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In 2021, 184 farmers in cities within Bee County received a total of $3.4 million in 444 farm subsidies, a 40.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $5.6 million in 599 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 Bee County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mengers & Sons | $328,598 | $318,144 | -3.2% |
| 1349 Food & Fiber | $703,581 | $297,576 | -57.7% |
| Leo Casas III | $311,277 | $161,782 | -48% |
| Berthold Farms | $210,275 | $139,283 | -33.8% |
| Shambryn W Huie | $135,423 | $138,621 | 2.4% |
| Matt R. Huie | $135,423 | $138,620 | 2.4% |
| Mark Sugarek | $303,272 | $121,749 | -59.9% |
| Jostes Land & Cattle Company, Inc. | $203,835 | $119,588 | -41.3% |
| Jim S Sugarek | $189,264 | $112,745 | -40.4% |
| Jeffrey Scott Sautter | $133,264 | $106,332 | -20.2% |
| William Carriger | $164,185 | $98,462 | -40% |
| Arturo Cantu Gaitan | $67,098 | $77,572 | 15.6% |
| Harkins & Van Cleve Cattle Company, LLC | $0 | $73,446 | -- |
| David G. Baker | $213,966 | $68,123 | -68.2% |
| Spirit of Texas Bank | $108,645 | $60,864 | -44% |
| William Schirmer | $124,148 | $60,259 | -51.5% |
| Bill J. Carriger | $59,654 | $49,000 | -17.9% |
| Howard Wayne Duge | $41,745 | $48,805 | 16.9% |
| Gina a Sugarek | $0 | $46,446 | -- |
| Felix Fojtik | $12,770 | $42,171 | 230.2% |
| Patricia Wallek | $58,010 | $42,167 | -27.3% |
| Kenneth Wallek | $58,098 | $42,083 | -27.6% |
| Prosperity Bank | $64,382 | $38,612 | -40% |
| Darby P. Salge | $58,950 | $37,232 | -36.8% |
| Brown Land & Cattle, LLC | $46,766 | $36,959 | -21% |
| Paul E. Schmidt | $41,955 | $36,598 | -12.8% |
| John J. Valenta | $75,769 | $36,166 | -52.3% |
| Kyle Jostes | $63,880 | $35,928 | -43.8% |
| Brian K. Wilson | $12,279 | $35,629 | 190.2% |
| Spirit of Texas Bank, SSB | $56,839 | $27,480 | -51.7% |
| Travis Berthold | $26,509 | $25,151 | -5.1% |
| Morgan O'Brien Ranch, LLC | $20,850 | $23,251 | 11.5% |
| Larry Lee Wallek | $29,979 | $23,025 | -23.2% |
| High Road Outfit, LLC | $29,940 | $22,480 | -24.9% |
| William R. Lohse | $11,973 | $19,840 | 65.7% |
| Dale Rothlisberger | $6,051 | $19,239 | 217.9% |
| B P Cattle Company, LLC | $42,670 | $18,204 | -57.3% |
| Griffith & Associates, Inc. | $30,198 | $17,133 | -43.3% |
| Spirit of Texas Bank | $0 | $16,888 | -- |
| Lee Lamar Wallek | $33,137 | $16,784 | -49.3% |
| Spirit of Texas Bank, SSB | $0 | $16,592 | -- |
| Ralph Stubenthal | $13,856 | $14,751 | 6.5% |
| Mark S. Dragon | $21,844 | $13,926 | -36.2% |
| Edward Polasek | $31,894 | $13,501 | -57.7% |
| Michael King Younts | $7,095 | $12,994 | 83.1% |
| Alfred Duane Henicke | $18,788 | $12,121 | -35.5% |
| Jim S Sugarek | $0 | $11,871 | -- |
| Berthold Cattle, LLC | $18,139 | $11,581 | -36.2% |
| E & a Cattle Company | $7,981 | $10,724 | 34.4% |
| Robert A. Cruz | $6,278 | $10,698 | 70.4% |
| John E. Matocha | $17,902 | $10,657 | -40.5% |
| Kyle Mansker | $22,137 | $10,638 | -51.9% |
| Mblc-Cuatro D, LP | $6,603 | $10,475 | 58.6% |
| Chance Henry Schirmer | $3,280 | $9,689 | 195.4% |
| Elisa R Tindol - Avisadero Ranch, LLC | $0 | $9,118 | -- |
| Frank R Dehnisch Trust, M.D. | $12,003 | $9,015 | -24.9% |
| Wayne E. Mengers | $13,086 | $8,913 | -31.9% |
| Jo Ann Stewart | $17,690 | $8,766 | -50.4% |
| George J Keilmann | $6,983 | $8,450 | 21% |
| Israel Calderon Garcia | $59,385 | $8,218 | -86.2% |
| Carla Schilling | $17,131 | $8,167 | -52.3% |
| Douglas M. Bolland | $7,453 | $8,153 | 9.4% |
| Kenneth D. Chandler | $7,227 | $7,717 | 6.8% |
| Calvin C. Kuenstler | $6,858 | $7,602 | 10.8% |
| Jaime Perez | $16,233 | $7,533 | -53.6% |
| Yvonne Younts | $13,243 | $6,901 | -47.9% |
| Deana C Sugarek | $2,364 | $6,859 | 190.1% |
| Randle Allen Franke | $29,116 | $6,596 | -77.3% |
| Andres Miguel Gaitan | $20,171 | $6,551 | -67.5% |
| Carroll Wayne Lohse | $5,641 | $6,136 | 8.8% |
| Mary Ellen Thoms | $9,014 | $6,096 | -32.4% |
| Handy Farm & Ranch | $7,309 | $5,964 | -18.4% |
| Ronald K Laechelin | $7,483 | $5,839 | -22% |
| Trenton L. Dragon | $13,630 | $5,738 | -57.9% |
| Trevor Steven Dragon | $13,321 | $5,738 | -56.9% |
| Todd C. Schendel | $12,668 | $5,307 | -58.1% |
| Paula Handy | $10,109 | $5,300 | -47.6% |
| James G. Anderson Jr. | $3,267 | $5,244 | 60.5% |
| Jillayne Cain-Healy | $5,582 | $5,234 | -6.2% |
| Wendy Juranek | $9,334 | $5,186 | -44.4% |
| George David Baker Sr. | $22,174 | $5,156 | -76.7% |
| Robert Handy | $9,699 | $5,029 | -48.1% |
| Allen E. Hanus | $0 | $4,648 | -- |
| T & H Ranch Enterprises, Inc. | $4,214 | $4,402 | 4.5% |
| Prosperity Bank | $67,586 | $4,377 | -93.5% |
| Clara B. Lansford | $1,914 | $4,333 | 126.4% |
| Mark L. Morris | $0 | $4,290 | -- |
| Andrew Salge | $1,742 | $4,159 | 138.7% |
| Elizabeth Winsauer | $7,675 | $4,106 | -46.5% |
| Joyce G Naylor Estate | $12,537 | $3,881 | -69% |
| James Lenarduzzi | $3,237 | $3,693 | 14.1% |
| PDM Malone Ranch Properties, LLC | $25,230 | $3,652 | -85.5% |
| South Texas Grain and Cattle, LLC | $6,327 | $3,582 | -43.4% |
| L. B. Stroman Jr. | $5,665 | $3,578 | -36.8% |
| Bryan Stridde | $7,150 | $3,556 | -50.3% |
| Lisa D. Dale | $2,838 | $3,524 | 24.2% |
| Dane Elliott | $14,490 | $3,376 | -76.7% |
| Troy Dan Draper | $5,341 | $3,269 | -38.8% |
| Joseph Michael Klotz Protection Trust | $0 | $3,211 | -- |
| Carl Glass Jr. | $7,497 | $3,160 | -57.8% |
| Anna M. Dunn | $7,120 | $3,138 | -55.9% |
| Orlando S. Olivares | $3,165 | $2,849 | -10% |
| Dehnisch and Associates, Ltd. | $3,111 | $2,738 | -12% |
| Cobb Trust | $9,652 | $2,674 | -72.3% |
| Alice L. Hall | $8,940 | $2,622 | -70.7% |
| Josephine W. Miller | $8,940 | $2,622 | -70.7% |
| Curtis R Deussen | $5,709 | $2,540 | -55.5% |
| Alleene Sullivan | $2,260 | $2,238 | -1% |
| James R. Blackburn | $3,627 | $2,063 | -43.1% |
| Mary Ann Wallek Linney | $0 | $2,035 | -- |
| Shawnee W. McAlister | $3,311 | $1,958 | -40.9% |
| Henry R. Schirmer | $6,930 | $1,914 | -72.4% |
| Marjorie Jostes | $4,382 | $1,776 | -59.5% |
| Glenn Jostes | $2,468 | $1,758 | -28.8% |
| Rix & Rix Cattle Company, LLC | $1,551 | $1,753 | 13% |
| Tom W Spears & Lottie L Spears Rev Trustee | $0 | $1,669 | -- |
| David T Park | $5,918 | $1,662 | -71.9% |
| Robert Simnacher | $1,815 | $1,662 | -8.4% |
| Jeanette E Simnacher | $2,579 | $1,503 | -41.7% |
| William O. Winsauer | $0 | $1,493 | -- |
| Stephen Ball | $9,923 | $1,456 | -85.3% |
| 34-S Trading, LLC | $7,334 | $1,401 | -80.9% |
| Duane S. Gage | $2,947 | $1,338 | -54.6% |
| H H Laechelin JR | $1,870 | $1,337 | -28.5% |
| William K. Morgan Jr. | $1,628 | $1,297 | -20.3% |
| Patricia L. Snavely | $1,614 | $1,293 | -19.9% |
| Donaldo Montemayor | $1,887 | $1,266 | -32.9% |
| Michael Shay | $3,828 | $1,252 | -67.3% |
| W. A. Davis Jr. | $3,259 | $1,214 | -62.7% |
| Thomas Aman | $5,145 | $1,187 | -76.9% |
| Austin E. Brown II | $3,317 | $1,183 | -64.3% |
| Wayne A. Thoms | $8,267 | $1,158 | -86% |
