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In 2021, 68 farmers in cities within Hot Springs County received a total of $2.1 million in 155 farm subsidies, a 49.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.2 million in 205 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arapahoe Ranch | $872,057 | $341,896 | -60.8% |
| Durbin Creek Ranch | $788,994 | $283,841 | -64% |
| Harvey Frank Robbins Jr. | $540,027 | $156,688 | -71% |
| V Ranch, Inc. | $131,887 | $152,997 | 16% |
| Matt Brown | $108,475 | $115,963 | 6.9% |
| Paul I. Ward | $114,332 | $114,178 | -0.1% |
| Farm Service Agency | $70,060 | $113,533 | 62.1% |
| Kirby Creek Ranch Lp | $69,091 | $111,343 | 61.2% |
| Axtell Ranches, LLC | $68,943 | $90,448 | 31.2% |
| Jack T Baird December 6, 2004 Family Trust | $0 | $75,680 | -- |
| Pennoyer & Son, Inc. | $64,213 | $64,113 | -0.2% |
| Diamond E Properties, LLC | $66,066 | $58,277 | -11.8% |
| Campbells, Inc. | $20,715 | $37,570 | 81.4% |
| Cynthia S. Devries | $51,403 | $36,468 | -29.1% |
| Graves Land and Livestock, LLC | $25,190 | $30,631 | 21.6% |
| K Triangle Ranch, LLC | $34,370 | $26,948 | -21.6% |
| Curtis Rush | $12,353 | $26,011 | 110.6% |
| Shawn Scolari | $28,608 | $25,242 | -11.8% |
| Ronald I. Hoffman | $279,821 | $25,067 | -91% |
| Joe L. Bentley | $39,586 | $22,081 | -44.2% |
| Eddie Lee Shumway | $24,947 | $17,996 | -27.9% |
| Michael W. Ready | $8,481 | $12,371 | 45.9% |
| Rita Thronburg-Johnson | $7,264 | $12,331 | 69.8% |
| Barry W. Nye | $7,590 | $11,535 | 52% |
| Heinze Ranch Limited Partnership | $13,597 | $11,120 | -18.2% |
| Justin Reed | $66,868 | $10,373 | -84.5% |
| Mcneff Double Bar C Ranch, Inc. | $12,345 | $9,977 | -19.2% |
| Lenard Leroy Shumway | $24,513 | $9,303 | -62% |
| V Ventures, LLC | $9,650 | $8,777 | -9% |
| John L. Baird | $35,150 | $8,348 | -76.3% |
| Ash Whitt | $6,933 | $7,404 | 6.8% |
| Penny Jannell Day | $12,131 | $7,340 | -39.5% |
| Bruce K. Thurgood | $23,299 | $6,815 | -70.7% |
| Micheal R. Baker | $12,430 | $6,245 | -49.8% |
| Martinez Ranch, LLC | $12,283 | $5,959 | -51.5% |
| Beverly Shumway | $9,290 | $5,940 | -36.1% |
| Bill Daniels | $9,830 | $4,955 | -49.6% |
| Billie Jo Norsworthy | $0 | $4,938 | -- |
| Prospect Land & Cattle, LLC | $5,404 | $4,383 | -18.9% |
| Douglas Aaron Lindamood | $9,535 | $3,546 | -62.8% |
| Curry Farms, LLC | $4,190 | $3,379 | -19.4% |
| Luke Mead | $6,298 | $2,996 | -52.4% |
| Roger W. Evans | $2,414 | $2,905 | 20.3% |
| HD Quarter Circle Ranch, LLC | $4,498 | $2,867 | -36.3% |
| Brad Peil | $3,129 | $2,485 | -20.6% |
| Cheyenne Creek Ranch, LLC | $4,510 | $2,150 | -52.3% |
| Natalie L. James | $17,667 | $2,092 | -88.2% |
| Merrill Ready | $3,093 | $1,907 | -38.3% |
| Jill Paige Logan | $0 | $1,788 | -- |
| Barbara Rice | $2,732 | $1,679 | -38.5% |
| Mark Hergert | $2,213 | $1,620 | -26.8% |
| Taylor Mae Cordingly | $4,125 | $1,611 | -60.9% |
| Lofink Farms, LLC | $1,468 | $1,492 | 1.6% |
| Ben T. van Heule | $6,743 | $1,458 | -78.4% |
| Amber Star Whitt | $2,475 | $1,407 | -43.2% |
| Clay Allyn Shumway | $4,378 | $1,296 | -70.4% |
| Sonja Lei Becker | $5,338 | $1,251 | -76.6% |
| Norsworthy Livestock, Inc. | $12,332 | $1,188 | -90.4% |
| Bobbi Jean Byrd | $4,180 | $1,186 | -71.6% |
| Colter Blake McCumber | $3,329 | $911 | -72.6% |
| Spring Gulch Cattle Company | $1,288 | $802 | -37.7% |
| Carolyn Conner | $4,987 | $634 | -87.3% |
| Janet Chimenti | $1,860 | $574 | -69.1% |
| Vietti Trust | $1,860 | $574 | -69.1% |
| Harvey Seidel | $0 | $573 | -- |
| Cort Bowen McCumber | $2,779 | $478 | -82.8% |
| Donald D. McCumber | $2,977 | $405 | -86.4% |
| Landis F. Webber | $1,705 | $347 | -79.6% |
| Patricia Ehlers | $2,096 | $0 | -100% |
| Asa Thomas Stothart | $9,222 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Bunch | $2,883 | $0 | -100% |
| Cheryl L. Stewart | $35,811 | $0 | -100% |
| Horseworks Wyoming, LLC | $1,375 | $0 | -100% |
| Jace Rylan Hook | $24,281 | $0 | -100% |
| Jack T Baird December 6, 2004 Fam | $222,502 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob Agar | $3,631 | $0 | -100% |
| James Dennis van Heule | $18,528 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry Jay Lake | $16,028 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe White | $742 | $0 | -100% |
| Lance Finch | $1,184 | $0 | -100% |
| Lazy Three Reverse J Livestock LL | $3,850 | $0 | -100% |
| Marty L. Smith | $121 | $0 | -100% |
| Moline Legacy | $2,255 | $0 | -100% |
| Mr. James D. Wallingford | $2,920 | $0 | -100% |
| Ransom Black Otter Logan | $4,070 | $0 | -100% |
| Tj Owsley | $1,540 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,163,338 | $2,120,686 | -49.1% |
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