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In 2021, 73 farmers in cities within Menard County received a total of $878,509 in 153 farm subsidies, a 40.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.5 million in 243 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenal a 'bob' Speck | $126,598 | $89,862 | -29% |
| Kathryn A. Mews | $22,461 | $48,126 | 114.3% |
| Rancho Bonito Livestock Company | $33,166 | $45,268 | 36.5% |
| Bob Wilkinson | $96,313 | $43,886 | -54.4% |
| Russell Brothers Ranch, LLC | $51,608 | $41,587 | -19.4% |
| J. T. Terrell Jr. | $50,227 | $38,632 | -23.1% |
| Gainer Ranch | $40,704 | $37,336 | -8.3% |
| Walden Hillert | $26,245 | $28,742 | 9.5% |
| Max Stabel | $87,496 | $27,404 | -68.7% |
| William W. Wright | $16,216 | $25,462 | 57% |
| Jim W. Wright | $50,444 | $23,684 | -53% |
| M Mcallister Family Partnership, Ltd. | $0 | $23,211 | -- |
| Awbrey Kothmann | $75,104 | $21,108 | -71.9% |
| Forked Lightning Ranch JV | $49,728 | $19,709 | -60.4% |
| Buck B. Miller | $22,961 | $19,230 | -16.2% |
| Whitehead Properties, Inc. | $53,994 | $17,441 | -67.7% |
| M & M Farms | $47,686 | $15,123 | -68.3% |
| Ray Williamson | $12,376 | $15,031 | 21.5% |
| William B. Murchison | $16,621 | $14,413 | -13.3% |
| Clint Roberson | $38,397 | $14,251 | -62.9% |
| Cody Swindall | $10,450 | $14,159 | 35.5% |
| Vinegarroon Ranch Company | $16,617 | $13,800 | -17% |
| Frank D. McAllister | $17,113 | $13,651 | -20.2% |
| Jacoby Ranch Partners | $35,466 | $13,309 | -62.5% |
| William J. Austin | $30,516 | $12,095 | -60.4% |
| Jerry Rambo | $9,896 | $11,726 | 18.5% |
| George C. Wenzel | $11,936 | $11,459 | -4% |
| Brandon L. Burch | $35,989 | $10,885 | -69.8% |
| Jerry Kidd | $24,579 | $9,733 | -60.4% |
| Frank E. Davis | $26,281 | $9,655 | -63.3% |
| Penny Wade | $11,579 | $7,773 | -32.9% |
| John Williamson | $7,013 | $7,445 | 6.2% |
| Jason Bannowsky | $9,388 | $7,335 | -21.9% |
| Janelle J. Yates | $4,774 | $7,136 | 49.5% |
| Cary Rambo | $5,214 | $6,891 | 32.2% |
| Robert C. Hernandez | $3,162 | $6,611 | 109.1% |
| Kenneth Bannowsky | $12,214 | $6,409 | -47.5% |
| Cary Lynn McAllister | $13,668 | $6,285 | -54% |
| Lisa Anita Brown | $8,847 | $5,728 | -35.3% |
| John B Kniffen & Katherine L Kniffen Revocable Liv | $0 | $5,326 | -- |
| Scalp Creek Ranches, LLC | $14,080 | $5,156 | -63.4% |
| Kari Carwile | $13,845 | $5,088 | -63.3% |
| J. W. Jennings | $11,342 | $4,886 | -56.9% |
| Coby Porter | $5,005 | $4,860 | -2.9% |
| Linda Black | $8,430 | $4,818 | -42.8% |
| Ross Stultz | $15,964 | $4,476 | -72% |
| Mary Sides Davis | $2,651 | $4,472 | 68.7% |
| Mary Lee Spiller | $10,486 | $3,909 | -62.7% |
| Bill Baugh | $13,487 | $3,217 | -76.1% |
| Lost OWL Cattle Operations, LLC | $0 | $3,119 | -- |
| Rey Pin | $39,216 | $3,050 | -92.2% |
| Paul Kothmann | $4,101 | $2,799 | -31.7% |
| Elizabeth L. Menzies | $0 | $2,797 | -- |
| Herman Rayburn | $2,497 | $2,622 | 5% |
| Christy Coleman | $0 | $2,561 | -- |
| Gary E. Bates | $4,498 | $2,546 | -43.4% |
| Larry Rogers | $10,270 | $2,381 | -76.8% |
| Benny F. Kothmann | $12,876 | $2,069 | -83.9% |
| Diamond K Hunting Ranch, LLC | $0 | $1,980 | -- |
| Margaret Carroll | $4,603 | $1,932 | -58% |
| Walter McAllister | $5,363 | $1,593 | -70.3% |
| Jack W. Wilkinson | $0 | $1,495 | -- |
| Crawford & Collins I, Ltd. | $2,397 | $1,422 | -40.7% |
| Bart Wilkinson | $8,913 | $1,346 | -84.9% |
| March M. Compton Jr. | $0 | $1,320 | -- |
| Rayna Haney | $1,696 | $1,249 | -26.4% |
| Betty Rayburn | $0 | $1,205 | -- |
| Joan K. Menzies | $11,130 | $1,189 | -89.3% |
| E. H. Chandler Jr. | $0 | $902 | -- |
| Royal Ranch Cattle Company | $924 | $360 | -61% |
| Patsy M. Schwarz | $419 | $307 | -26.7% |
| Kothmann Commission Company | $687 | $268 | -61% |
| Menard Blue Hills Ranch, LLC | $0 | $198 | -- |
| Daniel Damon | $731 | $0 | -100% |
| Gil Trainer | $4,993 | $0 | -100% |
| John B Kniffen & Katherine L Knif | $10,286 | $0 | -100% |
| Kayla Williamson | $2,750 | $0 | -100% |
| Lee Callan | $7,441 | $0 | -100% |
| M Mcallister Family Partnership L | $10,754 | $0 | -100% |
| Marsha D. Nixon | $5,969 | $0 | -100% |
| Novice Kniffen | $15,079 | $0 | -100% |
| Teresa Merryman | $1,312 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,477,242 | $878,509 | -40.5% |
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