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In 2021, 264 farmers in cities within Linn County received a total of $9.2 million in 411 farm subsidies, a 63.6% increase from 2020, when the total was $5.6 million in 443 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 Linn County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malpass Farms, LLC | $0 | $547,865 | -- |
| Smith Bros. Farms, LLC | $0 | $500,000 | -- |
| Fir Ridge Holstein Farm, LLC | $611,775 | $409,728 | -33% |
| L3 Farms, Inc. | $0 | $376,014 | -- |
| Spurlin Farm, Inc. | $10,264 | $333,379 | 3,148% |
| Mark Parker Farms, LLC | $0 | $304,786 | -- |
| Doornenbal Dairy | $79,222 | $254,346 | 221.1% |
| Pimm Farms, Inc. | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Ernest Glaser, Inc. | $0 | $227,661 | -- |
| Devon J. Prescott | $323,972 | $199,919 | -38.3% |
| Kizer & Son, Inc. | $0 | $186,164 | -- |
| Wirth Farms, Inc. | $39,846 | $185,582 | 365.7% |
| Silbernagel Farms, Inc. | $0 | $172,694 | -- |
| JRW Farms, Inc. | $91,022 | $170,101 | 86.9% |
| Silver MTN Farm, LLC | $11,359 | $162,677 | 1,332.1% |
| A & R Farms, Inc. | $7,134 | $161,879 | 2,169.1% |
| Reed Anderson | $460,436 | $156,353 | -66% |
| Tenbusch Farms, LLC | $48,847 | $131,962 | 170.2% |
| Aart L Falk | $0 | $129,236 | -- |
| JRS Farms, Inc. | $15,923 | $125,587 | 688.7% |
| Gary Crossan Farms, LLC | $0 | $120,978 | -- |
| Anderson Sheep Company, Inc. | $0 | $117,875 | -- |
| Cersovski Farms, LLC | $20,725 | $116,215 | 460.7% |
| Lowell Kropf | $0 | $108,647 | -- |
| Martin Agent, LLC | $147,215 | $108,545 | -26.3% |
| Tena D. Fitzmorris | $0 | $106,936 | -- |
| Christian Freitag | $143,737 | $100,732 | -29.9% |
| Jay G. Crossan | $0 | $88,421 | -- |
| RM Cook Farm | $0 | $88,127 | -- |
| Roger Ruckert | $80,453 | $86,632 | 7.7% |
| Balkovich Farms, Inc. | $0 | $85,925 | -- |
| DK Seed Company | $0 | $82,650 | -- |
| Sand Ridge Farms, Inc. | $0 | $81,244 | -- |
| Baker Farms, Inc. | $32,221 | $77,009 | 139% |
| Shellene A. Dougherty | $0 | $73,509 | -- |
| Knox Seed, Inc. | $0 | $65,015 | -- |
| Jacob A. Anderson | $44,353 | $63,754 | 43.7% |
| Aj Lewis Farms, LLC | $0 | $62,748 | -- |
| Jerry John Dejong | $75,833 | $60,584 | -20.1% |
| Kirk Century Farms, Inc. | $3,638 | $59,578 | 1,537.7% |
| Richard Waggener | $104,689 | $56,722 | -45.8% |
| Joshua Fitzmorris | $0 | $56,535 | -- |
| J & D Farming, LLC | $0 | $56,418 | -- |
| Leroy Kropf | $0 | $53,319 | -- |
| Campbell Contract Cutting, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Ward Contracting, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Timber Line Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Scott Roth | $0 | $52,859 | -- |
| Mark Mitchell Farms Corporation, Ltd. | $3,704 | $51,191 | 1,282% |
| Isaac J. Krabill | $0 | $50,095 | -- |
| Lake Creek Farm Enterprises, Inc. | $0 | $48,616 | -- |
| David R. Whitehead | $0 | $43,244 | -- |
| Thomas Creek Cattle Company, LLC | $31,032 | $43,051 | 38.7% |
