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In 2021, 39 farmers in cities within Merrimack County received a total of $1.5 million in 61 farm subsidies, a 37.4% increase from 2020, when the total was $1.1 million in 133 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lef Farms Corporation | $0 | $306,359 | -- |
| D S Cole Growers Incorporated | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Pine Lane Farm, LLC | $209,161 | $141,315 | -32.4% |
| Bohanan Farm, LLC | $0 | $126,584 | -- |
| Berger's Springledge Nursery & Produce Stand, LLC | $0 | $81,318 | -- |
| Lavalley Farms, LLC | $0 | $62,774 | -- |
| Chuck Rose, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Hopkinton Forestry and Land Clearing, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| The Nature Conservancy | $48,297 | $50,000 | 3.5% |
| Mapleshade Farm, LLC | $28,902 | $47,347 | 63.8% |
| Alan & Scott Bartlett | $36,393 | $42,141 | 15.8% |
| High-Technician Harvesting, LLC | $0 | $32,284 | -- |
| Yankee Farmer's Market, LLC | $0 | $25,702 | -- |
| James Downs | $26,875 | $22,656 | -15.7% |
| Leanne Downs | $26,976 | $22,656 | -16% |
| Pearl and Sons Farm, LLC | $2,511 | $22,167 | 782.8% |
| Timothy J. Towle | $42,506 | $21,511 | -49.4% |
| L a Brochu, Inc. | $0 | $20,186 | -- |
| Marston Farm, LLC | $35,013 | $15,738 | -55.1% |
| Wes Rose Contract Cutting, LLC | $0 | $13,398 | -- |
| Pine Lane Farm | $0 | $12,935 | -- |
| J & E Farm, LLC | $15,991 | $11,777 | -26.4% |
| Kehr Family Revocable Trust | $10,964 | $10,964 | 0% |
| Stephen E. Forster | $0 | $6,234 | -- |
| Therese Smith | $6,144 | $2,444 | -60.2% |
| Phillips Family Ranch, LLC | $4,314 | $2,419 | -43.9% |
| Iraklis Lazaridis | $0 | $2,295 | -- |
| Earle W. Cate III | $4,237 | $1,892 | -55.3% |
| Brent Fife | $5,644 | $1,833 | -67.5% |
| Hop N Hen Farm, LLC | $75 | $1,547 | 1,962.7% |
| Windswept Maples | $20,522 | $1,390 | -93.2% |
| Miles Smith Farm, LLC | $8,773 | $1,322 | -84.9% |
| Leanne Vance | $697 | $697 | 0% |
| Robert Bower | $7,600 | $363 | -95.2% |
| Rossview Farm, LLC | $11,567 | $293 | -97.5% |
| Jennifer Ohler | $7,264 | $160 | -97.8% |
| Daniel L. Kilrain | $4,528 | $75 | -98.3% |
| Katherine Dobrowski | $437 | $75 | -82.8% |
| Tucker Mountain Farm, LLC | $0 | $73 | -- |
| Jerome Yeager | $358 | $0 | -100% |
| Alice Nyazahabu | $647 | $0 | -100% |
| Carter Hill Orchard | $53,577 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Souther | $19,468 | $0 | -100% |
| Diane L Souther | $19,468 | $0 | -100% |
| Dimond Hill Farm, LLC | $7,910 | $0 | -100% |
| F/V Wendy Leigh, LLC | $13,122 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency | $595 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $109,127 | $0 | -100% |
| Generation Farm, LLC | $9,535 | $0 | -100% |
| Mapletree Farm, LLC | $2,484 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary E. Morley | $333 | $0 | -100% |
| Sibomana Reverian | $636 | $0 | -100% |
| Bohanan Farm | $135,508 | $0 | -100% |
| Gould Hill Farm, LLC | $14,306 | $0 | -100% |
| Yaya Organics, LLC | $350 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynnette F. McCarrier | $651 | $0 | -100% |
| Hip Peas Farm, LLC | $4,518 | $0 | -100% |
| Earl S. Tuson | $2,195 | $0 | -100% |
| Ernest Roberts | $29,252 | $0 | -100% |
| Stefan A. Lillios | $1,610 | $0 | -100% |
| Meadowsend Timberlands, Ltd. | $35,506 | $0 | -100% |
| Osborne Farm Operations, LLC | $666 | $0 | -100% |
| Randi Fisher | $11,583 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott Fisher | $11,545 | $0 | -100% |
| Gamil Azmy | $2,215 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Pletcher | $16,299 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,068,855 | $1,468,674 | 37.4% |
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