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In 2021, 58 farmers in cities within Muscogee County received a total of $187,009 in 73 farm subsidies, a 46.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $352,190 in 105 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deerhaven Farms, LLC | $16,197 | $21,110 | 30.3% |
| Tin Manager Holdings, LLC | $0 | $16,812 | -- |
| Bridlewood, LLC | $49,236 | $15,858 | -67.8% |
| Ruth Davidson | $20,547 | $15,650 | -23.8% |
| Kayron Mcminn Laska | $1,424 | $15,074 | 958.6% |
| Cheryl B. Ford | $53,082 | $14,098 | -73.4% |
| Ralph Anthony Dunahoo | $12,565 | $6,480 | -48.4% |
| Rona Rhine Phillips | $11,184 | $5,643 | -49.5% |
| Ridges Plantation, Inc. | $9,712 | $5,021 | -48.3% |
| Nancy Dudley Gordy | $4,742 | $4,742 | 0% |
| Martha Boettcher | $4,371 | $4,371 | 0% |
| Ole Pataula Farms, LLC | $5,006 | $4,195 | -16.2% |
| Lindsay N. Bickerstaff III | $3,746 | $3,746 | 0% |
| Marjorie Bickerstaff | $3,746 | $3,746 | 0% |
| William B. Bickerstaff | $3,746 | $3,746 | 0% |
| J. E. Norris Jr. | $3,244 | $3,244 | 0% |
| Sally B. Hatcher | $0 | $2,686 | -- |
| Susan B. Jones | $2,568 | $2,568 | 0% |
| Jimmie Lee Brown | $2,513 | $2,449 | -2.5% |
| Estate of Shirley Johnson Exum | $1,251 | $2,360 | 88.6% |
| Charles B. Culpepper Jr. | $2,324 | $2,324 | 0% |
| Ruby Olds Pender | $2,039 | $1,953 | -4.2% |
| Arthur Bickerstaff | $1,873 | $1,873 | 0% |
| Richard Valentini | $1,504 | $1,818 | 20.9% |
| Madden J. Hatcher III | $0 | $1,628 | -- |
| Abbey Creek Properties, LLC | $0 | $1,561 | -- |
| Eric Dalton | $1,512 | $1,512 | 0% |
| Sara S. Singer | $12,836 | $1,442 | -88.8% |
| Andrew Morrow | $0 | $1,375 | -- |
| George H. Jarrell Jr. | $6,498 | $1,310 | -79.8% |
| Mark Weigand | $936 | $1,142 | 22% |
| Charles K. Hecht III | $5,225 | $1,114 | -78.7% |
| Lauren Brannin King | $1,092 | $1,092 | 0% |
| Mark Y. McElreath | $1,088 | $1,088 | 0% |
| Joy J. Roberts | $2,096 | $1,048 | -50% |
| Gremic Rentals, LLC | $956 | $956 | 0% |
| Elizabeth T. Cartledge | $840 | $840 | 0% |
| Frank Timmons | $815 | $815 | 0% |
| Michael E. Woolfolk | $121 | $783 | 547.1% |
| Lindsay N Bickerstaff JR Qtip Trust | $772 | $772 | 0% |
| Whitfield Family Properties | $748 | $750 | 0.3% |
| Kae Farms, LLC | $7,784 | $724 | -90.7% |
| Jeanne Naylor Haugen | $0 | $696 | -- |
| Charles Fortner | $1,578 | $634 | -59.8% |
| Nanette J. Williams | $1,391 | $595 | -57.2% |
| Samuel Lafayette Mullin Jr. | $3,083 | $569 | -81.5% |
| John Carl Mann | $559 | $559 | 0% |
| Lewis G. Wagner | $289 | $518 | 79.2% |
| Amy Palmer | $1,151 | $491 | -57.3% |
| Rebecca Bush | $0 | $352 | -- |
| Darrell R. Funkhouser | $278 | $278 | 0% |
| Jean Phillips | $420 | $164 | -61% |
| Diane Blackwell | $24,258 | $149 | -99.4% |
| James Larry Cooley | $349 | $132 | -62.2% |
| Bradley C Spenney | $330 | $124 | -62.4% |
| Buck Creek Plantation, Ltd. | $0 | $124 | -- |
| Eula Hall Radney | $215 | $82 | -61.9% |
| Danny Michael Blackwell | $520 | $23 | -95.6% |
| Chris T. Gordy | $1,427 | $0 | -100% |
| Dale R. Brown | $83 | $0 | -100% |
| David C. Tucker | $440 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas Gale Jones | $4,635 | $0 | -100% |
| Elva Ruth Jones | $2,507 | $0 | -100% |
| FBO Glen a Bahde Acu Ray B Bahde | $6,876 | $0 | -100% |
| Mike A. Helms | $1,488 | $0 | -100% |
| Orchard Hill Farm, LLC | $37,559 | $0 | -100% |
| Shirley J. Exum | $1,109 | $0 | -100% |
| Wagner Estate BLM Holdings | $1,706 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $352,190 | $187,009 | -46.9% |
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