| J & S Grass Seed Farm, Inc. | $0 | $41,826 | -- |
| Brett J. Murray | $2,053 | $39,679 | 1,832.7% |
| Suzanne Townsend | $0 | $38,256 | -- |
| Carl Haugerud A. Farms | $67,702 | $37,984 | -43.9% |
| Tony Silbernagel | $0 | $37,605 | -- |
| Daniel Bierly | $0 | $37,429 | -- |
| Kyle Ruckert | $18,703 | $36,813 | 96.8% |
| Jesse J. Farver | $2,603 | $35,910 | 1,279.6% |
| Brian Scott Nelson | $0 | $35,167 | -- |
| Gourley Family Dairy, LLC | $46,994 | $34,773 | -26% |
| Robert G Cate Farms, LLC | $0 | $33,223 | -- |
| Lackner Brothers, LLC | $0 | $32,952 | -- |
| Mid Valley Natives, LLC | $0 | $32,828 | -- |
| Macey Wessels | $219 | $32,214 | 14,609.6% |
| Watt Properties, LLC | $0 | $32,012 | -- |
| Joe Doornenbal | $58,094 | $31,614 | -45.6% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $31,297 | -- |
| Eldon Townsend | $169,512 | $29,576 | -82.6% |
| Daniel Morais | $8,184 | $28,169 | 244.2% |
| Hoodlum Canyon Ranches, LLC | $27,748 | $27,748 | 0% |
| Mid Valley Livestock, LLC | $88,288 | $26,179 | -70.3% |
| Wayne B. Swango | $15,636 | $26,100 | 66.9% |
| Native Grounds Nursery, LLC | $0 | $23,977 | -- |
| Prescott Honey Farms, LLC | $0 | $23,723 | -- |
| John R. Phillips | $0 | $23,694 | -- |
| Debra Paul | $20,987 | $23,142 | 10.3% |
| Paul Dykast | $0 | $21,717 | -- |
| TS Farms, LLC | $0 | $21,197 | -- |
| Eric D. Shumaker | $0 | $20,543 | -- |
| Cardoza Dairy, LLC | $47,923 | $20,212 | -57.8% |
| Shirley A. Wittrig | $0 | $20,013 | -- |
| Adaptive Seeds, LLC | $0 | $19,595 | -- |
| Matt Parker | $32,894 | $19,287 | -41.4% |
| Mcdermid Century Farm, LLC | $28,721 | $19,140 | -33.4% |
| Lebanon Auction Yard, Inc. | $28,986 | $18,671 | -35.6% |
| Sharon Meyer | $9,285 | $18,036 | 94.2% |
| KB May, LLC | $0 | $17,742 | -- |
| Jeb Richard Hartnell | $4,522 | $16,621 | 267.6% |
| Wes Staley | $6,303 | $15,960 | 153.2% |
| Ronnie Wayne Meers | $0 | $15,691 | -- |
| Thomas M Nichols | $48,528 | $13,938 | -71.3% |
| Jerry Wayne Whaley | $0 | $13,531 | -- |
| Nicholas R. Wallace | $0 | $13,331 | -- |
| Joshua Daniel Roth | $0 | $13,243 | -- |
| Norman Ray Kropf | $0 | $13,140 | -- |
| Kenneth A. Powell | $2,843 | $12,826 | 351.1% |
| Donald Herb | $11,911 | $12,337 | 3.6% |
| John S. Cowdrey | $28,991 | $11,575 | -60.1% |
| Barnabas Kropf | $26,273 | $11,005 | -58.1% |
| Roy D. Stutzman | $11,001 | $11,001 | 0% |
| Scott M. Erion | $10,922 | $10,922 | 0% |
| Frontier Trading Company, Inc. | $21,626 | $10,622 | -50.9% |
| M & S Livestock | $36,635 | $10,493 | -71.4% |
| Ronald G. Nelson | $0 | $10,175 | -- |
| Rod Lester | $6,063 | $10,039 | 65.6% |
| Jake Fallesen | $13,042 | $10,017 | -23.2% |
| Scio Farms, LLC | $4,883 | $9,983 | 104.4% |
| Larry J. Coulter | $0 | $9,917 | -- |
| Larry A. Unruh | $12,926 | $9,823 | -24% |
| Brandy M. Gaskey | $0 | $9,613 | -- |
| Mylon L Unruh | $0 | $9,425 | -- |
| Jerry B. Skiles | $8,511 | $9,327 | 9.6% |
| Cody M. Wood | $77,808 | $9,136 | -88.3% |
