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In 2021, 73 farmers in cities within Island County received a total of $1 million in 119 farm subsidies, a 22% increase from 2020, when the total was $853,128 in 137 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRH Fisheries, LLC | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Brian Sterba | $0 | $50,237 | -- |
| Collins Fisheries, Inc. | $0 | $40,456 | -- |
| TFM Fishing, LLC | $0 | $36,872 | -- |
| Kyle O. Waldron | $0 | $34,795 | -- |
| Steven Waldron | $0 | $34,000 | -- |
| Wild River Seafood II, LLC | $0 | $32,345 | -- |
| Laura M. Jensen | $33,142 | $31,471 | -5% |
| Donald W. Bergquist | $0 | $31,408 | -- |
| David Wichers | $0 | $28,983 | -- |
| Seeker, Inc. | $0 | $27,772 | -- |
| F/V Williwaw, Inc. | $0 | $26,772 | -- |
| Ebey Road Farm, Inc. | $36,557 | $26,249 | -28.2% |
| Bonnie Talkington | $31,122 | $24,999 | -19.7% |
| Christopher Wichers | $0 | $24,808 | -- |
| Keith B. Anderson | $0 | $23,908 | -- |
| Richard Bengamin Hanson | $0 | $21,570 | -- |
| Kelly L. Moseler | $0 | $20,345 | -- |
| Sherhill Vista Farms, LLC | $12,827 | $20,291 | 58.2% |
| Gary F Kohlwes JR | $0 | $19,904 | -- |
| Luke Schwantes | $0 | $18,948 | -- |
| Verna Turnmire Estate | $63,383 | $17,138 | -73% |
| 3 Sisters Cattle Company, LLC | $55,503 | $16,140 | -70.9% |
| Bell-Mueller, LLC | $0 | $13,990 | -- |
| Carl M. Larsen | $0 | $12,450 | -- |
| Constance L. McDonald | $11,511 | $11,511 | 0% |
| Duane Nienhuis | $0 | $11,498 | -- |
| Robert W. Engle | $7,329 | $11,002 | 50.1% |
| Engle Family Farms, LLC | $17,693 | $10,621 | -40% |
| Pamela S. Uhlig | $0 | $9,319 | -- |
| DF Mordhorst Land Company, LLC | $16,773 | $9,065 | -46% |
| Tony Franulovich | $0 | $7,749 | -- |
| Sherman Family Farms, LLC | $39,772 | $7,276 | -81.7% |
| Walker Fam Tr | $20,306 | $7,237 | -64.4% |
| Raymond Verville | $4,199 | $6,484 | 54.4% |
| Jack A. Krug | $4,847 | $5,487 | 13.2% |
| Turnmire Properties, LLC | $0 | $4,888 | -- |
| Lovvorn Family Trust | $7,607 | $3,699 | -51.4% |
| Jeanie McElwain | $5,875 | $3,353 | -42.9% |
| Leona Mae Swanson Estate | $2,976 | $3,147 | 5.7% |
| Scott A. Lawson | $0 | $3,093 | -- |
| Brant Baxter | $0 | $3,057 | -- |
| Lee V. Dudley | $404 | $2,995 | 641.3% |
| Mardelle L Dennis | $2,178 | $2,991 | 37.3% |
| Timothy J. Keohane | $0 | $2,680 | -- |
| Anthony O. Doty | $0 | $2,558 | -- |
| Frederick E. Jung | $4,813 | $2,548 | -47.1% |
| Richard E Werttemberger JR | $3,909 | $2,339 | -40.2% |
| Mordhorst Family Properties, LLC | $4,156 | $2,260 | -45.6% |
| Victoria E. Moore | $377 | $1,671 | 343.2% |
| Robert L. Brown | $0 | $1,251 | -- |
| Oran G. Downs | $3,444 | $1,246 | -63.8% |
| Janice M. Johnson | $0 | $1,221 | -- |
| Jerry C Millhon | $1,204 | $1,204 | 0% |
| Beverly A. Bledsoe | $0 | $1,051 | -- |
| Wendi J. Tow | $1,974 | $987 | -50% |
| Billy G. Jones | $916 | $916 | 0% |
| Heather Moore | $1,137 | $893 | -21.5% |
| Philip E. Moore Jr. | $1,137 | $893 | -21.5% |
| Jane Weeks Schwer | $0 | $882 | -- |
| Alice M. Birkner | $834 | $834 | 0% |
| Marion Tucker Family Partnership, Ltd. | $0 | $818 | -- |
| Mary Lou Whisenand | $1,656 | $642 | -61.2% |
| Douglas R. Beck | $126 | $619 | 391.3% |
| Floyd Alan Nave | $785 | $587 | -25.2% |
| Karen Fay | $941 | $501 | -46.8% |
| Tom Carsten | $306 | $306 | 0% |
| Shirley Cutler IRRV Trustee | $1,104 | $256 | -76.8% |
| Shannon Ware | $612 | $248 | -59.5% |
| Cathleen W. Sullivan | $4,094 | $236 | -94.2% |
| Jaime Ruddell | $395 | $233 | -41% |
| Dale A. Sherman | $45,254 | $212 | -99.5% |
| John M. Prendergast | $473 | $205 | -56.7% |
| Michael P. Schille | $53,760 | $0 | -100% |
| Robbin V. Schill | $1,787 | $0 | -100% |
| Ryo Joe Harada Family Rev Trust | $732 | $0 | -100% |
| Day Family Irrevocable Trust | $2,652 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward Joseph Johnson Estate | $8,896 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Christensen | $7,920 | $0 | -100% |
| Emma Leggett | $1,840 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary R. Egerton | $8,150 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob W. Gardner | $36,743 | $0 | -100% |
| Jimmy D. Leggett | $23,868 | $0 | -100% |
| Leona M. Swanson | $1,025 | $0 | -100% |
| Marion Tucker Family Partners, Ltd. | $857 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael W. Morgan | $39,432 | $0 | -100% |
| Tanner Petry | $60,740 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian E. Allison | $73,337 | $0 | -100% |
| Nancy O. Sherrer | $8,038 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert M. Olson | $20,603 | $0 | -100% |
| Vinton Waldron | $49,097 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $853,128 | $1,040,620 | 22% |
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