Farms throughout cities in Perry County received $2.9 million less in subsidies in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to the year before.
In 2021, 150 farmers in cities within Perry County received a total of $2 million in 344 farm subsidies, a 59.3% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.9 million in 598 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.
Farmers and Their Subsidies in Cities Associated with Perry County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith M. W. Farms | $722,993 | $187,237 | -74.1% |
| Logan M. Bower | $506,681 | $170,151 | -66.4% |
| Nevin G. Rice | $132,546 | $92,056 | -30.5% |
| Dennis M. Auker | $110,298 | $79,239 | -28.2% |
| Wilmer J. Horst | $81,234 | $72,429 | -10.8% |
| Galen R. Horst | $78,076 | $72,221 | -7.5% |
| Sheldon E. Nolt | $69,926 | $59,417 | -15% |
| Lamar I. Horst | $72,442 | $54,475 | -24.8% |
| Haas-N-Lu Registered Holsteins | $94,810 | $52,070 | -45.1% |
| Brenda S. Hollister | $48,989 | $45,685 | -6.7% |
| Richard E. Bucher | $51,429 | $43,648 | -15.1% |
| James R. Hoover | $39,822 | $43,107 | 8.2% |
| N O Bonsall Sons, Inc. | $58,881 | $41,700 | -29.2% |
| Philip M. Wenger | $47,854 | $40,655 | -15% |
| Kendall F. Byers | $51,651 | $39,749 | -23% |
| Wendell T. Stone | $55,593 | $37,275 | -33% |
| Seven Stars Dairy | $307,513 | $35,969 | -88.3% |
| James M. Adams | $51,871 | $34,132 | -34.2% |
| L R Cauffman and Sons | $24,848 | $33,479 | 34.7% |
| Nekoda View Farms, LLC | $192,190 | $32,959 | -82.9% |
| John L. Hetrick | $55,199 | $32,490 | -41.1% |
| Homineata Farms | $66,464 | $24,907 | -62.5% |
| Benjamin A. Mitchell | $34,264 | $24,569 | -28.3% |
| Beaver Ridge Farm, Inc. | $9,742 | $23,887 | 145.2% |
| Jason S. Pontius | $34,785 | $22,999 | -33.9% |
| Richard H. Bratton | $40,807 | $22,505 | -44.9% |
| Ronald E. Shutt | $23,345 | $19,256 | -17.5% |
| Brian E. Brubaker | $47,385 | $18,966 | -60% |
| Edgar W. Byers | $21,535 | $14,716 | -31.7% |
| Burkholder Family Farms, LLC | $35,188 | $14,524 | -58.7% |
| Edward K. Trout | $47,682 | $14,344 | -69.9% |
| Matter Family Farms, LLC | $0 | $13,836 | — |
| Keith G. Byers | $38,993 | $13,735 | -64.8% |
| Gerald R. Gabel | $18,281 | $13,661 | -25.3% |
| Greenbar Poultry, LLC | $0 | $13,311 | — |
| Kenneth E. Beers | $21,391 | $12,767 | -40.3% |
| Christopher P. Willhide | $32,895 | $12,419 | -62.2% |
| James L. Wright Jr. | $30,871 | $12,322 | -60.1% |
| Agrophilos, Inc. | $12,829 | $10,111 | -21.2% |
| Gerald K. Holman | $9,778 | $9,778 | 0% |
| Stephen J. Hinkel | $17,221 | $9,338 | -45.8% |
| Edgar P. Lingle | $12,713 | $9,134 | -28.2% |
| Haas-N-Lu Registered Holsteins Retired, GP | $0 | $8,948 | — |
| Haas-N-Lu Registered Holsteins – Do Not Use | $0 | $8,750 | — |
| Greenbar Farm, LLC | $15,622 | $8,747 | -44% |
| Debra L. Rock | $8,224 | $8,691 | 5.7% |
| Glen R. Cauffman | $16,751 | $8,407 | -49.8% |