| Rodney E. Weeks | $16,787 | $8,973 | -46.5% |
| Unrau Farms, LLC | $0 | $8,955 | -- |
| Maurice Short | $44,128 | $8,804 | -80% |
| Haigh Cattle, LLC | $0 | $8,423 | -- |
| Jon L. Carter | $9,987 | $8,298 | -16.9% |
| Staci de Jong | $0 | $8,207 | -- |
| Lucie Gouin | $0 | $7,975 | -- |
| Kraig Ohling | $0 | $7,959 | -- |
| John H. Marble | $12,119 | $7,773 | -35.9% |
| Brandon M. Herb | $0 | $7,590 | -- |
| Jered B. Rediger | $0 | $7,205 | -- |
| Crown B Ranch, LLC | $3,366 | $7,038 | 109.1% |
| Green Ridge Logging | $0 | $7,036 | -- |
| Amber Tinney | $1,914 | $6,716 | 250.9% |
| Valerie D Weaver Trust | $6,037 | $6,344 | 5.1% |
| Shonda Warner | $0 | $6,201 | -- |
| Dan L. Odam | $3,509 | $5,978 | 70.4% |
| Larry C. Brown | $8,063 | $5,964 | -26% |
| Levi Ryan McBeth | $27,572 | $5,845 | -78.8% |
| Steven Darle Cowdrey | $11,085 | $5,786 | -47.8% |
| Michelle Titeca | $3,828 | $5,652 | 47.6% |
| Emily J. Ruckert | $19,586 | $5,552 | -71.7% |
| Virginia Seiber | $10,231 | $5,222 | -49% |
| Stephen Zehr | $10,546 | $5,194 | -50.7% |
| Keith Anundi | $0 | $5,187 | -- |
| Michael L. Ellefson | $3,113 | $4,878 | 56.7% |
| Elizabeth S Trussart | $6,034 | $4,803 | -20.4% |
| Cassius John Nichols | $0 | $4,580 | -- |
| Kendra Georgene Rainwater Winans | $2,224 | $4,476 | 101.3% |
| Cody Cowart | $4,807 | $4,471 | -7% |
| Steve Gilbert | $4,235 | $4,235 | 0% |
| Thackaberry Sheep Farm | $18,630 | $4,228 | -77.3% |
| John Denham | $2,537 | $4,167 | 64.2% |
| Jacob Rice | $3,388 | $4,099 | 21% |
| Masog Ranch, LLC | $73,965 | $3,918 | -94.7% |
| Dick Bowers | $1,298 | $3,740 | 188.1% |
| Brian Dietrich | $24,212 | $3,681 | -84.8% |
| Revocable Living Trust of Bryan and Mary Moon | $0 | $3,638 | -- |
| Jennifer Arends | $0 | $3,538 | -- |
| Karen Clausen | $2,801 | $3,495 | 24.8% |
| Leo Baumgartner | $3,416 | $3,416 | 0% |
| Jarrod A. Brown | $3,350 | $3,350 | 0% |
| Sondra Willeen Swaving | $891 | $3,296 | 269.9% |
| Jared Khristian Lloyd | $0 | $3,240 | -- |
| Robert J. Babcock | $3,517 | $3,155 | -10.3% |
| Patricia L. Miller | $0 | $3,091 | -- |
| Diana Margason Olson | $548 | $3,023 | 451.6% |
| Farm and Four-Estate, LLC | $3,016 | $3,016 | 0% |
| Paul Jensen | $19,976 | $2,964 | -85.2% |
| Austin Lee Silbernagel | $0 | $2,936 | -- |
| Coy Cowart Jr. | $11,977 | $2,904 | -75.8% |
| David Mark Jones | $0 | $2,805 | -- |
| Mark Running | $2,754 | $2,754 | 0% |
| Taylor Silbernagel | $0 | $2,752 | -- |
| Linda Edwards | $0 | $2,724 | -- |
| Robert C Schmidig | $3,553 | $2,705 | -23.9% |
| Marble Family Trustee | $2,621 | $2,621 | 0% |
| Wayne Laird | $0 | $2,615 | -- |
| Research Mannikins, Inc. | $2,594 | $2,594 | 0% |
| Trevor Tinney | $528 | $2,589 | 390.3% |
| Tasha Wahl | $76,000 | $2,411 | -96.8% |
| Danny L. Young | $4,569 | $2,399 | -47.5% |
| Larry Lindemann | $759 | $2,307 | 204% |
| Beverly Forson | $2,236 | $2,236 | 0% |
| Leon Joe Kauffman | $0 | $2,224 | -- |
| Sarah E Ballini-Ross | $5,225 | $2,192 | -58% |
