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In 2021, 75 farmers in cities within Robertson County received a total of $101,546 in 98 farm subsidies, a 78.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $462,860 in 215 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donnie Myers | $7,944 | $10,170 | 28% |
| Kirk Alexander | $104,905 | $10,016 | -90.5% |
| Brandon S. Price | $8,758 | $5,371 | -38.7% |
| Oney Gifford Jr. | $21,032 | $5,348 | -74.6% |
| Jamie Brumagen | $16,541 | $4,067 | -75.4% |
| Adrian Craig | $4,664 | $3,971 | -14.9% |
| Greg Rose | $12,872 | $3,094 | -76% |
| Daniel C. Case | $11,304 | $3,063 | -72.9% |
| Billy Stitt | $11,649 | $3,053 | -73.8% |
| Kelvin Gay | $17,646 | $2,761 | -84.4% |
| Christina Price | $9,147 | $2,341 | -74.4% |
| Leslie Farm Partnership | $9,250 | $2,311 | -75% |
| Luther Allen Wright | $21,515 | $2,275 | -89.4% |
| Cody B. Brumley | $2,830 | $2,242 | -20.8% |
| Wayman Tilton | $5,885 | $2,013 | -65.8% |
| Aaron A. Myers | $14,234 | $1,991 | -86% |
| Thomas G. Mitchell | $7,327 | $1,678 | -77.1% |
| Gayle King | $0 | $1,650 | -- |
| Terry Price | $600 | $1,608 | 168% |
| Jerdy Moran | $12,853 | $1,602 | -87.5% |
| Judy Morford | $11,451 | $1,534 | -86.6% |
| Kevin Dotson | $5,576 | $1,276 | -77.1% |
| Karen Morford Burton | $3,011 | $1,239 | -58.9% |
| James D. Curtis | $6,304 | $1,226 | -80.6% |
| Diana E. Poe | $8,465 | $1,157 | -86.3% |
| Randol S. Thomas | $4,400 | $1,048 | -76.2% |
| Billy Rose | $4,609 | $1,020 | -77.9% |
| Daniel Jolly | $2,948 | $1,012 | -65.7% |
| Troy Martin | $8,092 | $976 | -87.9% |
| Michael Buckler | $3,817 | $957 | -74.9% |
| Mike Dotson | $3,003 | $880 | -70.7% |
| Rodney L. Brossart | $5,443 | $846 | -84.5% |
| Jordan F. Massey | $3,323 | $826 | -75.1% |
| Henry W. Schrenk | $1,584 | $824 | -48% |
| Karen Curtis | $4,592 | $817 | -82.2% |
| Ella L. Case | $2,183 | $812 | -62.8% |
| Darrin Martin | $6,815 | $750 | -89% |
| Harley Douglas Flack | $2,432 | $736 | -69.7% |
| James A. Brumagen | $3,582 | $682 | -81% |
| Gregory Slade | $2,211 | $667 | -69.8% |
| Travis Pitts | $2,926 | $642 | -78.1% |
| George Brumley | $2,915 | $637 | -78.1% |
| Ellis Family Farm Partnership | $3,212 | $599 | -81.4% |
| Fred D. Hester | $2,420 | $588 | -75.7% |
| Darrell W. Moore | $2,761 | $565 | -79.5% |
| David Carmack | $3,995 | $535 | -86.6% |
| Jackie Mitchell | $858 | $515 | -40% |
| Ronnie L. McConnell | $1,947 | $500 | -74.3% |
| Steven B. Malone | $0 | $495 | -- |
| Jerry Fooks | $2,841 | $474 | -83.3% |
| Franklin R. Moore | $1,653 | $431 | -73.9% |
| Carl D. Miller | $1,551 | $398 | -74.3% |
| Jeffrey White | $2,088 | $396 | -81% |
| Kenneth O. Brockman | $1,219 | $372 | -69.5% |
| Ballingal Farm, LLC | $6,867 | $369 | -94.6% |
| Larry Miller | $979 | $368 | -62.4% |
| Edward C. Burns | $1,155 | $345 | -70.1% |
| Wendell R. Haag | $4,661 | $332 | -92.9% |
| Russell Lovins | $1,265 | $325 | -74.3% |
| Rick Alexander | $1,692 | $300 | -82.3% |
| Rodney Massey | $1,319 | $297 | -77.5% |
| Ernest Ellis | $594 | $249 | -58.1% |
| Lannis Mcconnell JR | $2,528 | $242 | -90.4% |
| Roger Lynn Poe Jr. | $1,122 | $225 | -79.9% |
| William G. Paynter | $1,395 | $224 | -83.9% |
| Sherry C. Myers | $1,762 | $207 | -88.3% |
| Benny Ray Renner | $726 | $166 | -77.1% |
| Janet Blevins | $0 | $144 | -- |
| Terry A. Cracraft | $660 | $142 | -78.5% |
| Jeanne Meacham | $352 | $114 | -67.6% |
| Kathy Meacham | $352 | $114 | -67.6% |
| Rogelio Delgado | $1,184 | $107 | -91% |
| Jason Michael Perry | $2,904 | $91 | -96.9% |
| Katie G. Zornes | $275 | $74 | -73.1% |
| Libby B. Stitt | $0 | $54 | -- |
| Beverly Ridenour | $385 | $0 | -100% |
| Carolyn Pratt | $605 | $0 | -100% |
| James D. Stewart | $364 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeanine Gallagher | $1,076 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry D. Stewart | $364 | $0 | -100% |
| KRA Enterprises, LLC | $233 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry D. Adamson | $165 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Provence | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| Nicholas Flack | $564 | $0 | -100% |
| Phillip Messer | $880 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald Gallagher | $275 | $0 | -100% |
| Tawnya Boyd | $54 | $0 | -100% |
| Troy D. Fooks | $700 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $462,860 | $101,546 | -78.1% |
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