| Clarence S. Martin | $9,280 | $8,202 | -11.6% |
| Jane P. Benner | $8,871 | $8,041 | -9.4% |
| Jesse E. Singleton | $10,004 | $8,000 | -20% |
| Joyce A. Wheeler | $7,678 | $7,678 | 0% |
| Eugene M. Nolt | $7,198 | $7,633 | 6% |
| Grant S. Finkenbinder | $13,829 | $7,290 | -47.3% |
| Joseph A. Albright | $11,348 | $7,205 | -36.5% |
| Lon L. Barrick | $11,451 | $6,803 | -40.6% |
| Glenn O. Ebersole | $14,212 | $6,461 | -54.5% |
| Gary M. Horst | $6,677 | $6,338 | -5.1% |
| Hickory Lane Farm, LLC | $619,418 | $6,195 | -99% |
| Todd J. Cauffman | $24,514 | $6,087 | -75.2% |
| Jason L. Snyder | $12,380 | $6,083 | -50.9% |
| Milton R. Bower | $5,754 | $5,754 | 0% |
| Byersholm Farms | $12,787 | $5,607 | -56.2% |
| Byers Homestead Farm Limited Partnership | $0 | $5,559 | — |
| Sherwin Zimmerman | $9,709 | $5,417 | -44.2% |
| Cameron Farms, Inc. | $10,476 | $5,239 | -50% |
| Michael A. Conrad | $4,130 | $5,211 | 26.2% |
| Paul S. Deimler | $10,847 | $5,172 | -52.3% |
| Carol Willow Eckenrode | $5,093 | $5,093 | 0% |
| Roger D. Graham | $6,099 | $5,036 | -17.4% |
| Stephen R. Peck | $7,676 | $4,922 | -35.9% |
| Leroy R. Shutt | $10,030 | $4,863 | -51.5% |
| William L. Reisinger III | $11,206 | $4,824 | -57% |
| Jonathan P. Bigley | $4,776 | $4,776 | 0% |
| Richard L. Bolze | $7,158 | $4,697 | -34.4% |
| Kenneth L. Fahnestock | $3,723 | $4,636 | 24.5% |
| Scott a Brofee | $8,033 | $4,616 | -42.5% |
| Marvin M. Nolt | $14,325 | $4,427 | -69.1% |
| Jay E. Jones | $7,033 | $4,344 | -38.2% |
| Albert E. Tompkins Jr. | $0 | $4,341 | — |
| Robert W. Gabel | $2,824 | $4,292 | 52% |
| Triple J Farm | $9,154 | $4,187 | -54.3% |
| Travis L. McKeehan | $11,283 | $3,970 | -64.8% |
| Danny E. Rice | $10,268 | $3,932 | -61.7% |
| David E. Delancey | $4,456 | $3,887 | -12.8% |
| Edward E. McMillen | $10,264 | $3,885 | -62.1% |
| Dane F. Rumberger | $5,148 | $3,778 | -26.6% |
| Richard W. Gill | $7,905 | $3,753 | -52.5% |
| Arnolds Christmas Tree Farm, LLC | $0 | $3,504 | — |
| Terry L. Woods | $3,426 | $3,426 | 0% |
| Kenneth J. Martz | $6,216 | $3,320 | -46.6% |
| Peter’s Farm | $4,591 | $3,280 | -28.6% |
| Spinning Wheel Valley Farms | $6,607 | $3,269 | -50.5% |
| James F. Bolze | $8,880 | $3,266 | -63.2% |
| Eckley Farm | $7,202 | $3,218 | -55.3% |
| Raymond B. Zimmerman | $37,371 | $2,942 | -92.1% |
| Rodney L. Rhoades | $4,828 | $2,871 | -40.5% |
| Michael L. Rhoades | $2,856 | $2,856 | 0% |
| Allen R. Conrad | $7,888 | $2,739 | -65.3% |
| David G. Morrison | $2,730 | $2,730 | 0% |
| Ira D. Zook | $48,870 | $2,728 | -94.4% |
| George E. Barnes | $5,171 | $2,694 | -47.9% |
| John W. Hines | $1,270 | $2,656 | 109.1% |
| Warren Watts | $9,354 | $2,641 | -71.8% |
| Raymond P. Sheaffer Jr. | $1,488 | $2,606 | 75.1% |
| Marlin E. Dillman | $3,910 | $2,585 | -33.9% |
| Steven L. Eichman | $2,528 | $2,528 | 0% |
| Brad A. Barrick | $3,368 | $2,488 | -26.1% |
| David R. Wilson | $2,447 | $2,447 | 0% |