| Virgil Morris | $2,188 | $2,188 | 0% |
| Travis Quesenberry | $6,571 | $2,095 | -68.1% |
| Maureen M. Looney | $3,807 | $1,985 | -47.9% |
| Gene L. Peery | $1,930 | $1,930 | 0% |
| Keith & Jeanette Keesecker Family Trust | $0 | $1,928 | -- |
| Kenneth Crouse | $3,294 | $1,896 | -42.4% |
| Laura Holbrook | $1,888 | $1,888 | 0% |
| Kyle David Gilson | $0 | $1,815 | -- |
| Paul Brown | $4,186 | $1,805 | -56.9% |
| Lucinda E. Huntley | $2,533 | $1,799 | -29% |
| Loren Hostetler | $0 | $1,760 | -- |
| Suzanne H. Ross | $1,754 | $1,754 | 0% |
| John D Sekavec | $2,952 | $1,751 | -40.7% |
| Michael Lee Henry | $1,652 | $1,652 | 0% |
| Woodman Farms, Inc. | $4,492 | $1,631 | -63.7% |
| Edithann Erwin | $1,021 | $1,613 | 58% |
| Hazelnut Grove Farms, LLC | $0 | $1,567 | -- |
| Timothy Daniel Roth | $952 | $1,548 | 62.6% |
| Paul Freeman | $0 | $1,491 | -- |
| J-K Cattle Ranch, Inc. | $0 | $1,475 | -- |
| Glen Soltau | $1,424 | $1,424 | 0% |
| Bert & Betty Udell Family Tree Farms | $0 | $1,401 | -- |
| Jim Merzenich | $1,452 | $1,348 | -7.2% |
| John L. Perry | $1,346 | $1,346 | 0% |
| Marlin Dale Kauffman | $1,638 | $1,316 | -19.7% |
| Craig Clark | $13,636 | $1,264 | -90.7% |
| Brian P. O'Driscoll | $1,191 | $1,191 | 0% |
| Joan E. Wimmer | $1,780 | $1,183 | -33.5% |
| Daryl Roth | $2,363 | $1,170 | -50.5% |
| Sweet Home Community Chapel | $1,155 | $1,155 | 0% |
| Triple T Livestock, LLC | $3,982 | $1,149 | -71.1% |
| David Tolle | $1,244 | $1,061 | -14.7% |
| Patricia L. Viall | $1,992 | $1,032 | -48.2% |
| Steven R. Kendall | $1,177 | $1,027 | -12.7% |
| PK Pastures, LLC | $0 | $992 | -- |
| Martin J. Suing | $988 | $988 | 0% |
| Arpad Gerzsenyi | $2,640 | $986 | -62.7% |
| Beaver Dam Farm, LLC | $405 | $947 | 133.8% |
| Highland Oak Farm, LLC | $918 | $918 | 0% |
| Donald Nealon | $865 | $865 | 0% |
| Mary Susan Lamb | $5,444 | $834 | -84.7% |
| Colleen Monahan | $2,694 | $831 | -69.2% |
| David J. Landis | $5,960 | $824 | -86.2% |
| Thomas M. Garcy and Lorraine M. Garcy 1992 Revocab | $0 | $754 | -- |
| John Edward Wilgus | $309 | $729 | 135.9% |
| Annette Nightingale | $723 | $723 | 0% |
| Joel Timothy Nightingale | $3,344 | $704 | -78.9% |
| Cynthia Zwick | $1,266 | $679 | -46.4% |
| Carl Haugerud | $901 | $643 | -28.6% |
| John Hill | $640 | $640 | 0% |
| Craig A. Bierly | $401 | $630 | 57.1% |
| Edward L. Landis | $625 | $625 | 0% |
| Winnie Barron | $612 | $612 | 0% |
| Randall Lynn Jantzi | $403 | $609 | 51.1% |
| Danny Luckini | $14,980 | $599 | -96% |
| Richard O. Bates | $574 | $574 | 0% |
| Sylvia Fireman | $501 | $501 | 0% |
| Delbert L Scott Living Trust | $498 | $498 | 0% |
| Seth Spencer | $0 | $495 | -- |
| Jantz Revocable Living Trust | $4,085 | $492 | -88% |
| Matthew James Toews | $4,154 | $488 | -88.3% |
| Sandra Weingarten | $478 | $478 | 0% |
| Marlene Peterson | $474 | $474 | 0% |
| Neil B. Moffett | $0 | $472 | -- |
| Jeffery J. Horak | $1,046 | $463 | -55.7% |
