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In 2021, 220 farmers in cities within Barry County received a total of $4.1 million in 378 farm subsidies, a 71.8% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $14.4 million in 757 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.
Farmers and Their Subsidies in Cities Associated with Barry County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond Dairy Farm, LLC | $538,954 | $303,103 | -43.8% |
| Westvale View Dairy, LLC | $132,591 | $259,120 | 95.4% |
| Olson's Farm, Inc. | $402,623 | $156,176 | -61.2% |
| Chase Crest Hill Farms, LLC | $597,447 | $149,558 | -75% |
| Hoeksma Farms | $666,399 | $148,611 | -77.7% |
| Valley Grove Dairy Farm, LLC | $298,545 | $140,870 | -52.8% |
| Sand Creek Dairy, LLC | $997,813 | $133,220 | -86.6% |
| Hickory Gables, Inc. | $1,197,457 | $129,005 | -89.2% |
| Prairie View Dairy, LLC | $1,048,792 | $121,319 | -88.4% |
| Halbert Dairy Farm, LLC | $1,153,619 | $120,508 | -89.6% |
| Northpoint Dairy, LLC | $515,325 | $120,508 | -76.6% |
| Yankee Springs Dairy, Inc. | $580,272 | $120,508 | -79.2% |
| Roger L. Masselink | $179,175 | $118,212 | -34% |
| Masselink Dairy, LLC | $454,270 | $109,035 | -76% |
| Cherry Valley Gardens, Inc. | $0 | $71,550 | -- |
| Osborne Farm, LLC | $155,096 | $70,721 | -54.4% |
| Sand Creek Land, LLC | $26,742 | $70,180 | 162.4% |
| Riverside Farm, LLC | $47,021 | $68,720 | 46.1% |
| Pixley Dairy Farm, LLC | $105,538 | $63,462 | -39.9% |
| Wayne Ferris & Sons, LLC | $328,053 | $48,535 | -85.2% |
| Jeffrey L. Morton | $141,070 | $47,980 | -66% |
| Phillip Wenger | $39,075 | $46,421 | 18.8% |
| Donald Bever | $75,654 | $42,752 | -43.5% |
| B & K Farms, LLC | $103,138 | $42,602 | -58.7% |
| Behrndt Farms, Inc. | $103,125 | $41,005 | -60.2% |
| Randolph J Spitzley | $44,733 | $40,899 | -8.6% |
| Max William Wilson | $30,922 | $40,374 | 30.6% |
| Scott Cattle Company | $27,584 | $40,058 | 45.2% |
| Scott W. Heyboer | $32,724 | $39,898 | 21.9% |
| Pickard Farms, LLC | $52,166 | $39,378 | -24.5% |
| Buehler Brothers Beef, LLC | $124,327 | $37,953 | -69.5% |
| Endsley Dairy Farm, LLC | $646,447 | $37,934 | -94.1% |
| Brian Thompson | $77,151 | $37,193 | -51.8% |
| Earl R. Bever | $22,372 | $35,275 | 57.7% |
| Endsley's Charolais Farms, LLC | $112,378 | $35,194 | -68.7% |
| William E. Wilson | $71,046 | $32,400 | -54.4% |
| Tyler Lewis Zook | $9,797 | $28,891 | 194.9% |
| Schantz Brother Farms | $64,183 | $28,581 | -55.5% |
| Slocum's Livestock Farms | $60,133 | $27,834 | -53.7% |
| Martin P. Wenger | $11,062 | $23,244 | 110.1% |
| TGF Ranch, LLC | $142,126 | $22,389 | -84.2% |
| Chase's Feather & Furrow Farm, Inc. | $79,953 | $21,115 | -73.6% |