| Bodie S. Knapp | $3,516 | $1,112 | -68.4% |
| Jostes Management Trust | $4,384 | $1,108 | -74.7% |
| Garry D. Rothlisberger | $0 | $1,107 | -- |
| Michael E. Keeney | $777 | $1,028 | 32.3% |
| Murff Irrevocable Trust | $2,707 | $1,003 | -62.9% |
| Todd Harrell | $0 | $990 | -- |
| Chris Patrova | $1,430 | $879 | -38.5% |
| Jason Franklin Maddox | $5,488 | $875 | -84.1% |
| Randy Rix | $2,024 | $853 | -57.9% |
| Mark Crain | $1,936 | $836 | -56.8% |
| Clay Rabe | $4,151 | $736 | -82.3% |
| Richard Rabe | $3,333 | $736 | -77.9% |
| John Stanley Winsauer | $0 | $725 | -- |
| Joe Suniga | $2,085 | $707 | -66.1% |
| John Hendershott | $1,287 | $702 | -45.5% |
| Thomas Jerry Whitlow | $3,080 | $698 | -77.3% |
| Robert Lee Horn | $803 | $690 | -14.1% |
| Nancy Carriger | $0 | $684 | -- |
| Bernadette Gibson | $2,549 | $599 | -76.5% |
| Concepcion Pina | $2,738 | $579 | -78.9% |
| Justin Kesler | $1,235 | $571 | -53.8% |
| Baldemar Alvarado | $3,259 | $558 | -82.9% |
| Robert C. Ford | $3,834 | $552 | -85.6% |
| Gina a Sugarek | $43,288 | $521 | -98.8% |
| Robert Suniga | $385 | $466 | 21% |
| Steven E. Bohac | $359 | $421 | 17.3% |
| Jamie Owings | $2,346 | $419 | -82.1% |
| Tyrel C. McClendon | $1,672 | $408 | -75.6% |
| Jeremy Leigh Morris | $2,307 | $393 | -83% |
| Solon William McKelvey Jr. | $0 | $332 | -- |
| Ronnie Olivares | $0 | $330 | -- |
| Marcos B. Campos Jr. | $1,470 | $320 | -78.2% |
| Roy Gene Hanus | $1,030 | $310 | -69.9% |
| David Kinkler | $64 | $295 | 360.9% |
| Ricky Dean Bohac | $409 | $292 | -28.6% |
| Glenn A. Ford | $376 | $248 | -34% |
| Duane Alexander | $1,191 | $247 | -79.3% |
| Joe Henery Hanus | $273 | $225 | -17.6% |
| Kathlene G. Hickman | $263 | $207 | -21.3% |
| Priscilla Stuart | $263 | $207 | -21.3% |
| Donald Hessong | $664 | $204 | -69.3% |
| Pete Duenes | $638 | $194 | -69.6% |
| Kyle Edward Stubenthal | $880 | $172 | -80.5% |
| James P. Whitenton | $660 | $168 | -74.5% |
| Paul Sypolt | $198 | $136 | -31.3% |
| Phyllis Schmidt | $5,005 | $132 | -97.4% |
| Cirildo Garza III | $407 | $114 | -72% |
| Jennifer Calderone | $198 | $91 | -54% |
| Tammy McCarn | $226 | $87 | -61.5% |
| Dustin Wallek | $6,310 | $76 | -98.8% |
| R. L. Copeland | $3,605 | $66 | -98.2% |
| Gregg Galloway | $1,100 | $62 | -94.4% |
| Adolphus Dixon Cobb III | $1,592 | $0 | -100% |
| Barbara Powell Trevino | $645 | $0 | -100% |
| Bee Innovative Farms, LLC | $16,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Candace Moore | $1,760 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Hyde | $770 | $0 | -100% |
| Elisa R Tindol - Avisadero Ranch | $7,255 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Edmund Downing | $880 | $0 | -100% |
| Frederich R. Schauer IV | $2,365 | $0 | -100% |
| Georgia Ann Combs | $955 | $0 | -100% |
| Harkins & Van Cleve Cattle Compan | $307,087 | $0 | -100% |
| John Henry Kremers | $608 | $0 | -100% |
| Lucille Borchers | $1,171 | $0 | -100% |
| Margie A. Awalt | $1,870 | $0 | -100% |
| Mike Younts | $2,585 | $0 | -100% |
| Nathan Haws | $18,260 | $0 | -100% |
| Verna Mae Laechelin | $627 | $0 | -100% |
| Allen E. Hanus | $6,003 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Michael Klotz Protection T | $18,110 | $0 | -100% |
| Steve Moreman | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| The First National Bank of Beevil | $43,774 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $5,614,175 | $3,363,498 | -40.1% |
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