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In 2021, 136 farmers in cities within New Castle County received a total of $1.5 million in 266 farm subsidies, a 50% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $3.1 million in 482 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Marie Farms, LLC | $184,488 | $118,743 | -35.6% |
| Greer Farms, LLC | $58,800 | $106,179 | 80.6% |
| Black-Bird Farms, LLC | $0 | $98,292 | -- |
| A Farm, Inc. | $20,437 | $98,172 | 380.4% |
| Robert L. Emerson | $183,319 | $76,823 | -58.1% |
| Sarah C. Emerson | $114,898 | $75,924 | -33.9% |
| Joseph Vari | $92,166 | $66,029 | -28.4% |
| Lawrence E. Jester | $157,179 | $61,035 | -61.2% |
| Patricia Jester | $157,179 | $61,035 | -61.2% |
| George Clay & Sons, Inc. | $177,714 | $50,178 | -71.8% |
| Richard Wooleyhan | $134,908 | $48,512 | -64% |
| Deer Crossing Farm, Inc. | $144,990 | $44,148 | -69.6% |
| Robert L. Emerson III | $128,340 | $38,053 | -70.3% |
| William Pleasanton | $39,651 | $30,423 | -23.3% |
| Bateman Farms, Inc. | $27,905 | $27,905 | 0% |
| Bye-Bye Farms, LLC | $32,318 | $27,876 | -13.7% |
| Rutkoske Farms | $53,234 | $26,067 | -51% |
| Colemans Christmas Tree Farm, LLC | $81,442 | $26,050 | -68% |
| Robert Willoughby Jr. | $73,553 | $23,974 | -67.4% |
| Gary T. Simendinger | $80,003 | $23,210 | -71% |
| Shirley A. Brogley | $20,618 | $20,618 | 0% |
| Lazy Boy Farm, Inc. | $134,729 | $19,391 | -85.6% |
| Lee R. Emerson II | $48,887 | $16,894 | -65.4% |
| Neal Dukes | $53,728 | $16,100 | -70% |
| Charles F. Stites | $55,049 | $15,146 | -72.5% |
| Thomas F. Unruh | $46,975 | $14,055 | -70.1% |
| James W. Deats | $32,639 | $13,414 | -58.9% |
| David C Blendt | $65,178 | $13,313 | -79.6% |
| Robert L. Price | $15,936 | $12,981 | -18.5% |
| ASH Materials, LLC | $12,838 | $12,838 | 0% |
| Middletown Farm Serv | $28,975 | $11,996 | -58.6% |
| Keith Uhland - Uhland Rev Trust | $19,855 | $11,177 | -43.7% |
| Delaware Wildlands, Inc. | $10,892 | $10,892 | 0% |
| Maria Mariano | $15,612 | $10,199 | -34.7% |
| Bruce Michael Patrick | $48,193 | $9,912 | -79.4% |
| JR Bolling OWF, LLC | $11,796 | $9,497 | -19.5% |
| Hunter C. Unruh | $26,481 | $9,220 | -65.2% |
| Robert Uniatowski | $32,576 | $8,991 | -72.4% |
| Vanguard, Corp. | $24,237 | $7,974 | -67.1% |
| Robert A. Willoughby | $28,702 | $7,601 | -73.5% |
| Jeffrey A. Bartsch Sr. | $13,816 | $7,559 | -45.3% |
| Its OK Farms, LLC | $7,226 | $6,382 | -11.7% |
| James G. Zeh | $14,974 | $5,642 | -62.3% |
| Ricky L. Stejskal | $9,947 | $5,544 | -44.3% |
| Roger Hensley | $5,236 | $5,355 | 2.3% |
| Fairview Sod Farm, Inc. | $12,598 | $5,211 | -58.6% |
| William C. Cahall | $0 | $4,847 | -- |
| William Edgar Powers Jr. | $23,540 | $4,846 | -79.4% |
| Irvin C. Walker Jr. | $10,694 | $4,609 | -56.9% |
| FLO Farm, LLC | $2,268 | $4,534 | 99.9% |
| Louis Outten | $14,940 | $4,469 | -70.1% |
| Nicholas Beck Farms, LLC | $12,944 | $4,454 | -65.6% |
| Cool Rock, LLC | $16,242 | $4,274 | -73.7% |
| Rhesa K Antone | $3,677 | $3,677 | 0% |
| Richard Schafer | $4,588 | $3,522 | -23.2% |
| Durbin Family Farm Partnership | $16,351 | $3,444 | -78.9% |
| Ann C Uhland -Uhland Rev Trust | $5,748 | $3,436 | -40.2% |
| Lone Spruce Farms, Inc. | $3,118 | $3,056 | -2% |
| Reynolds Farm, Inc. | $5,777 | $2,886 | -50% |
| Judy Habiger | $2,879 | $2,879 | 0% |
| Alrene H Stambaugh | $7,654 | $2,698 | -64.8% |
| Robert D. McKeown | $2,948 | $2,698 | -8.5% |
| Michael J. Rzucidlo | $2,675 | $2,675 | 0% |
| Davis Family Farm, LLC | $9,125 | $2,543 | -72.1% |
| TBGH Farms, LLC | $1,376 | $2,508 | 82.3% |
| Vail Farms, LLC | $14,340 | $2,461 | -82.8% |
| Cooch's Bridge Trust | $2,591 | $2,243 | -13.4% |
| Rah Rah Farms, LLC | $4,072 | $2,185 | -46.3% |
| Amy Beth Hickey | $8,064 | $2,050 | -74.6% |
| John Hickey | $8,064 | $2,050 | -74.6% |
| Frederick W. Johnston III | $2,385 | $2,025 | -15.1% |
| John F. Belgrade | $2,015 | $2,015 | 0% |
| Virginia Joyce Schindler | $1,967 | $1,967 | 0% |
| Catholic Diocese Foundation | $1,833 | $1,833 | 0% |
