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In 2021, 265 farmers in cities within Blackford County received a total of $2.7 million in 516 farm subsidies, a 63.7% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $7.3 million in 1,166 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 Blackford County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kline Family Farms Partnership | $647,795 | $249,281 | -61.5% |
| Gailon R Light | $127,213 | $82,064 | -35.5% |
| Rhett Light | $126,158 | $81,244 | -35.6% |
| Jones Family Farms, Inc. | $231,507 | $71,256 | -69.2% |
| Langdon Bros Seed | $148,124 | $68,504 | -53.8% |
| Stroble Farms, Inc. | $225,616 | $66,723 | -70.4% |
| Townsend Farms, Inc. | $686,216 | $58,854 | -91.4% |
| Richard L. Roush | $177,695 | $55,987 | -68.5% |
| Pearson Brothers | $161,644 | $54,966 | -66% |
| Terry E. Taylor | $98,908 | $54,692 | -44.7% |
| Dollar Farms, LLC | $124,502 | $52,402 | -57.9% |
| Thomas P. & Joyce A. Gearheart Keystone Trust | $56,072 | $51,752 | -7.7% |
| C & F Walker, Inc. | $135,207 | $51,485 | -61.9% |
| Leslie A. Bole | $68,575 | $49,078 | -28.4% |
| Mark Binegar | $170,388 | $47,887 | -71.9% |
| S & S Family Farms, LLC | $172,599 | $47,834 | -72.3% |
| Tony L. Quillen | $90,498 | $42,540 | -53% |
| Wilson Grain Farms, Inc. | $139,047 | $41,355 | -70.3% |
| Craig Binegar | $109,695 | $35,489 | -67.6% |
| Kurt Fiechter Farms, Inc. | $123,580 | $34,111 | -72.4% |
| Todd Quillen | $94,782 | $33,734 | -64.4% |
| Rick Fiechter Farms, Inc. | $117,655 | $33,656 | -71.4% |
| William L. Hiday | $39,679 | $33,221 | -16.3% |
| Timothy L. van Gordon | $39,743 | $32,602 | -18% |
| Mccammon Farms, Inc. | $92,588 | $32,419 | -65% |
| Said Farms, LLC | $104,529 | $31,987 | -69.4% |
| Brian Ray Ludwig | $91,074 | $28,796 | -68.4% |
| Price Farms, Inc. | $282,496 | $27,922 | -90.1% |
| Hile Family Farms, Inc. | $85,777 | $27,134 | -68.4% |
| Larry Hile | $68,669 | $25,572 | -62.8% |
| Michael J. Maddox | $65,169 | $24,379 | -62.6% |
| Jimmy D. Rhoton | $38,263 | $24,090 | -37% |
| Jeffrey A. Fear | $61,316 | $22,528 | -63.3% |
| Garrett Land Corporation | $71,172 | $22,454 | -68.5% |
| Michael G. Marshall | $40,747 | $21,994 | -46% |
| Love Family Farm, LLC | $23,754 | $21,613 | -9% |
| Frauhiger Livestock, LLC | $46,424 | $20,759 | -55.3% |
| Teddy D. Tarr | $33,505 | $20,112 | -40% |
| Gary L. Rhoton | $33,917 | $20,104 | -40.7% |
| William N. Dollar | $44,662 | $19,334 | -56.7% |
| Charles K. Bole | $43,686 | $19,064 | -56.4% |
| Thomas E Cale Trust | $18,819 | $19,002 | 1% |
| Jo Lyn Wilson | $41,798 | $18,995 | -54.6% |
| Wes Wilson | $51,848 | $18,995 | -63.4% |
| Jeffrey D. