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In 2021, 36 farmers in cities within Rockingham County received a total of $239,555 in 55 farm subsidies, a 70.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $824,032 in 123 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernald Farm Dairy, LLC | $168,157 | $118,232 | -29.7% |
| Martha Toy Fountain | $15,409 | $15,195 | -1.4% |
| Gregg Demeritt Landscaping, Inc. | $0 | $13,155 | -- |
| Sunnycrest Farm, Inc. | $64,024 | $11,539 | -82% |
| Dustan Knight Tarbell | $0 | $8,793 | -- |
| Oliver Merrill & Sons, LLC | $0 | $7,107 | -- |
| Jonathan D. Dowie | $0 | $7,048 | -- |
| Dorothy a Baker - Dorothy a Baker Trust | $18,553 | $6,167 | -66.8% |
| Katherine McPhee | $8,898 | $4,962 | -44.2% |
| Heath Batchelder | $9,095 | $4,948 | -45.6% |
| Stephen J. Babula | $0 | $4,018 | -- |
| Philip Ferdinando | $12,564 | $3,868 | -69.2% |
| Darren Davis | $7,269 | $3,383 | -53.5% |
| Annelise Ellison 2012 Ir Trust | $3,033 | $3,033 | 0% |
| William T Ellison 2012 Ir Trust | $3,033 | $3,033 | 0% |
| Scott D. Heisey | $0 | $2,948 | -- |
| Cheryl A. Kenney | $6,775 | $2,765 | -59.2% |
| John J. Clarke | $1,749 | $2,308 | 32% |
| George K. Plummer III | $10,874 | $1,837 | -83.1% |
| William Harold Rose | $149 | $1,807 | 1,112.8% |
| Briscoe Farm | $4,483 | $1,675 | -62.6% |
| Kevin Rosencrantz | $0 | $1,552 | -- |
| War Path Family Farm, Inc. | $7,821 | $1,546 | -80.2% |
| Sharon Orlowski | $0 | $1,202 | -- |
| Sean Caughran | $2,056 | $1,142 | -44.5% |
| Stephen Travis Dawson | $1,538 | $1,088 | -29.3% |
| Vaughn E. Davis | $1,559 | $969 | -37.8% |
| Twila Rawson | $555 | $866 | 56% |
| ADNDK Holdings, LLC | $3,525 | $820 | -76.7% |
| Christopher Batchelder | $1,876 | $638 | -66% |
| Justin C. Davis | $839 | $506 | -39.7% |
| Esther a Hiatt - Esther a Hiatt 2012 Revocable Trust | $0 | $433 | -- |
| Charles Reid | $325 | $325 | 0% |
| White Heron Tea, LLC | $0 | $294 | -- |
| Allen A. Hauf | $945 | $282 | -70.2% |
| Nathan Rogers Trustee of Patricia G Hirsh GST Exe | $0 | $71 | -- |
| Sleep When the Wind Blows, LLC | $16,004 | $0 | -100% |
| Phyllis Harvey | $48 | $0 | -100% |
| Dale A. Blatchford | $12,147 | $0 | -100% |
| Deborah Twombly Revocable Trust | $1,003 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward and Dagny Solheim Irrevoca | $311 | $0 | -100% |
| John Patrick Heisey | $5,985 | $0 | -100% |
| Admiral Bruin Sport Fishing, LLC | $821 | $0 | -100% |
| Aj Lobster, LLC | $6,400 | $0 | -100% |
| Cap'n Sav's Charters, Inc. | $4,301 | $0 | -100% |
| David T. Goethel | $6,763 | $0 | -100% |
| David W. Boies | $45,237 | $0 | -100% |
| Hurd Farm, LLC | $9,010 | $0 | -100% |
| John H. Makowsky | $19,416 | $0 | -100% |
| Peter O. Lagerstrom | $9,560 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert L. Nudd Jr. | $17,014 | $0 | -100% |
| Rory Carter | $15,336 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas R. Lyons | $445 | $0 | -100% |
| Joshua Michael Laughlin | $2,337 | $0 | -100% |
| Esther a Hiatt - Esther a Hiatt 2 | $1,400 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark Tepper | $28,971 | $0 | -100% |
| Moonlight Meadery, LLC | $228 | $0 | -100% |
| Moose Hill Orchards | $90,555 | $0 | -100% |
| Damon H. Frampton II | $24,670 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen R. Tabbutt | $3,220 | $0 | -100% |
| Terrence Robert O'Brien | $804 | $0 | -100% |
| Vernon Family Farm, LLC | $11,210 | $0 | -100% |
| Randy Joseph Campolini | $9,869 | $0 | -100% |
| Riley Tucker | $1,550 | $0 | -100% |
| Erik Anderson | $1,567 | $0 | -100% |
| George B. Ricker | $14,015 | $0 | -100% |
| John E. McCune Jr. | $750 | $0 | -100% |
| John W Churchill Family Trust | $743 | $0 | -100% |
| Kurtis R. Lang | $15,425 | $0 | -100% |
| Matthew J. Fessenden | $4,366 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Pawluk | $9,972 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert W. Bryant | $7,682 | $0 | -100% |
| Vincent J. Marconi | $16,742 | $0 | -100% |
| William R. Marconi | $18,283 | $0 | -100% |
| William T. Marconi | $26,632 | $0 | -100% |
| Nathan Rogers Trustee of Patricia | $723 | $0 | -100% |
| Nathan Rogers Trustee of Patricia G Hirsh GST Exe Trustee | $626 | $0 | -100% |
| Rally Cap, LLC | $6,787 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $824,032 | $239,555 | -70.9% |
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