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In 2021, 63 farmers in cities within Kenton County received a total of $150,080 in 85 farm subsidies, a 62.4% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $399,468 in 180 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita Thomas Larkin | $35,120 | $33,357 | -5% |
| Edward Larkin | $17,385 | $16,512 | -5% |
| Mark Anthony Comley | $80,405 | $11,266 | -86% |
| Ginger Dawson | $14,780 | $6,759 | -54.3% |
| Sherry Wagner | $0 | $5,691 | -- |
| James C. Claypool | $16,018 | $5,104 | -68.1% |
| Patricia Martin | $4,783 | $4,783 | 0% |
| Gary B. Laney Jr. | $19,483 | $4,267 | -78.1% |
| Greg White | $19,069 | $3,630 | -81% |
| Hayes Brothers Farms, LLC | $6,922 | $3,582 | -48.3% |
| Terry Wolfe | $17,600 | $3,350 | -81% |
| Mark J. Schmerge | $2,721 | $2,649 | -2.6% |
| J C Claypool Trust | $8,893 | $2,450 | -72.5% |
| Martin A. Zalla | $4,715 | $2,205 | -53.2% |
| Anita Steffen | $0 | $2,126 | -- |
| Gregory Steffen | $0 | $2,126 | -- |
| Richard Williams | $10,041 | $2,013 | -80% |
| ASH Holdings, LLC | $1,932 | $1,932 | 0% |
| Anita Rust | $1,905 | $1,905 | 0% |
| Michael L. Manning | $13,722 | $1,904 | -86.1% |
| Neal Bulla | $11,779 | $1,855 | -84.3% |
| Vincent D. Kahmann | $9,530 | $1,850 | -80.6% |
| Hudson Barnett Family Farm, LLC | $2,400 | $1,804 | -24.8% |
| Michael A. Claypool | $4,528 | $1,564 | -65.5% |
| Van L Sondgerath | $1,527 | $1,527 | 0% |
| John W. Staley | $7,993 | $1,514 | -81.1% |
| Thomas Harold Young | $3,957 | $1,329 | -66.4% |
| Flint Coltharp | $2,951 | $1,256 | -57.4% |
| Rebecca Berna | $1,255 | $1,255 | 0% |
| Gailen Bridges | $0 | $1,155 | -- |
| Ima Lou Barnes Irrevocable Trust | $0 | $1,072 | -- |
| Karen Lieb | $2,845 | $1,064 | -62.6% |
| Linda McAlister | $2,845 | $1,064 | -62.6% |
| David J. Rabe | $2,640 | $1,046 | -60.4% |
| Pollitte Farm, LLC | $5,282 | $986 | -81.3% |
| David C. Poling | $2,119 | $955 | -54.9% |
| Barbara Michalowski | $2,020 | $876 | -56.6% |
| Lynda M. Huey | $4,378 | $852 | -80.5% |
| Debra Davis | $0 | $825 | -- |
| Wayne Works | $4,995 | $824 | -83.5% |
| Luckhardt, Inc. | $6,676 | $793 | -88.1% |
| Doug Ginn | $2,618 | $731 | -72.1% |
| David R. Kramer | $2,607 | $595 | -77.2% |
| Bruce A. Taylor | $2,673 | $588 | -78% |
| Faywood Farm, LLC | $1,749 | $532 | -69.6% |
| Anne E. Dennis | $1,941 | $452 | -76.7% |
| David Jackson | $4,742 | $440 | -90.7% |
| Gary Bishop | $2,309 | $394 | -82.9% |
| Beaver Road, LLC | $542 | $364 | -32.8% |
| Mary Gail Thrush | $172 | $338 | 96.5% |
| James R. Holt | $1,606 | $332 | -79.3% |
| Tina Lynn Snelling | $1,485 | $331 | -77.7% |
| Robert H. Brink | $1,551 | $330 | -78.7% |
| Roxie Higgins | $934 | $262 | -71.9% |
| Peaslee Family IRR Trust | $1,161 | $259 | -77.7% |
| William J. Farris | $412 | $234 | -43.2% |
| Melody Rachel Vest | $330 | $187 | -43.3% |
| GK & Associates, LLC | $2,288 | $182 | -92% |
| Larry D. Savage | $832 | $176 | -78.8% |
| Richard R. Clark | $291 | $116 | -60.1% |
| Tim Molique | $1,117 | $110 | -90.2% |
| Marcia Keller | $265 | $32 | -87.9% |
| Kathryn Zumbiel | $0 | $18 | -- |
| Mildred C. Evans | $349 | $0 | -100% |
| Roberta Folmer | $81 | $0 | -100% |
| Garry W. Neltner | $270 | $0 | -100% |
| Janice C. Neltner | $14 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerome Henke | $810 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael A. Hall | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Fedders | $156 | $0 | -100% |
| Marjorie K. Hartmann | $79 | $0 | -100% |
| Candice England | $260 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeremy L. Wolfe | $2,582 | $0 | -100% |
| John T. Dehart | $40 | $0 | -100% |
| R Ehmet Hayes | $5,688 | $0 | -100% |
| Steve Endres | $440 | $0 | -100% |
| Marla I. Hall | $718 | $0 | -100% |
| Sheri L. Buckingham | $165 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard N Vilines | $317 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $399,468 | $150,080 | -62.4% |
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