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In 2021, 124 farmers in cities within Refugio County received a total of $3 million in 295 farm subsidies, a 31.3% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.3 million in 338 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austwell Aqua Farm, Inc. | $3,961 | $516,142 | 12,930.6% |
| Richard Niemann L. Farms | $333,882 | $174,208 | -47.8% |
| Christopher Niemann Farms | $252,981 | $145,245 | -42.6% |
| Dewey Bellows II | $372,308 | $144,413 | -61.2% |
| Floyd Niemann | $153,055 | $143,008 | -6.6% |
| C. R. Wesley | $87,428 | $140,517 | 60.7% |
| Kelso Farms Jv | $100,534 | $135,919 | 35.2% |
| Harold Niemann Farms Jv | $270,707 | $130,332 | -51.9% |
| Prosperity Bank | $159,343 | $104,718 | -34.3% |
| Hartlen Farms | $203,141 | $97,875 | -51.8% |
| James E & Lavonne Rathkamp JV | $195,973 | $95,376 | -51.3% |
| Charles Niemann Farms | $37,359 | $94,760 | 153.6% |
| LA Rosa Cattle Company, LLC | $162,650 | $80,270 | -50.6% |
| Venture Farms 2, LLC | $125,027 | $73,501 | -41.2% |
| Mordow, Inc. | $171,872 | $65,440 | -61.9% |
| Richard Michael Loughman | $40,703 | $61,694 | 51.6% |
| Jim B. Burnett | $68,941 | $53,525 | -22.4% |
| Lenhart Farms | $93,204 | $45,802 | -50.9% |
| Nick's Livestock Services, LLC | $136,583 | $44,816 | -67.2% |
| Kent Scroggins | $77,848 | $39,339 | -49.5% |
| Jackson Farms | $161,723 | $38,681 | -76.1% |
| John van Pelt | $41,779 | $29,996 | -28.2% |
| Rolyan, Inc. | $93,321 | $25,240 | -73% |
| Matthew J. Grayson | $79,224 | $23,998 | -69.7% |
| James A. Daniel | $57,857 | $19,341 | -66.6% |
| Leander Niemann Ranch, LLC | $16,932 | $17,454 | 3.1% |
| Robert H. Shipp Jr. | $35,412 | $16,290 | -54% |
| Cyrus C. Bauer | $39,665 | $16,206 | -59.1% |
| Christopher L. Holeman | $0 | $15,342 | -- |
| Alvin R. Niemann | $35,181 | $14,290 | -59.4% |
| John T. Ferris III | $40,577 | $14,258 | -64.9% |
| Linda Culwell | $30,190 | $13,055 | -56.8% |
| Mr. Mike Culwell | $30,190 | $13,053 | -56.8% |
| Mary Catherine Coleman | $12,937 | $12,937 | 0% |
| F B Rooke III Heirs, Ltd. | $0 | $12,925 | -- |
| G D Robbins Estate Partnership | $12,590 | $12,898 | 2.4% |
| Charlie Levien | $7,788 | $12,855 | 65.1% |
| Michael Fox O'Brien | $9,863 | $12,806 | 29.8% |
| James Richard O'Brien | $9,863 | $12,742 | 29.2% |
| Michael W. Rooke | $24,510 | $12,662 | -48.3% |
| Darren Noel Kelso | $117,623 | $11,907 | -89.9% |
| Carolin Niemann Estate | $2,663 | $10,955 | 311.4% |
| Wilma Jean Niemann Family Trust | $0 | $10,759 | -- |
| Bobby R. McCool | $14,290 | $10,757 | -24.7% |
| Thomas Patrick Fagan | $26,563 | $9,475 | -64.3% |
| Colton Niemann | $7,209 | $9,044 | 25.5% |
| Eldon R. Steindorf | $18,556 | $8,639 | -53.4% |
| Robert L. Haas | $3,355 | $8,014 | 138.9% |
| David Shay | $5,236 | $7,614 | 45.4% |
| John F. Shipp | $39,879 | $7,330 | -81.6% |
| Mal L. Crews | $16,331 | $6,640 | -59.3% |
| James S. Wales | $5,434 | $5,589 | 2.9% |
| Douglas P Wolfshohl | $12,969 | $5,458 | -57.9% |
| Arlen Walker | $0 | $4,730 | -- |
| Shirley M Cox Residuary Trust | $0 | $4,299 | -- |
| Kandi Jo Bell | $0 | $4,152 | -- |
| Barber Ranches, Ltd. | $9,207 | $3,890 | -57.7% |
| Mary K Fox Obrien Ranch, LLC | $8,217 | $3,841 | -53.3% |
| John F Barber | $3,792 | $3,528 | -7% |
| Ameila Ann Bullock | $0 | $3,460 | -- |
| Delbert M. Cox | $1,974 | $3,333 | 68.8% |
| Lucky Diamond Cattle Company | $6,322 | $3,204 | -49.3% |
| James W. Conn III | $3,621 | $2,836 | -21.7% |
| Pete Thomas Petropoulos | $4,268 | $2,752 | -35.5% |
| Mike Sellstrom | $7,459 | $2,664 | -64.3% |