| Blocher Farms, LLC | $16,827 | $19,922 | 18.4% |
| Brian Jerald Garlinger | $42,211 | $19,523 | -53.7% |
| Louis F. Wierenga Jr. | $37,426 | $19,162 | -48.8% |
| Dustin Martin Henney | $26,209 | $18,668 | -28.8% |
| Joseph L. Mater | $43,925 | $18,265 | -58.4% |
| Darrell Newton | $47,344 | $17,762 | -62.5% |
| Kathy Newton | $41,467 | $17,762 | -57.2% |
| John Lenz | $57,504 | $16,359 | -71.6% |
| Rita Allerding | $23,080 | $16,124 | -30.1% |
| William Scott McKeown | $61,322 | $15,441 | -74.8% |
| Randy Dunn | $34,679 | $13,725 | -60.4% |
| Clayton J. Smith | $0 | $12,245 | -- |
| Burdock Hill Dairy, LLC | $605,376 | $12,096 | -98% |
| Hubbell's Foothill Farms | $34,675 | $11,775 | -66% |
| Karl Smith | $12,218 | $11,583 | -5.2% |
| Crane Dance Farm, LLC | $0 | $11,556 | -- |
| Randy L. Workman | $11,340 | $11,340 | 0% |
| Big Valley Farms Thomas Griffin Sole MBR, LLC | $26,114 | $10,727 | -58.9% |
| John A. Seeber | $25,465 | $10,404 | -59.1% |
| Jeffrey B. Butler | $26,812 | $10,221 | -61.9% |
| John G. Cripe II | $21,498 | $9,859 | -54.1% |
| Lynn R. Johnson | $9,579 | $9,579 | 0% |
| Mckeown Brothers, LLC | $35,041 | $9,550 | -72.7% |
| Gordon S. Hull | $9,945 | $9,438 | -5.1% |
| Michael R. Omeara | $29,121 | $9,327 | -68% |
| Reigler Grain, LLC | $18,746 | $9,128 | -51.3% |
| Twin River Dairy, Inc. | $87,365 | $9,112 | -89.6% |
| Brian Kenneth Thompson | $0 | $9,021 | -- |
| Clarence L. Cairns Jr. | $8,102 | $8,719 | 7.6% |
| John A. Mater | $17,616 | $8,237 | -53.2% |
| Reinhold Bloch | $16,858 | $8,014 | -52.5% |
| James A. Bruce | $7,910 | $7,910 | 0% |
| Frank J. Roush | $16,037 | $7,483 | -53.3% |
| Bristol Lake Farms, LLC | $19,633 | $7,380 | -62.4% |
| Brad Carpenter | $9,406 | $7,207 | -23.4% |
| Archie R. Jennings | $21,607 | $7,115 | -67.1% |
| John E Bahs | $9,176 | $6,999 | -23.7% |
| Tamila a Nicholas | $0 | $6,710 | -- |
| Gregory W. Flower | $30,530 | $6,497 | -78.7% |
| Wiswell Farms, LLC | $30,882 | $6,405 | -79.3% |
| Sue Ann Shurlow | $13,979 | $6,389 | -54.3% |
| John A. Cheeseman | $6,508 | $6,304 | -3.1% |
| Robert Rice | $19,402 | $6,248 | -67.8% |
| Gordon S. Howes | $5,726 | $5,726 | 0% |
| Roy Sebastian | $20,001 | $5,316 | -73.4% |
| John A. Hawkins | $2,297 | $5,218 | 127.2% |
| John L. Mater | $14,504 | $5,212 | -64.1% |
| Kevin Potter | $10,339 | $5,050 | -51.2% |
| Lois J. Cook | $5,027 | $5,027 | 0% |
| Robert Lamma | $702 | $5,022 | 615.4% |
| Karen Bemus | $4,652 | $4,652 | 0% |
| Eckert Farms | $0 | $4,628 | -- |
| Robert M. Zellmer | $7,155 | $4,627 | -35.3% |
| Scott D. Brood | $15,274 | $4,555 | -70.2% |
| Laurie E. Dedecker | $4,263 | $4,263 | 0% |
| Kathryn A. Andrus | $4,884 | $4,260 | -12.8% |
| Shane Daniel Jones | $15,589 | $4,158 | -73.3% |
