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In 2021, 51 farmers in cities within Charlevoix County received a total of $624,178 in 91 farm subsidies, a 36.2% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $977,768 in 194 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boss Dairy Farm, Inc. | $155,476 | $137,224 | -11.7% |
| Charles William Stanek | $111,020 | $117,193 | 5.6% |
| Douglas K. Warner | $112,495 | $80,137 | -28.8% |
| Beishlag Logging | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Pinney's Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Greg Greenman | $35,231 | $24,163 | -31.4% |
| Joyce B. Brock | $22,418 | $22,418 | 0% |
| Frank Leist Farms | $59,085 | $19,965 | -66.2% |
| Christian Men Logging | $0 | $18,230 | -- |
| K&K Farms | $37,660 | $15,998 | -57.5% |
| Isaac K. Matchett | $138,326 | $13,155 | -90.5% |
| Martinchek Farms | $20,737 | $10,321 | -50.2% |
| Valley View Farm, LLC | $10,942 | $10,106 | -7.6% |
| Eric Greenman | $11,381 | $8,809 | -22.6% |
| Russell A. Bolt Jr. | $24,832 | $7,847 | -68.4% |
| James A. Trojanek | $8,798 | $4,307 | -51% |
| Golovich Farms | $4,275 | $3,452 | -19.3% |
| Douglas L. Kuebler | $5,121 | $3,166 | -38.2% |
| Virginia Vellenga Trustee 2 | $12,195 | $2,748 | -77.5% |
| David Skornia | $5,520 | $1,974 | -64.2% |
| Philip Nemecek | $4,484 | $1,916 | -57.3% |
| Margaret Jaqua - Siegert Acres, LLC | $5,616 | $1,912 | -66% |
| Daniel Andrew Nowland | $4,458 | $1,715 | -61.5% |
| Sandra K. Nemecek | $2,709 | $1,281 | -52.7% |
| Mary H Faculak | $1,085 | $1,015 | -6.5% |
| Charles McCord | $866 | $866 | 0% |
| Benjamin Church | $4,397 | $716 | -83.7% |
| David C. Grutsch | $1,146 | $710 | -38% |
| Beal Farms, LLC | $2,480 | $645 | -74% |
| Terry Healey | $4,248 | $630 | -85.2% |
| Lester P. Umlor Jr. | $622 | $611 | -1.8% |
| Daniel S. Berg | $3,830 | $589 | -84.6% |
| David H. Siegrist | $17,039 | $586 | -96.6% |
| Melinda Puroll | $2,156 | $567 | -73.7% |
| Alan D. Wells | $0 | $526 | -- |
| Bluestem Farm, LLC | $16,950 | $500 | -97.1% |
| Keith Bulmann | $1,015 | $497 | -51% |
| Ronald Mills | $897 | $472 | -47.4% |
| Ricky Leon Vanderbeek | $2,552 | $319 | -87.5% |
| Rebecca A. Berg | $944 | $310 | -67.2% |
| Riverside Farm, LLC | $726 | $294 | -59.5% |
| Andrew J. Darien | $642 | $138 | -78.5% |
| Larry Matthew | $513 | $123 | -76% |
| Sally Ganakas | $292 | $80 | -72.6% |
| Geralynne Kae Boris | $158 | $44 | -72.2% |
| Joshua Greenman | $205 | $43 | -79% |
| Joan E. Vine | $347 | $39 | -88.8% |
| Ranae Beverly Utley | $139 | $36 | -74.1% |
| Sara R. Michelin | $196 | $15 | -92.3% |
| Lewis W. Musser | $349 | $11 | -96.8% |
| Carol A. Bennett | $41 | $9 | -78% |
| David Alan Beek | $5,003 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald Klein | $2,950 | $0 | -100% |
| Gordon Robinson | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| James Kozlowski | $339 | $0 | -100% |
| Spirit of Walloon Market Garden, LLC | $7,853 | $0 | -100% |
| Woodlands Organic, LLC | $494 | $0 | -100% |
| Amber T. Munday | $493 | $0 | -100% |
| Arthur D. Currey | $2,007 | $0 | -100% |
| Bradley C. Hinkley | $5,498 | $0 | -100% |
| Cornelia Hoehle | $2,633 | $0 | -100% |
| David W. Parsons | $493 | $0 | -100% |
| Friske Orchards, Inc. | $55,188 | $0 | -100% |
| Noah W. Matchett | $8,700 | $0 | -100% |
| Roberta Manley | $585 | $0 | -100% |
| Themm Brothers | $17,045 | $0 | -100% |
| Alfred Hosler | $30 | $0 | -100% |
| Daybreak Dreamfarm, LLC | $7,053 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis Kenney | $750 | $0 | -100% |
| Jackson Thorsen | $854 | $0 | -100% |
| Judith Haney | $163 | $0 | -100% |
| Nancy M. Shaner | $1,917 | $0 | -100% |
| Nick Paxton | $230 | $0 | -100% |
| Pauline Graham | $284 | $0 | -100% |
| Sally A. Meads | $116 | $0 | -100% |
| Carol Hopcraft | $256 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $977,768 | $624,178 | -36.2% |
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