| Kenneth R. Kelso | $8,367 | $2,614 | -68.8% |
| Billy G Bible Estate | $2,534 | $2,534 | 0% |
| Juann Carter | $0 | $2,311 | -- |
| Santos Cardona | $3,834 | $2,291 | -40.2% |
| Philip Shay Cattle Company, LLC | $0 | $2,200 | -- |
| David Mundine | $0 | $2,145 | -- |
| Amelia Bullock | $3,475 | $2,034 | -41.5% |
| James E. Bauer III | $9,453 | $1,987 | -79% |
| Joel F. Hall | $3,195 | $1,900 | -40.5% |
| Alton R. Kinsel | $2,223 | $1,866 | -16.1% |
| John P. Autry | $5,738 | $1,861 | -67.6% |
| Sheryl Wolske | $1,947 | $1,836 | -5.7% |
| Fred N. Fagan | $6,415 | $1,796 | -72% |
| Gregory Pullin | $3,524 | $1,615 | -54.2% |
| Roger Paulsen | $2,103 | $1,513 | -28.1% |
| Pfeil Properties, LLC | $1,773 | $1,470 | -17.1% |
| Patricia Ann Shay | $1,221 | $1,444 | 18.3% |
| Double Diamond Ventures, LLC | $4,878 | $1,403 | -71.2% |
| Richard L. Shaw | $8,892 | $1,368 | -84.6% |
| Eunice F. Carter | $0 | $1,344 | -- |
| Buddy Heisler | $3,715 | $1,298 | -65.1% |
| Bryce Boenig | $4,072 | $1,272 | -68.8% |
| Gary Gabro | $2,574 | $1,266 | -50.8% |
| Stephen C Rooke Trustee | $3,177 | $1,206 | -62% |
| James E. Vick Jr. | $1,460 | $1,192 | -18.4% |
| Harkins Brothers Cattle Company, Inc. | $1,163 | $1,163 | 0% |
| Phillip Shay | $2,871 | $1,142 | -60.2% |
| Torivio Bernal | $0 | $1,108 | -- |
| Wayne Raphael Schubert | $5,136 | $1,096 | -78.7% |
| Charles M Boenig Unified Credit Trustee | $0 | $1,083 | -- |
| Pfeil-Gray Farms - Katherine Pfeil Gray | $0 | $1,077 | -- |
| Vicki L. Hanson | $2,285 | $1,059 | -53.7% |
| Michael David Shell | $3,149 | $1,047 | -66.8% |
| Philip Shay | $0 | $951 | -- |
| Sharon M. Scott | $1,446 | $929 | -35.8% |
| Back Pasture, LLC | $2,046 | $834 | -59.2% |
| Dallas Ford | $2,214 | $817 | -63.1% |
| Bronwyn J. Walsh | $1,385 | $805 | -41.9% |
| Taryn E. Fagan | $0 | $770 | -- |
| Richard L. Beall | $2,255 | $686 | -69.6% |
| Clement J. Bauer | $3,322 | $675 | -79.7% |
| Joyce E. Yaklin | $3,259 | $644 | -80.2% |
| Angela N. Ruddock | $2,552 | $595 | -76.7% |
| Cheryl Williams | $1,122 | $443 | -60.5% |
| Roger Speis Jr. | $1,089 | $443 | -59.3% |
| Richard McMahan | $270 | $441 | 63.3% |
| Lane H. Myers | $1,155 | $419 | -63.7% |
| Brenda Henning | $0 | $317 | -- |
| Trey W. Fricks | $774 | $303 | -60.9% |
| Gerald Royal | $1,038 | $225 | -78.3% |
| Leander L. Niemann | $825 | $193 | -76.6% |
| Adam J. Brewer | $264 | $161 | -39% |
| Deborah K. Williams | $330 | $152 | -53.9% |
| Terry L. Williamson | $547 | $137 | -75% |
| Candace Moeller | $776 | $124 | -84% |
| Bruce A. Barker | $344 | $91 | -73.5% |
| Deborah C. Lepore | $345 | $91 | -73.6% |
| William J. Tiller Jr. | $135 | $59 | -56.3% |
| Kenneth S. Barnhill | $27 | $34 | 25.9% |
| Clara E. Bauer | $5,811 | $0 | -100% |
| J. D. McGuill | $44,572 | $0 | -100% |
| J M O'Brien Ranch, LLC | $4,291 | $0 | -100% |
| Pfeil-Gray Farms - Katherine Pfei | $1,484 | $0 | -100% |
| Burton Kelso | $2,427 | $0 | -100% |
| Kandi Bell | $3,474 | $0 | -100% |
| Longhorn Valley Clegg Partnership | $2,094 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles M Boenig Unified Credit T | $824 | $0 | -100% |
| Doris Pfeil | $619 | $0 | -100% |
| H & J RV Park, LLC | $4,296 | $0 | -100% |
| John Roger Schlabach | $183 | $0 | -100% |
| Le Roy Rader | $207 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilbert C. Steindorf | $216 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilma Jean Niemann Estate | $410 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,299,672 | $2,952,679 | -31.3% |
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