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In 2021, 60 farmers in cities within Teller County received a total of $243,256 in 96 farm subsidies, a 49.4% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $480,290 in 165 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill E Gerstberger Jr-William Gerstberger Revoc Trust | $68,287 | $23,354 | -65.8% |
| Beth Rose | $67,050 | $22,832 | -65.9% |
| Marvanna Grusing | $19,099 | $20,960 | 9.7% |
| Brown Land, LLC | $11,067 | $15,883 | 43.5% |
| Doris K. Roberts | $14,008 | $14,008 | 0% |
| Betty F. McKinnon | $19,896 | $13,322 | -33% |
| Robert L. Taylor | $16,422 | $11,909 | -27.5% |
| Howard G Stone - Howard G Stone Living Trust | $12,848 | $11,164 | -13.1% |
| Peter S Loogman | $0 | $9,164 | -- |
| Carlisle Heirs Trust | $17,517 | $7,807 | -55.4% |
| Gregory W. Lohrey | $9,625 | $6,780 | -29.6% |
| Reed Robert Grainger | $31,847 | $6,323 | -80.1% |
| Morford, Inc. | $8,482 | $5,804 | -31.6% |
| Donald L. Jones | $17,968 | $5,033 | -72% |
| L. P. Ashcraft | $4,936 | $4,936 | 0% |
| Ann Baker Family Trust | $1,880 | $4,811 | 155.9% |
| Phillips Heirs Family Farmland Trust | $7,738 | $4,537 | -41.4% |
| James Bittel | $9,088 | $4,417 | -51.4% |
| Ruth Ellen Grainger-Starr | $16,417 | $3,870 | -76.4% |
| Scott Laudert | $3,553 | $3,552 | -0% |
| Teresa D. Nazarenus | $9,045 | $3,406 | -62.3% |
| William B. Elliott | $2,743 | $2,664 | -2.9% |
| Andersen Wielms Homestead, LLC | $0 | $2,478 | -- |
| Doug Arnold | $2,221 | $2,221 | 0% |
| Michael J. Gross | $2,207 | $2,207 | 0% |
| Laura H Glauth | $0 | $2,200 | -- |
| Ronald Harkness | $2,698 | $1,906 | -29.4% |
| Bartel Family, LLC | $5,139 | $1,869 | -63.6% |
| Wendi L. Clarke | $8,584 | $1,710 | -80.1% |
| Shelley Lynn Kurka | $1,650 | $1,650 | 0% |
| Johnson & Mccoy Partnership | $2,665 | $1,566 | -41.2% |
| James S. Larsen | $7,116 | $1,443 | -79.7% |
| Charlene Boerger | $2,148 | $1,270 | -40.9% |
| Dean Buysse | $1,109 | $1,109 | 0% |
| Eldrige Carlson | $1,041 | $1,041 | 0% |
| Carlisle Bros Trust | $1,711 | $966 | -43.5% |
| Singer Agribusiness, Ltd. | $0 | $958 | -- |
| Don Doty | $2,612 | $872 | -66.6% |
| Carlton R. Brown | $3,850 | $859 | -77.7% |
| Samuel Stephen Riffe | $808 | $808 | 0% |
| Jerry Jordan | $1,019 | $790 | -22.5% |
| Muriel Wood Beaver | $970 | $782 | -19.4% |
| Karen Sorenson | $0 | $768 | -- |
| Bonnitta Ledoux-Bonnitta D Ledoux Liv Trustee | $1,259 | $672 | -46.6% |
| Gregory Mark Ladner | $3,642 | $652 | -82.1% |
| Kathryn Reynolds | $1,409 | $644 | -54.3% |
| Martha J. Fouts | $624 | $624 | 0% |
| RJ Covert Farming, LLC | $1,978 | $608 | -69.3% |
| Dean Papes | $659 | $578 | -12.3% |
| Keith Watkins | $1,028 | $503 | -51.1% |
| Melissa Mellen A. Tr | $916 | $453 | -50.5% |
| Stuart A. Ensor | $1,039 | $442 | -57.5% |
| Alfred M. Franke Jr. | $1,444 | $386 | -73.3% |
| Theodore Lee Evanoika | $1,273 | $340 | -73.3% |
| Myra T. Lambert | $328 | $328 | 0% |
| The Thomas and Linda Patsey Family Trust | $0 | $272 | -- |
| William C Singer Trust | $0 | $243 | -- |
| Kendall L Wood and Cheryl a Wood Living Trust Dated January | $534 | $232 | -56.6% |
| Paula D. Taylor | $558 | $158 | -71.7% |
| Mccoy & Johnson Farm Partnership | $4,493 | $112 | -97.5% |
| Doris Ogletree | $358 | $0 | -100% |
| Michal L. McDowell | $1,849 | $0 | -100% |
| Shari Thorne | $1,100 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilson Ferguson Farms, Inc. | $720 | $0 | -100% |
| Albert S Heptig Credit Trust | $480 | $0 | -100% |
| Ellen Lengel | $2,497 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason Farris | $26 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelly Thomas | $9,835 | $0 | -100% |
| Kim Thomas | $4,043 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin a Essing-Marvin Essing Trust | $17,748 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary Jane Edwards | $2,454 | $0 | -100% |
| Ralph A. Pauly Jr. | $932 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $480,290 | $243,256 | -49.4% |
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