk | $1,230 | $0 | -100% |
| Visser Brothers Farm | $43,304 | $0 | -100% |
| Phyllis D. Bowdish | $3,171 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $8,029,933 | $2,488,581 | -69% |
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