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In 2021, 30 farmers in cities within Columbia County received a total of $641,088 in 41 farm subsidies, a 72.6% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2.3 million in 96 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrianus Ooms & Sons, Inc. | $443,422 | $148,814 | -66.4% |
| Walt's Dairy, LLC | $144,196 | $104,532 | -27.5% |
| The Farm at Miller's Crossing, LLC | $0 | $88,276 | -- |
| Fix Brothers, Inc. | $254,876 | $63,807 | -75% |
| Golden Harvest Farms, Inc. | $325,865 | $42,482 | -87% |
| Elite Dairy 2, LLC | $34,973 | $40,492 | 15.8% |
| John A. Langdon | $89,811 | $38,784 | -56.8% |
| Stephen Meisner | $0 | $19,939 | -- |
| Jahns Maple Hill Farm, LLC | $59,323 | $19,400 | -67.3% |
| West Street Farm, LLC | $0 | $12,893 | -- |
| Thompson Finch Farm, LLC | $0 | $12,325 | -- |
| New Leaf Farm, LLC | $0 | $10,093 | -- |
| Stanley Staron JR | $0 | $9,551 | -- |
| Education Williams and Son Farm, LLC | $17,708 | $6,357 | -64.1% |
| Karl B. Chittenden | $15,049 | $3,476 | -76.9% |
| Taconic Orchards | $13,300 | $2,785 | -79.1% |
| C & M Farms and Greenhouses, LLC | $0 | $2,740 | -- |
| Dunn Family Trust | $2,313 | $2,454 | 6.1% |
| Yare, LLC | $2,314 | $2,454 | 6.1% |
| Mcdonald Pastures, LLC | $0 | $2,048 | -- |
| Jennifer Elliott | $38,566 | $1,717 | -95.5% |
| Bruno Farms Custom Feeds, Inc. | $4,108 | $1,613 | -60.7% |
| Delapenta Farms, Inc. | $0 | $847 | -- |
| Edward Casivant | $2,464 | $678 | -72.5% |
| Brian J Molinski | $3,003 | $658 | -78.1% |
| Scott Conlee | $0 | $461 | -- |
| Diamond Hills Farm, LLC | $0 | $440 | -- |
| Derrick Conte | $2,376 | $397 | -83.3% |
| Scott & Theresa, LLC | $6,059 | $379 | -93.7% |
| Climbing Tree Farm, LLC | $5,224 | $196 | -96.2% |
| Donald Duksa | $2,420 | $0 | -100% |
| Miracle Springs Farm, LLC | $23,190 | $0 | -100% |
| Tuganook Hill Farm, LLC | $1,899 | $0 | -100% |
| MX Morningstar Farm | $37,600 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrea Elliott | $9,830 | $0 | -100% |
| Deep Roots Farm NY, LLC | $14,117 | $0 | -100% |
| Barbara L. Livingston | $917 | $0 | -100% |
| Eileen Yandik | $7,681 | $0 | -100% |
| Hudson Valley Fish Farm, Inc. | $117,075 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph C Cordato | $241 | $0 | -100% |
| Letterbox Farm, LLC | $19,528 | $0 | -100% |
| Lorin Daniel Mcmanus Common Hands | $23,169 | $0 | -100% |
| Peter Ambrose | $766 | $0 | -100% |
| Podmijersky Farm, LLC | $3,795 | $0 | -100% |
| Smiths Little River Farm, LLC | $7,293 | $0 | -100% |
| Sparrowbush Farm, LLC | $16,360 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Holmes | $44,782 | $0 | -100% |
| Whistle Down Farm, LLC | $7,422 | $0 | -100% |
| Willow Dell Farms | $6,192 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce Edwards | $26,380 | $0 | -100% |
| Oomsdale Farm, Inc. | $498 | $0 | -100% |
| Yonder Fruit Farms, Inc. | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $2,336,105 | $641,088 | -72.6% |
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