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In 2021, 55 farmers in cities within Brewster County received a total of $1.3 million in 111 farm subsidies, an 18.3% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.6 million in 140 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Ninos, Inc. | $317,040 | $243,577 | -23.2% |
| Charlesworth Ranch Company, LLC | $151,491 | $132,817 | -12.3% |
| Ryon Wash | $120,252 | $109,578 | -8.9% |
| Timothy R. Leary | $76,829 | $93,866 | 22.2% |
| Mark Daugherty | $87,868 | $92,088 | 4.8% |
| Eric Stovall | $34,884 | $62,660 | 79.6% |
| Milliron Company | $66,836 | $56,139 | -16% |
| Stubbs Cattle Company, LLC | $87,908 | $55,464 | -36.9% |
| John Luedecke | $41,907 | $53,563 | 27.8% |
| Scott T. Wash | $50,080 | $48,665 | -2.8% |
| William C. Donnell Jr. | $41,982 | $47,223 | 12.5% |
| Harry Wells | $32,309 | $39,291 | 21.6% |
| Mark Hursh | $56,431 | $38,924 | -31% |
| Clayton I. Davis | $50,000 | $31,990 | -36% |
| Little Suzy Properties, Ltd. | $36,442 | $22,358 | -38.6% |
| Cade Lowell Woodward | $0 | $19,530 | -- |
| Gerry Aufdengarten | $26,529 | $15,642 | -41% |
| Hunter Marrs | $50,699 | $11,118 | -78.1% |
| Jason B. Chopelas | $0 | $10,315 | -- |
| VLF Enterprises, LLC | $26,686 | $10,224 | -61.7% |
| Jean Anne Fort | $6,789 | $9,531 | 40.4% |
| Ray Allen | $15,921 | $9,254 | -41.9% |
| James Stradley | $7,460 | $8,196 | 9.9% |
| Deborah A. O'Neill | $21,086 | $7,860 | -62.7% |
| Cathey Carter | $0 | $7,503 | -- |
| V O Bar Ranch, LLC | $37,006 | $6,608 | -82.1% |
| John C. Newsome | $5,914 | $6,139 | 3.8% |
| Baileyboro Lake Ranch, LLC | $5,408 | $5,408 | 0% |
| Loeffler Ranch, LLC | $0 | $5,160 | -- |
| Gary Dunshee | $11,019 | $4,900 | -55.5% |
| Jim Roberts | $3,014 | $4,898 | 62.5% |
| Rick Lewis | $29,727 | $3,576 | -88% |
| Bob C. Ward | $7,664 | $2,976 | -61.2% |
| Bar K Hot Shot, LLC | $0 | $2,836 | -- |
| Imogene Chamberlain | $4,606 | $2,631 | -42.9% |
| Tom Melton | $8,825 | $1,744 | -80.2% |
| Dennis Dwayne Yadon | $3,168 | $1,686 | -46.8% |
| Rebecca McCutchen | $170 | $1,586 | 832.9% |
| Loeffler & Rinn | $3,186 | $1,482 | -53.5% |
| Paul S. Palmer | $636 | $1,431 | 125% |
| Big Bend Gang, Inc. | $0 | $1,423 | -- |
| R-C-M Farms, LLC | $0 | $1,381 | -- |
| Ike Roberts | $264 | $1,216 | 360.6% |
| Luke Daugherty | $7,274 | $1,135 | -84.4% |
| Lyndell Shackelford | $1,947 | $1,041 | -46.5% |
| Jon M. Tabor | $853 | $853 | 0% |
| Caroline Gore Graupman | $3,890 | $742 | -80.9% |
| Karoo Investments, LLC | $0 | $728 | -- |
| Jane Lackland Sager | $33 | $715 | 2,066.7% |
| Paul B. Evans | $1,965 | $652 | -66.8% |
| Jason Sullivan | $8,184 | $651 | -92% |
| Dale Mathis | $980 | $374 | -61.8% |
| John Richard Ziegler | $2,871 | $351 | -87.8% |
| Stephanie Pattison | $2,279 | $346 | -84.8% |
| Julia Nail Moss | $275 | $275 | 0% |
| Capital Farm Credit Flca | $15,581 | $0 | -100% |
| JMB Cattle Company Marfa, LLC | $17,408 | $0 | -100% |
| Texas Temple | $2,666 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,594,242 | $1,302,320 | -18.3% |
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