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In 2021, 56 farmers in cities within Gunnison County received a total of $654,023 in 90 farm subsidies, an 18.6% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $803,909 in 114 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burt Guerrieri | $259,831 | $233,393 | -10.2% |
| Peterson Ranch, Inc. | $36,309 | $64,683 | 78.1% |
| Trampe Ranches Partnership, LLLP | $0 | $64,405 | -- |
| Peterson Cattle & Hay | $25,110 | $42,879 | 70.8% |
| Virgil and Lee Spann Ranches, Inc. | $162,329 | $32,758 | -79.8% |
| Irby Ranches, LLC | $0 | $28,930 | -- |
| Richard J. Elze | $20,922 | $25,617 | 22.4% |
| David Clint Brown | $0 | $16,280 | -- |
| Frances Henry | $13,776 | $13,158 | -4.5% |
| William M. Alexander | $17,477 | $11,927 | -31.8% |
| James F. Benson | $9,856 | $10,659 | 8.1% |
| Steven Russell Guerrieri | $0 | $7,810 | -- |
| Warren Collins | $33,691 | $6,560 | -80.5% |
| James Hardin | $0 | $6,447 | -- |
| Gregory F Kruthaupt | $5,760 | $6,209 | 7.8% |
| Long-Ingham, LLC | $20,699 | $6,061 | -70.7% |
| Ryan Loflin | $13,661 | $5,941 | -56.5% |
| Schoeni Farms, LLC | $3,717 | $5,760 | 55% |
| Robert Houston Jarvis | $11,881 | $5,602 | -52.8% |
| Logan Revocable Trust | $3,548 | $4,578 | 29% |
| Tres M, Ltd. | $4,545 | $4,545 | 0% |
| Bar IV Ranch, Inc. | $21,208 | $4,522 | -78.7% |
| Joe Youmans | $3,300 | $3,979 | 20.6% |
| Tracy L. Hildreth | $28,894 | $3,926 | -86.4% |
| SJR Investments, Inc. | $4,688 | $2,900 | -38.1% |
| STR Investments, Inc. | $4,688 | $2,899 | -38.2% |
| Larry C Allison Family Farm Trust | $4,726 | $2,562 | -45.8% |
| Pat Youmans | $11,693 | $2,485 | -78.7% |
| Kolby Pringle | $0 | $2,420 | -- |
| Tredway Family Limited Partnership | $5,751 | $2,262 | -60.7% |
| Guerrieri Land and Cattle, Inc. | $0 | $2,200 | -- |
| Austin-Carson Land & Cattle, LLC | $1,011 | $1,974 | 95.3% |
| Down Home Properties | $1,741 | $1,783 | 2.4% |
| Myron G Hamm Trust | $1,562 | $1,562 | 0% |
| Nesbitt Family Farm, LLC | $0 | $1,556 | -- |
| Aubrie R. Brown | $0 | $1,375 | -- |
| James M. Gelwicks | $1,482 | $1,339 | -9.6% |
| Stacie Dowis | $1,763 | $1,187 | -32.7% |
| Lee Ann Mick | $4,714 | $1,155 | -75.5% |
| D&D Cheyenne, LLC | $1,927 | $1,126 | -41.6% |
| Mountain Roots Food Project | $0 | $1,064 | -- |
| Jesse Kruthaupt | $4,693 | $869 | -81.5% |
| Lindsey A. Stayton | $929 | $725 | -22% |
| Steven Matthew Devorss | $2,860 | $582 | -79.7% |
| Paul L. Mack Jr. | $1,953 | $578 | -70.4% |
| Ruth E. Collins | $196 | $497 | 153.6% |
| Randy A. Long | $610 | $419 | -31.3% |
| William J. Nesbitt II | $0 | $392 | -- |
| Bradford J. Wick | $1,229 | $386 | -68.6% |
| Rodger Clements | $353 | $299 | -15.3% |
| Shelly F. Deshotels | $312 | $205 | -34.3% |
| M and MH, LLC | $0 | $171 | -- |
| James Mitchell Browder | $1,894 | $157 | -91.7% |
| Vincent Joe Browder | $1,172 | $157 | -86.6% |
| Darin Thorn | $163 | $80 | -50.9% |
| Barbara J. James | $58 | $28 | -51.7% |
| Carin D. Lockhart | $805 | $0 | -100% |
| Arlene Fickel | $714 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe Schultheis | $3,575 | $0 | -100% |
| Katherine a Rais Living Trust | $3,220 | $0 | -100% |
| Redden Ranches, Inc. | $36,720 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilma Duffy | $193 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $803,909 | $654,023 | -18.6% |
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