| Robert J. Cotant | $45,786 | $3,957 | -91.4% |
| Larry T. Hayward | $7,438 | $3,952 | -46.9% |
| Mike Shriber | $12,020 | $3,891 | -67.6% |
| Thomas S. Mohler | $3,890 | $3,890 | 0% |
| Dennis MacKenzie | $3,826 | $3,826 | 0% |
| James Shurlow | $8,873 | $3,795 | -57.2% |
| Lloyd Kilmer | $7,972 | $3,760 | -52.8% |
| John H. Long | $3,746 | $3,746 | 0% |
| Mark K. Hubbell | $16,567 | $3,727 | -77.5% |
| Frank Brown Jr. | $7,468 | $3,699 | -50.5% |
| Randolph James Spitzley | $1,539 | $3,681 | 139.2% |
| Few Bushels Farm, LLC | $1,292 | $3,645 | 182.1% |
| Brummel Farms, LLC | $8,858 | $3,645 | -58.9% |
| John J. Nichols | $3,363 | $3,363 | 0% |
| Allen Staskus Jr. | $10,015 | $3,352 | -66.5% |
| Donald W. Hoover | $3,341 | $3,341 | 0% |
| Daniel B. Walden | $34,653 | $3,336 | -90.4% |
| Homer L. Schantz | $9,846 | $3,320 | -66.3% |
| Mitchell J. Poll | $3,270 | $3,270 | 0% |
| Jill White Wiswell | $17,433 | $3,113 | -82.1% |
| Mark McConnon | $8,021 | $3,086 | -61.5% |
| Kelly Lenz | $4,738 | $3,037 | -35.9% |
| William J. Stockham | $2,877 | $2,877 | 0% |
| Yvonne M. Bagley | $2,826 | $2,826 | 0% |
| Jack Semrau | $9,908 | $2,811 | -71.6% |
| Alexander A. Napier | $357 | $2,734 | 665.8% |
| Rodney J. Dye | $2,844 | $2,707 | -4.8% |
| Geoffrey Shepherd | $4,444 | $2,649 | -40.4% |
| Greg Richardson | $2,567 | $2,567 | 0% |
| Lawrence Dairy Farms, Inc. | $4,607 | $2,567 | -44.3% |
| Kurt D. Smit | $6,597 | $2,522 | -61.8% |
| Marvin F. Frey | $7,219 | $2,517 | -65.1% |
| C & C Farms, Inc. | $2,792 | $2,464 | -11.7% |
| Adam Nieland | $0 | $2,445 | -- |
| James R Spindler, M.D. | $2,506 | $2,418 | -3.5% |
| Bechler-Ames Farms, LLC | $5,674 | $2,414 | -57.5% |
| Merle L. Simmons II | $2,870 | $2,360 | -17.8% |
| Nick Morton | $4,338 | $2,322 | -46.5% |
| Kim Falconer | $4,955 | $2,289 | -53.8% |
| Cody Lee Stowell | $4,432 | $2,269 | -48.8% |
| Christopher R. Lawrence | $2,264 | $2,264 | 0% |
| Lori a Keene-Phalen | $2,247 | $2,247 | 0% |
| Charles Wilson | $2,226 | $2,226 | 0% |
| Martha M. Gesmundo | $2,151 | $2,151 | 0% |
| Warren Alward | $2,113 | $2,113 | 0% |
| Rick James | $2,083 | $2,002 | -3.9% |
| Northern Meadows Farms, LLC | $0 | $1,983 | -- |
| John C. Cheeseman | $1,967 | $1,967 | 0% |
| Jackolyn S Goddard | $2,925 | $1,963 | -32.9% |
| Kathleen J. Stout | $2,196 | $1,914 | -12.8% |
| Mark S. Sutfin | $7,718 | $1,914 | -75.2% |
| Nathan K. Pufpaff | $8,298 | $1,885 | -77.3% |
| Johnny Brent Hicks | $7,199 | $1,876 | -73.9% |
| David Hunt | $1,263 | $1,769 | 40.1% |
| Dean Gilbert Miller | $2,096 | $1,731 | -17.4% |
| Donald W. Johnson Jr. | $10,129 | $1,727 | -82.9% |
| Janice M. Hilliker | $1,700 | $1,700 | 0% |
| Bryan Finkbeiner | $5,511 | $1,648 | -70.1% |
