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In 2021, 51 farmers in cities within Emmet County received a total of $254,785 in 77 farm subsidies, a 52.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $536,469 in 154 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard J. Fettig | $178,545 | $144,843 | -18.9% |
| Horst G Lesser Trust | $22,910 | $22,107 | -3.5% |
| Michael W. Powers | $12,246 | $12,246 | 0% |
| Thomas E. Graham Jr. | $17,791 | $11,075 | -37.7% |
| Glenna M Mitchum Trust | $0 | $9,660 | -- |
| David James Laughbaum | $18,095 | $7,768 | -57.1% |
| Harold Keck | $7,515 | $4,198 | -44.1% |
| Jody Allen Overholt | $5,732 | $3,342 | -41.7% |
| James C Sterly | $6,284 | $2,945 | -53.1% |
| Robert J. Fettig | $7,266 | $2,422 | -66.7% |
| Mark A. Drier | $24,452 | $2,420 | -90.1% |
| Mary Iles | $4,894 | $2,290 | -53.2% |
| Thomas G. Eppler | $7,062 | $1,896 | -73.2% |
| Richard D. Gregory | $5,830 | $1,866 | -68% |
| Ralph Hemmer | $5,926 | $1,838 | -69% |
| Arnold J. Burkhart | $2,608 | $1,514 | -41.9% |
| Daniel L. Warner Sr. | $3,785 | $1,490 | -60.6% |
| John Mark Eby | $1,902 | $1,367 | -28.1% |
| Frederick L. Keck | $8,490 | $1,288 | -84.8% |
| Dean M. Schmalzried | $1,859 | $1,249 | -32.8% |
| Peter David Laughbaum | $6,203 | $1,233 | -80.1% |
| Lee A. Keck | $9,943 | $1,182 | -88.1% |
| Samuel W. Himebauch | $2,626 | $1,081 | -58.8% |
| Ruth Hoffman | $3,863 | $1,076 | -72.1% |
| Julie Martinson | $900 | $975 | 8.3% |
| Judythe P Patberg | $790 | $790 | 0% |
| Foster Farm | $1,645 | $780 | -52.6% |
| Kenneth J. Smith | $2,247 | $724 | -67.8% |
| Robert J. Schiel | $4,726 | $658 | -86.1% |
| Robert A. Pletcher | $3,552 | $642 | -81.9% |
| Judy Vanavery | $473 | $631 | 33.4% |
| Coveyou Farms, LLC | $40,149 | $591 | -98.5% |
| Scott L. Fisher | $584 | $584 | 0% |
| Leonard Overholt | $1,749 | $552 | -68.4% |
| James D. Slivinski | $1,655 | $521 | -68.5% |
| Frank Robert Burek | $2,475 | $502 | -79.7% |
| Susan M. Sharp | $8,253 | $500 | -93.9% |
| Bear Creek Organics, LLC | $46,949 | $500 | -98.9% |
| Karlisle Linwood Drier | $2,588 | $490 | -81.1% |
| Dorothy E Tippett Living Trust | $1,292 | $442 | -65.8% |
| Philip Deloria | $2,380 | $424 | -82.2% |
| Michael Marvin Severn | $402 | $402 | 0% |
| Bryon Hitner | $874 | $383 | -56.2% |
| Tip of the Mitt Vineyards, LLC | $1,403 | $382 | -72.8% |
| James Laughbaum | $1,877 | $263 | -86% |
| Gary McIntosh | $0 | $236 | -- |
| John Broadhurst | $290 | $164 | -43.4% |
| John Sterly JR | $305 | $129 | -57.7% |
| Marilyn Stover | $211 | $70 | -66.8% |
| Mark Lennemann | $331 | $52 | -84.3% |
| Koreen Sivrais | $133 | $2 | -98.5% |
| Greg F. Drogowski | $136 | $0 | -100% |
| John Bailey | $4,887 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin Donner | $502 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel Truman | $3,379 | $0 | -100% |
| James Linderman | $175 | $0 | -100% |
| Martin J. Krupa | $2,365 | $0 | -100% |
| Pond Hill Farm, LLC | $12,408 | $0 | -100% |
| Samuel G. Luebke | $375 | $0 | -100% |
| Sandra Ruggles | $396 | $0 | -100% |
| Soul Springs Regenerative ARTS, LLC | $2,808 | $0 | -100% |
| Dale C. Vanavery | $344 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Raikko | $495 | $0 | -100% |
| Patrick Michael Ives | $1,209 | $0 | -100% |
| Albert Gruler JR | $150 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Daniel Coy | $1,980 | $0 | -100% |
| Foster Dairy Farm | $1,122 | $0 | -100% |
| Lance P. Bailey | $2,506 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Hibbler | $207 | $0 | -100% |
| Leonard Simon | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| Maplemoon Family Sugary, Inc. | $3,326 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Kerzka | $762 | $0 | -100% |
| Randall R. Fettig | $1,612 | $0 | -100% |
| William Marquardt | $1,045 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $536,469 | $254,785 | -52.5% |
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