| Stephen N. Benedict | $2,392 | $2,392 | 0% |
| Cris N. Smith | $11,498 | $2,297 | -80% |
| Garry L. Mellinger | $3,257 | $2,294 | -29.6% |
| Richard K. Kriebel | $2,545 | $2,281 | -10.4% |
| Derek H. Smith | $2,261 | $2,261 | 0% |
| Paul L. Finkenbinder | $6,702 | $2,236 | -66.6% |
| Joe L. Smith | $2,659 | $2,184 | -17.9% |
| Donnie G. Miller | $2,964 | $2,081 | -29.8% |
| Donald S. Baker | $2,120 | $2,047 | -3.4% |
| Scott W. Morrison | $2,032 | $2,032 | 0% |
| John G. Pellman | $469 | $2,022 | 331.1% |
| Mark L. Richard | $4,669 | $1,929 | -58.7% |
| Raub Farms | $10,472 | $1,818 | -82.6% |
| Harry A. Horting Jr. | $4,293 | $1,770 | -58.8% |
| Frederick K. Wallace | $3,660 | $1,762 | -51.9% |
| Donald E. Krick Sr. | $506 | $1,760 | 247.8% |
| Jeremy C. Rice | $471 | $1,723 | 265.8% |
| Peter E. Brummer | $33,500 | $1,578 | -95.3% |
| James E. Lyons | $1,501 | $1,501 | 0% |
| Dennis R. Gilbert | $7,790 | $1,389 | -82.2% |
| Justin D Zitsch | $1,179 | $1,344 | 14% |
| Dale W. Adams | $6,795 | $1,336 | -80.3% |
| Kevin Eslinger | $2,340 | $904 | -61.4% |
| Sarver Farms, LLC | $1,504 | $660 | -56.1% |
| James D. Markle | $0 | $629 | — |
| Robin Loy | $1,716 | $621 | -63.8% |
| Robert F. Wolfe | $1,835 | $600 | -67.3% |
| Gerry A. Stone | $2,344 | $559 | -76.2% |
| Douglas Wentzel | $1,084 | $542 | -50% |
| Gary H. Haas | $702 | $532 | -24.2% |
| Andrew Nolt | $0 | $470 | — |
| Yeehaw Farm, LLC | $7,433 | $440 | -94.1% |
| Gothel Farms | $878 | $439 | -50% |
| Michael L. Fisher | $0 | $390 | — |
| Timothy E. Naugle | $334 | $334 | 0% |
| Robin M. Bahrenburg | $7,638 | $280 | -96.3% |
| Robert Hines | $3,306 | $181 | -94.5% |
| Joseph Haas | $0 | $170 | — |
| Patrick A. Finkenbinder | $1,720 | $160 | -90.7% |
| Robert H. Martin | $43,879 | $143 | -99.7% |
| Christopher S. Sherman | $440 | $90 | -79.5% |
| Christopher P. Boaz | $826 | $37 | -95.5% |
| Chicano Sol, LLC | $23,528 | $0 | -100% |
| Linford Z. Nolt | $9,456 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia A. Gutheil | $331 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger G. Wilt | $146 | $0 | -100% |
| Carl R. Horst | $55,346 | $0 | -100% |
| Arthur V. Kling | $2,200 | $0 | -100% |
| Justin D Zitsch | $1,372 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew W. Cameron | $567 | $0 | -100% |
| Byers Homestead Farm Limited Part | $5,873 | $0 | -100% |
| Cedar Glen Farms | $440 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles C. Smith | $379 | $0 | -100% |
| Delmar Stauffer | $800 | $0 | -100% |
| Jonathan G. Bucher | $1,431 | $0 | -100% |
| Keegan W. Strawser | $1,114 | $0 | -100% |
| Anna L. Santini | $11,935 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald J Halke II | $1,323 | $0 | -100% |
| Gwendolyn M. Soult | $14,447 | $0 | -100% |
| Sandra K. Knouse | $21,521 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,923,553 | $2,004,017 | -59.3% |