| Matthew Gott | $5,711 | $1,822 | -68.1% |
| Timothy J. Seward Sr. | $0 | $1,785 | -- |
| Robert Grabowski | $1,821 | $1,781 | -2.2% |
| Edward W. Savin | $3,970 | $1,732 | -56.4% |
| Samuel Shahan | $3,653 | $1,677 | -54.1% |
| Har Har Farms, LLC | $3,032 | $1,671 | -44.9% |
| Daniel Wolcott | $6,969 | $1,640 | -76.5% |
| J. C. Kramer | $2,337 | $1,451 | -37.9% |
| St. Andrews School of Delaware | $1,407 | $1,407 | 0% |
| Cynthia Guetschow Wegter | $4,225 | $1,406 | -66.7% |
| Frank a Jezyk | $1,084 | $1,277 | 17.8% |
| Mary C Scott Trust | $1,381 | $1,268 | -8.2% |
| Mary Dalbello | $650 | $1,241 | 90.9% |
| Schoolhouse Properties, LLC | $4,172 | $1,235 | -70.4% |
| Karen Anderson | $496 | $1,208 | 143.5% |
| Emile J. Walther Jr. | $2,018 | $1,195 | -40.8% |
| Mary Hutchison | $1,105 | $1,105 | 0% |
| Youngblood Cope & Henke, LLC | $1,716 | $1,040 | -39.4% |
| Stephen R. Foor | $1,020 | $1,020 | 0% |
| Spring Thyme Herb Farm, Inc. | $1,000 | $1,000 | 0% |
| Harry W. Bartsch Jr. | $3,077 | $930 | -69.8% |
| Nancy Holland | $1,680 | $914 | -45.6% |
| Peacock Paradise, LLC | $886 | $886 | 0% |
| Bungay Point Farm, LLC | $854 | $854 | 0% |
| David R. Daniels | $10,399 | $832 | -92% |
| George J. Davis | $2,375 | $750 | -68.4% |
| Gerald M Skrotsky JR | $731 | $731 | 0% |
| Paul E. Neill Sr. | $4,928 | $710 | -85.6% |
| Glenn Stelzer | $1,661 | $696 | -58.1% |
| Rhoadesdale Farm L P | $1,989 | $649 | -67.4% |
| Thomas Tomashek | $2,050 | $640 | -68.8% |
| Filasky's Produce, LLC | $9,184 | $590 | -93.6% |
| Hazel Voshell | $246 | $573 | 132.9% |
| Walter G. Scott | $812 | $568 | -30% |
| Grace R Owen Estate | $0 | $561 | -- |
| Travis H. Cook | $989 | $553 | -44.1% |
| Bierlein Trust John D | $2,203 | $528 | -76% |
| Shane Malekzadeh | $494 | $494 | 0% |
| Ellen Schubert | $1,118 | $463 | -58.6% |
| Grace Richardson Owen Estate | $0 | $438 | -- |
| Richard R. Cooch | $1,742 | $410 | -76.5% |
| Maryann Wingard | $338 | $338 | 0% |
| Wayne Wingard | $338 | $338 | 0% |
| Nadine Phillips | $2,073 | $309 | -85.1% |
| Crossland Enterprises LP | $1,246 | $303 | -75.7% |
| Paul Adams Thompson | $270 | $270 | 0% |
| Dale E. Nebe | $743 | $262 | -64.7% |
| Kathryn Denhardt | $0 | $233 | -- |
| Kyle Bottorff | $220 | $220 | 0% |
| Harley Polston | $617 | $217 | -64.8% |
| Don F. Coleman | $1,470 | $212 | -85.6% |
| Yvonne Coleman | $1,470 | $212 | -85.6% |
| Rule Ventures, LLC | $187 | $187 | 0% |
| Mary Douglas | $878 | $177 | -79.8% |
| Larry J. Dingess | $404 | $174 | -56.9% |
| Allan P. Brown | $465 | $139 | -70.1% |
| Linda R. Brown | $465 | $139 | -70.1% |
| Michael D. Skipper | $128 | $76 | -40.6% |
| Charlotte L. Mikeal | $37 | $37 | 0% |
| Ralph Crawford | $0 | $36 | -- |
| Melvin W. Rogers | $33 | $33 | 0% |
| Elizabeth Caladonato | $38 | $21 | -44.7% |
| Gergory M. Dominick | $93 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Gorman | $1,272 | $0 | -100% |
| Morgan Family Revocable Living Trust | $662 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles C Miller Revocable Trust | $4,831 | $0 | -100% |
| David Wicks | $12,459 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank Vayo | $1,984 | $0 | -100% |
| Irene Penfield | $618 | $0 | -100% |
| Julie Brooke Johnson | $93 | $0 | -100% |
| Louis Storace | $618 | $0 | -100% |
| Maximilian Safarpour | $992 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven C. Lester | $4,863 | $0 | -100% |
| Susan Couch | $1,378 | $0 | -100% |
| The Cullen Family, LLC | $1,059 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Steven Mitchell | $116 | $0 | -100% |
| Grace R. Owen | $999 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles W. Smith | $2,475 | $0 | -100% |
| Kathleen Daniels | $3,678 | $0 | -100% |
| Twin Oaks Farm, LLC | $5,072 | $0 | -100% |
| Janet Dill | $271 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert and Elizabeth Ellis Family Foundation | $17,325 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $3,099,555 | $1,549,078 | -50% |
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