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In 2021, 65 farmers in cities within Huerfano County received a total of $800,615 in 112 farm subsidies, a 51.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.7 million in 138 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edmundson Ranches, LLC | $385,458 | $238,353 | -38.2% |
| Frank J Menegatti | $237,103 | $66,123 | -72.1% |
| Dave Stroh | $53,969 | $41,637 | -22.9% |
| Busch Ranch, Inc. | $0 | $38,800 | -- |
| The Williams Land & Cattle Company | $18,832 | $28,281 | 50.2% |
| Ronald L. Busch | $57,119 | $27,428 | -52% |
| John C. Albright | $0 | $23,524 | -- |
| Mildred Roberts | $70,906 | $20,980 | -70.4% |
| Davis Ranch, Inc. | $30,175 | $20,655 | -31.5% |
| David Menegatti | $24,387 | $20,401 | -16.3% |
| Tim Roberts | $70,189 | $19,996 | -71.5% |
| Lewis A. Edmundson | $19,903 | $19,903 | 0% |
| Betty J. Williams | $19,164 | $19,762 | 3.1% |
| J D Partners Ranch, Inc. | $0 | $18,659 | -- |
| Joseph M. Menegatti | $20,093 | $17,066 | -15.1% |
| Goemmer Brothers, LLC | $76,517 | $15,209 | -80.1% |
| Donald G. Andreatta | $25,495 | $12,983 | -49.1% |
| Eric Sporleder | $12,240 | $12,460 | 1.8% |
| L & M Ranch, LLC | $0 | $10,461 | -- |
| Jeannette King | $11,933 | $10,415 | -12.7% |
| Larry a Menegatti | $13,499 | $7,591 | -43.8% |
| Andreatta Family, LLC | $64,195 | $7,474 | -88.4% |
| Larry Mapes | $14,247 | $7,258 | -49.1% |
| Rhonda Hribar | $14,199 | $7,150 | -49.6% |
| Randy S. Maldonado | $3,696 | $6,779 | 83.4% |
| Honey Lou McConnell | $19,230 | $6,332 | -67.1% |
| Vonnie K Maier-Valdez | $0 | $5,225 | -- |
| Azada Casper | $4,196 | $4,196 | 0% |
| Robert Barber | $7,979 | $4,123 | -48.3% |
| Constance C. Smalley | $4,090 | $4,090 | 0% |
| Ronald C. Jameson | $0 | $4,032 | -- |
| Malcolm D. Riggins | $22,039 | $3,993 | -81.9% |
| Corsentino Dairy Farms, Inc. | $201,252 | $3,881 | -98.1% |
| Dennis Brgoch | $5,822 | $3,479 | -40.2% |
| Patrick G. McConnell | $11,063 | $3,478 | -68.6% |
| Doug Brgoch | $5,844 | $3,472 | -40.6% |
| Ted Franciscotti | $20,995 | $3,408 | -83.8% |
| Bar Spear Bar Ranch, LLC | $17,712 | $3,108 | -82.5% |
| Tate Dean Rohr | $4,095 | $2,893 | -29.4% |
| Russell Edward Shrout | $2,889 | $2,527 | -12.5% |
| Melvin J. Shaw | $1,551 | $2,248 | 44.9% |
| Garrett Norby | $8,648 | $1,983 | -77.1% |
| Jason Joshua Valdes | $0 | $1,870 | -- |
| Thomas R. Weber | $665 | $1,858 | 179.4% |
| William Duzenack JR | $10,419 | $1,811 | -82.6% |
| Betty Trahern | $899 | $1,698 | 88.9% |
| Pamela Williams | $8,525 | $1,617 | -81% |
| Luke Vargas | $13,520 | $1,428 | -89.4% |
| Ben C. Franciscotti | $8,842 | $1,319 | -85.1% |
| Fred Falk - the Falk Family Trust | $9,007 | $1,194 | -86.7% |
| Butch Corsentino | $12,330 | $1,114 | -91% |
| Harleen Pino | $850 | $850 | 0% |
| Della Velarde | $4,722 | $587 | -87.6% |
| Dennis Bollmann | $2,376 | $587 | -75.3% |
| Loren J. Albright | $1,530 | $482 | -68.5% |
| Cindy Driscoll | $2,826 | $432 | -84.7% |
| Bryon R. Crossno | $1,722 | $427 | -75.2% |
| Owen Shrout | $198 | $425 | 114.6% |
| Jesse P. Price | $2,552 | $414 | -83.8% |
| CB Garcia Ranch, LLC | $0 | $198 | -- |
| Sheryl D. Hanisch | $396 | $161 | -59.3% |
| Joan Wood | $157 | $157 | 0% |
| Martha Louise Kennedy | $0 | $95 | -- |
| Richard E Klepper Rev Trust | $58 | $43 | -25.9% |
| Yappan, LLC | $72 | $32 | -55.6% |
| Henry J. Harnly | $1,965 | $0 | -100% |
| John Howard Bistranin | $330 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,664,685 | $800,615 | -51.9% |
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