| Edward Spurgeon | $0 | $452 | -- |
| Rodney Welk | $910 | $445 | -51.1% |
| Thomas Cserep | $384 | $384 | 0% |
| Jose Trinidad Jimenez | $762 | $380 | -50.1% |
| Anthony Laray Yoder | $9,295 | $377 | -95.9% |
| Martin Edward Bates | $1,588 | $350 | -78% |
| Daniel E. Knebel | $346 | $346 | 0% |
| Jonathan Mang | $336 | $336 | 0% |
| Louis Tiller | $680 | $317 | -53.4% |
| Mcdowell Creek Farm, LLC | $7,678 | $274 | -96.4% |
| Mark E. Beitel | $0 | $270 | -- |
| Craig Collins | $0 | $240 | -- |
| Michael Nehls | $179 | $179 | 0% |
| Shane D. Baker | $162 | $169 | 4.3% |
| Pascal K. Dionne | $14,890 | $155 | -99% |
| Gene Spurgeon | $551 | $99 | -82% |
| Simple Life Farms, Inc. | $13,627 | $65 | -99.5% |
| Thomas M. Garcy and Lorraine M. G | $754 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronnie Wayne Meers | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Legacy Valley Farms, LLC | $1,801 | $0 | -100% |
| Mike McCord | $4,561 | $0 | -100% |
| Aaron James Smucker | $19,446 | $0 | -100% |
| Beef Steak Ranch-Cm, Inc. | $413,941 | $0 | -100% |
| Brandon D. Baker | $3,431 | $0 | -100% |
| Demergasso Farms, LLC | $29,093 | $0 | -100% |
| Leroy D Kropf & Lowell E Kropf PA | $57,282 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Franz | $513 | $0 | -100% |
| Smucker Farms, Inc. | $27,391 | $0 | -100% |
| St. Philbert's Hazelnuts, LLC | $85,917 | $0 | -100% |
| Bert & Betty Udell Family Tree Fa | $1,401 | $0 | -100% |
| Christina Jean Kleinschmit | $171,919 | $0 | -100% |
| Clyde D. Wilson | $12,842 | $0 | -100% |
| David M. Howe | $7,034 | $0 | -100% |
| Jack Scott Farms, Inc. | $65,205 | $0 | -100% |
| Jersey Lane Farms, LLC | $58,429 | $0 | -100% |
| Persephone Farm, LLC | $15,012 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard Graham | $6,900 | $0 | -100% |
| Springbank Farm, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Fox Valley Farms, LLC | $69,400 | $0 | -100% |
| Swaggart Ranch | $14,720 | $0 | -100% |
| Gourley Farms, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin M. Tracey | $2,728 | $0 | -100% |
| Mylon L | $2,805 | $0 | -100% |
| Scio Farms 226, LLC | $2,871 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen N. Toews | $968 | $0 | -100% |
| TJY Properties, LLC | $19,726 | $0 | -100% |
| Top Hat Mushrooms, Inc. | $349,664 | $0 | -100% |
| Warren M. Toews | $3,100 | $0 | -100% |
| Jack T. Norton | $4,553 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis J. Bartlett | $28,073 | $0 | -100% |
| Keith & Jeanette Keesecker Family | $1,797 | $0 | -100% |
| Dean M. Barton | $5,819 | $0 | -100% |
| Revocable Living Trust of Bryan a | $7,467 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven Allen Nyseth | $13,086 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $5,364 | $0 | -100% |
| Half Dome Citrus, LLC | $16,855 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $5,592,536 | $9,152,152 | 63.6% |
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