Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock
In 2021, 63 farmers in cities within St. Johns County received a total of $1.5 million in 86 farm subsidies, a 72.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $5.5 million in 161 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tater Farms, LLC | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Bulls-Hit Ranch & Farm, Inc. | $0 | $240,176 | -- |
| Janice Lee Ranch | $195,749 | $188,685 | -3.6% |
| Bayside Enviromentals, LLC | $0 | $163,426 | -- |
| James D. Brewer | $51,740 | $96,520 | 86.5% |
| Citrus Pride, Inc. | $0 | $77,863 | -- |
| Lenora P. Brewer | $22,902 | $72,449 | 216.3% |
| Robert C. Brewer | $39,626 | $52,024 | 31.3% |
| RCB Desoto, LLC | $0 | $37,431 | -- |
| Lands Farms Holdings, LLC | $0 | $29,001 | -- |
| James D. Brewer and E Coleman Brewer | $0 | $22,915 | -- |
| Kamla Farms | $20,074 | $19,906 | -0.8% |
| Clifford Holdings, LLC | $20,743 | $19,853 | -4.3% |
| Sara Corey Parker | $15,809 | $17,863 | 13% |
| Smith Brothers Enterprise, LLP | $48,510 | $17,577 | -63.8% |
| William Revels Farm, LLC | $382,548 | $15,783 | -95.9% |
| Ferris E. George Jr. | $36,421 | $15,524 | -57.4% |
| S and S Land Management, LLC | $0 | $15,278 | -- |
| Wesley Wells Farms, LLC | $20,567 | $13,014 | -36.7% |
| Etta Y. Rouse | $16,391 | $12,161 | -25.8% |
| Schmoe Family, LLP | $0 | $11,344 | -- |
| Charlotte Grimes Farms | $42,518 | $11,080 | -73.9% |
| Richard Wells JR Farms, LLC | $112,979 | $9,000 | -92% |
| Ernest Coleman Brewer Estate | $0 | $8,022 | -- |
| Melli-Bixby Grant County Trust | $318 | $7,977 | 2,408.5% |
| Jody Counts | $15,697 | $5,195 | -66.9% |
| Pacetti Farms, Inc. | $11,220 | $4,256 | -62.1% |
| Miller Living Trust | $8,895 | $3,862 | -56.6% |
| William Eric Oldrup | $8,734 | $3,675 | -57.9% |
| Crescent Lake Farms, LLC | $180,760 | $3,633 | -98% |
| Thomas H Beach Farm, Inc. | $19,198 | $3,162 | -83.5% |
| James R. Brewer | $0 | $3,069 | -- |
| Mary Christine Lange | $3,424 | $2,447 | -28.5% |
| Leitner Farms, LLC | $3,978 | $2,069 | -48% |
| Michelle M. Benham | $4,150 | $2,005 | -51.7% |
| Gerald W. Carver | $4,838 | $2,003 | -58.6% |
| Anthony Bozarth | $3,131 | $1,641 | -47.6% |
| Janice S Mcfather | $2,333 | $1,551 | -33.5% |
| Wesley H. Smith | $7,165 | $1,530 | -78.6% |
| Beth S Masters | $1,492 | $1,492 | 0% |
| Mary K. Shaw | $1,492 | $1,492 | 0% |
| Patricia Ann Spencer Kartheiser | $0 | $1,153 | -- |
| Paul M Dachton | $218 | $957 | 339% |
| Kenn C. Brandt | $2,832 | $882 | -68.9% |
| Patricia A. McInerney | $748 | $748 | 0% |
| Kelli S. McNames | $1,148 | $705 | -38.6% |
| Elsa Morse | $957 | $667 | -30.3% |
| Robert E. Griffin | $1,262 | $626 | -50.4% |
| George A. Stultz | $1,640 | $621 | -62.1% |
| Hilda Butler | $487 | $595 | 22.2% |
| Robert Crecelius Trust | $2,353 | $512 | -78.2% |
| Andrea Hunter | $0 | $500 | -- |
| Ginger Frye | $811 | $435 | -46.4% |
| Hellen D Gaff | $891 | $425 | -52.3% |
| Eric D. Reagan | $314 | $314 | 0% |
| Dawn T. Thorsness | $372 | $291 | -21.8% |
| Gaylee a Thorsness | $372 | $291 | -21.8% |
| Mary Ann Jones | $150 | $237 | 58% |
| Nicholas Mina | $639 | $233 | -63.5% |
| Donna Lee Henry | $309 | $232 | -24.9% |
| Michael O. Bagley | $1,759 | $136 | -92.3% |
| Richard Fuller | $0 | $62 | -- |
| Rhonda Bryant | $83 | $29 | -65.1% |
| Barnes Farms, LLLP | $750,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Blue SKY Farms, LLC | $280,389 | $0 | -100% |
| Byrnes Farms, Inc. | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| C P & Wesley Smith, Inc. | $77,511 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael O. Revels Sr. | $212,456 | $0 | -100% |
| Singleton and Sons Farms, Inc. | $197,984 | $0 | -100% |
| The Smith Group, LLC | $934,948 | $0 | -100% |
| Tidewater Farms, LLC | $197,662 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa A. Ward | $348 | $0 | -100% |
| Melli-Bixby Grant County Trust | $14 | $0 | -100% |
| Picolata Produce Farms, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Gebhard | $2,013 | $0 | -100% |
| Virginia M Hull Estate | $5,530 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilson Family Farm, Ltd. | $501,285 | $0 | -100% |
| Adam J. Dixon | $2,166 | $0 | -100% |
| Ben Wells Produce, LLC | $97,770 | $0 | -100% |
| Elaine Dilbeck | $906 | $0 | -100% |
| GLW Farm, Inc. | $2,346 | $0 | -100% |
| Jim Medlock | $118 | $0 | -100% |
| Kathleen Capo | $6,353 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelz Nursery, Inc. | $50,213 | $0 | -100% |
| Leigh Ann Depriest | $2,225 | $0 | -100% |
| Marta S. Curtis | $324 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael J Ranguette | $2,397 | $0 | -100% |
| Phil Cubbedge | $6,151 | $0 | -100% |
| Ward Agent Products, LLC | $57,530 | $0 | -100% |
| Donna Henry | $155 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $5,459,541 | $1,478,605 | -72.9% |
Alerts Sign-up