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In 2021, 65 farmers in cities within Missaukee County received a total of $2.4 million in 131 farm subsidies, a 74.3% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $9.2 million in 275 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky 7 Dairy, LLC | $676,208 | $355,308 | -47.5% |
| Yonkman Dairy Farm, LLC | $1,186,990 | $250,391 | -78.9% |
| Michael Bosscher | $259,300 | $152,766 | -41.1% |
| Silver Creek Dairy | $649,467 | $151,852 | -76.6% |
| Kortman Dairy, LLC | $242,413 | $140,252 | -42.1% |
| Oudman Dairy, LLC | $382,015 | $136,014 | -64.4% |
| Gilde Farms, LLC | $204,289 | $135,836 | -33.5% |
| Boven Dairy Farm, Inc. | $458,178 | $131,960 | -71.2% |
| Dale Brinks | $178,580 | $128,150 | -28.2% |
| Many Blessings Dairy, Inc. | $538,744 | $121,141 | -77.5% |
| Benthem Brothers, Inc. | $1,542,586 | $120,630 | -92.2% |
| Ronald Brinks | $160,518 | $108,603 | -32.3% |
| Hamming, LLC | $101,260 | $92,370 | -8.8% |
| Booms Dairy, LLC | $69,554 | $46,591 | -33% |
| Mark Diemer | $35,243 | $30,092 | -14.6% |
| Michael Cnossen | $109,431 | $20,056 | -81.7% |
| Conners Farm, LLC | $141,971 | $19,895 | -86% |
| Dick Haven Real Estate, LLC | $38,100 | $17,082 | -55.2% |
| Quist Dairy, Inc. | $192,959 | $15,815 | -91.8% |
| Mark Galler | $15,255 | $15,746 | 3.2% |
| Terry Persells | $16,652 | $14,731 | -11.5% |
| Geasler Farms | $29,006 | $14,680 | -49.4% |
| Star Hughston | $68,269 | $14,203 | -79.2% |
| Agema's Sand Hill Farm, LLC | $20,432 | $12,062 | -41% |
| Jerry Beerens | $15,293 | $10,680 | -30.2% |
| H&H Forest Products | $0 | $10,171 | -- |
| North Acres Dairy | $11,986 | $9,328 | -22.2% |
| Harold Cnossen | $109,431 | $8,199 | -92.5% |
| Ardis Dairy Farm, Inc. | $50,655 | $7,492 | -85.2% |
| David Marcusse | $1,133 | $7,423 | 555.2% |
| James Dague | $12,993 | $7,282 | -44% |
| Jonathan L. Taylor | $8,550 | $7,132 | -16.6% |
| Scott McLeod | $13,638 | $6,250 | -54.2% |
| Melvin Mulder | $10,461 | $5,602 | -46.4% |
| M & T Farms, LLC | $28,192 | $4,826 | -82.9% |
| Rodney Blair | $4,079 | $4,481 | 9.9% |
| Carl Wilhelm | $0 | $3,811 | -- |
| Matthew B. Sanders | $9,570 | $3,361 | -64.9% |
| Bruce Miller | $20,605 | $2,538 | -87.7% |
| Randy L. Coffey | $7,557 | $1,932 | -74.4% |
| Kruschinska Farms | $0 | $1,684 | -- |
| Gerry A. Gernaat | $14,600 | $1,508 | -89.7% |
| Larry Norman | $1,110 | $1,314 | 18.4% |
| Ray Hoekwater | $7,895 | $1,237 | -84.3% |
| Jordan Booms | $1,612 | $1,208 | -25.1% |
| S/D Simmentals, LLC | $6,789 | $1,190 | -82.5% |
| Mildred Scholten | $4,929 | $1,015 | -79.4% |
| VV Heritage, LLC | $542 | $996 | 83.8% |
| Robert Haskin | $2,419 | $776 | -67.9% |
| Dr. Alpha S. Clark Jr. | $12,431 | $577 | -95.4% |
| Brien Lee Schultz | $4,343 | $510 | -88.3% |
| Gregg D. Gernaat | $485 | $459 | -5.4% |
| Todd Benson | $437 | $436 | -0.2% |
| Gordon Rozeveld | $394 | $370 | -6.1% |
| Jerry Dean Quist | $1,651 | $367 | -77.8% |
| Scott J. Booms | $679 | $288 | -57.6% |
| K & K Farms of Mcbain, LLC | $241 | $277 | 14.9% |
| Edwin O'Neil Jr. | $29,867 | $192 | -99.4% |
| Dick Haven Farm, LLC | $254,723 | $173 | -99.9% |
| Pam Hamel | $0 | $141 | -- |
| Jim Lambert Auctioneers, LLC | $15,870 | $107 | -99.3% |
| Douglas Pankratz | $511 | $97 | -81% |
| Patrick Oman | $59 | $59 | 0% |
| Autumn Vista Dairy, LLC | $998,574 | $24 | -100% |
| Jeff Herweyer | $0 | $7 | -- |
| Keith N Dosenberry | $603 | $0 | -100% |
| Stanley Larkins | $3,685 | $0 | -100% |
| Aaron R. Billett | $2,037 | $0 | -100% |
| Berry Fisher | $1,523 | $0 | -100% |
| Cary Vernon Hunt | $65,070 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Owen Helsel | $42,527 | $0 | -100% |
| David Sherman | $53 | $0 | -100% |
| Earl Helsel Jr. | $45,998 | $0 | -100% |
| Glen Simpson Jr. | $4,518 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Daniels | $1,108 | $0 | -100% |
| Newells Evergreen Nursery, LLC | $6,491 | $0 | -100% |
| Rudvan Family Farms, LLC | $6,816 | $0 | -100% |
| Geers Farms, LLC | $465 | $0 | -100% |
| Hidden Hills Dairy, LLC | $3,170 | $0 | -100% |
| Highland Hills Maple Syrup, LLC | $3,017 | $0 | -100% |
| Josh Cross | $671 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry A. Verburg | $197 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Schierbeek | $13,316 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven Benthem | $315 | $0 | -100% |
| Vans Family Farms, LLC | $1,770 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $9,185,074 | $2,361,746 | -74.3% |
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