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In 2021, 29 farmers in cities within Marquette County received a total of $296,434 in 52 farm subsidies, a 12.3% increase from 2020, when the total was $263,920 in 74 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Pillote | $113,820 | $52,922 | -53.5% |
| Fraley Brothers and Sons Logging | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Heidtman Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Dillon Forest Products, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Ronald Graves | $0 | $14,640 | -- |
| Lake Dana, LLC | $0 | $10,503 | -- |
| Bill Devooght | $45,685 | $10,145 | -77.8% |
| Tim Devooght | $5,445 | $7,025 | 29% |
| Pirmans Corner Farm, Inc. | $17,194 | $5,921 | -65.6% |
| Dan Devooght | $0 | $5,890 | -- |
| Bahrman Potato Farm | $12,467 | $4,979 | -60.1% |
| Marjorie Ramsey Marjorie J Ramsey Liv Trust | $7,075 | $4,403 | -37.8% |
| Laura Brosius | $0 | $4,316 | -- |
| Seanan Eileen Thatcher | $0 | $3,751 | -- |
| Dale E Gould and Kathryn M Gould Trust | $3,148 | $3,488 | 10.8% |
| Edwin Paul Reed | $6,307 | $2,089 | -66.9% |
| Connie Hamm Duncanson | $1,799 | $969 | -46.1% |
| Daphne M. Greenwood | $2,353 | $909 | -61.4% |
| Joseph W. Patrick | $1,142 | $874 | -23.5% |
| Leslie J. Patrick | $1,142 | $874 | -23.5% |
| Bahrmans Farm, LLC | $4,763 | $831 | -82.6% |
| James Ingle | $1,946 | $803 | -58.7% |
| Seeds & Spores Family Farm, LLC | $5,022 | $675 | -86.6% |
| Garry L Koehn - Garry Koehn Revocable Trust | $564 | $564 | 0% |
| Charles A. Bergdahl | $4,007 | $426 | -89.4% |
| Timothy M. Peiffer | $409 | $345 | -15.6% |
| Heidi Jo Heidtman-Brest | $1,444 | $262 | -81.9% |
| Michael Steven Reed | $832 | $204 | -75.5% |
| Reba Debacker | $370 | $1 | -99.7% |
| Angela Martin | $11,950 | $0 | -100% |
| Stacyjo Schiller | $6,650 | $0 | -100% |
| Ralph Ball Jr. | $1,146 | $0 | -100% |
| Derek Paul Lindstrom | $114 | $0 | -100% |
| Gabriel O Caplett | $6,284 | $0 | -100% |
| Monica Virta | $457 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Bach | $385 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $263,920 | $296,434 | 12.3% |
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