| Robert A. Edwards | $1,609 | $1,609 | 0% |
| Daniel J. Kingma | $1,585 | $1,585 | 0% |
| Judy Smith | $5,831 | $1,490 | -74.4% |
| Michael J. Hull | $1,457 | $1,457 | 0% |
| Steven Parr | $1,338 | $1,338 | 0% |
| George Cullers | $1,321 | $1,321 | 0% |
| Troy R. Adams | $2,925 | $1,296 | -55.7% |
| Lee Wieringa | $0 | $1,240 | -- |
| Steven F. Fox | $3,366 | $1,238 | -63.2% |
| William Barber JR Trust | $1,188 | $1,188 | 0% |
| Patrick Humphrey | $2,565 | $1,101 | -57.1% |
| Thomas P. Humphrey | $2,565 | $1,101 | -57.1% |
| Johnny L. Hartwell | $1,197 | $1,089 | -9% |
| Brian J. C. Olmstead | $2,021 | $1,058 | -47.6% |
| MC Pork Farm | $3,269 | $1,056 | -67.7% |
| Case/Bellmore Family Farm, LLC | $5,375 | $1,050 | -80.5% |
| Kari E Yonkers-Perry | $1,048 | $1,048 | 0% |
| Jody L. Hartwell | $1,033 | $1,033 | 0% |
| Lenny Allen Case | $3,509 | $1,023 | -70.8% |
| Marcus B. Huver | $3,277 | $977 | -70.2% |
| Wayne Forman | $971 | $971 | 0% |
| Gary Vandecar | $960 | $960 | 0% |
| Thomas Leep | $928 | $928 | 0% |
| William H. Semrau | $3,987 | $914 | -77.1% |
| Bradley Buehler | $1,746 | $873 | -50% |
| Michael Buehler | $1,746 | $873 | -50% |
| David E. Eldred | $844 | $844 | 0% |
| Eugene A. Eldred | $844 | $844 | 0% |
| Neil G. Hughes | $1,508 | $802 | -46.8% |
| Thomas Hughes | $1,508 | $802 | -46.8% |
| Tom H. Eckert | $1,368 | $800 | -41.5% |
| Michael Springer | $2,567 | $761 | -70.4% |
| Lynn Dale Otto | $302,237 | $735 | -99.8% |
| Robbie Case | $1,841 | $695 | -62.2% |
| Troy Wilson | $3,771 | $692 | -81.6% |
| Jon M. Mitchell | $740 | $662 | -10.5% |
| Roger D Liedeke | $614 | $614 | 0% |
| Joanne Rice | $0 | $581 | -- |
| Ernest K. Rice | $556 | $556 | 0% |
| Ronald L. Cook | $1,485 | $551 | -62.9% |
| Sandra Kay Freese | $405 | $539 | 33.1% |
| Frank Brown | $518 | $518 | 0% |
| Michigan State University | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Douglas G. Raymond | $2,025 | $500 | -75.3% |
| Jim Thorne | $429 | $429 | 0% |
| Jessica Endres | $334 | $334 | 0% |
| Debra Sikorski - C. Bernath | $1,340 | $332 | -75.2% |
| Bruce G. Medaugh | $465 | $241 | -48.2% |
| Richard H. Chamberlin | $434 | $234 | -46.1% |
| Kathryn Lee Vandeusen | $216 | $216 | 0% |
| Darrell B. Endres | $618 | $211 | -65.9% |
| Jessica Phillips | $209 | $209 | 0% |
| Nianne a Jarrard | $194 | $194 | 0% |
| John Oosterhoff | $204 | $166 | -18.6% |
| Tony D. Barcroft | $166 | $166 | 0% |
| Harold Holcomb | $1,067 | $163 | -84.7% |
| Jeremy L. Miller | $2,859 | $161 | -94.4% |
| Paul Vandermeer | $663 | $110 | -83.4% |
| Michael Norstrom | $173 | $94 | -45.7% |
| Jerry E. Frost | $732 | $72 | -90.2% |
| Johnnie Hicks | $3,303 | $72 | -97.8% |
| Lee Ann Thome | $289 | $72 | -75.1% |
| James O. Decker | $30 | $30 | 0% |
| Charles M. Miller | $2,482 | $0 | -100% |
| Jane Norton | $127 | $0 | -100% |
| Russell K. Price | $4,225 | $0 | -100% |
| Ardyce E Robotham | $2,302 | $0 | -100% |
| Benjamin J. Dawe | $483 | $0 | -100% |
| James O. Robotham | $2,196 | $0 | -100% |
| Philip L. Vansyckle | $3,780 | $0 | -100% |
| Kirt Reigler | $181 | $0 | -100% |
| Kris R Reigler | $181 | $0 | -100% |
| Nellie Allerding | $179 | $0 | -100% |
| Rick S Reigler | $182 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert R. Blocher | $1,345 | $0 | -100% |
| Terry R. Titus | $652 | $0 | -100% |
| William H. Dipp III | $880 | $0 | -100% |
| Debora J. Drake | $657 | $0 | -100% |
| Don E. Bennett | $2,319 | $0 | -100% |
| Earl E. Willison | $3,483 | $0 | -100% |
| Elsie J. Hostetler | $1,217 | $0 | -100% |
| James A. Newton | $111 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn Houghtalin | $2,129 | $0 | -100% |
| Marva L. Selby | $1,283 | $0 | -100% |
| Norman L. Stanton | $531 | $0 | -100% |
| Philip M. Gillespie | $1,235 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert C. McKay | $788 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert S. Baker | $128 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven J. Barnum | $1,038 | $0 | -100% |
| Terry L. Newton | $111 | $0 | -100% |
| Wayne Morgan | $2,083 | $0 | -100% |
| William C. Miller | $1,522 | $0 | -100% |
| Alice Belin Fish | $371 | $0 | -100% |
| Harvest Honeybee Farm, LLC | $10,660 | $0 | -100% |
| Tony V. Jones | $4,891 | $0 | -100% |
| Gordon Gasper | $52 | $0 | -100% |
| Junior Leroy Cairns | $1,223 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Lind Jr. | $4,802 | $0 | -100% |
| Otto's Poultry, Inc. | $209,903 | $0 | -100% |
| Rodney L Janose | $3,075 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven M. Johnson | $1,018 | $0 | -100% |
| Tom Otto Turkey Farm, Inc. | $94,337 | $0 | -100% |
| Vernon Becker | $6,072 | $0 | -100% |
| Barryville Farms | $5,420 | $0 | -100% |
| Bradley K. Scott | $3,278 | $0 | -100% |
| Gene Eggerstedt | $2,136 | $0 | -100% |
| Janette Ansorge Jennings Farms | $1,705 | $0 | -100% |
| Joel B. Brenke | $2,177 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin A. Rothhaar | $1,257 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Heisler | $1,714 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Hamilton | $530 | $0 | -100% |
| Philip E. Higbee | $4,735 | $0 | -100% |
| Rex G. Fisher | $1,735 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven Wheeler | $3,858 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas J. Griffin | $1,815 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $14,378,567 | $4,061,885 | -71.8% |
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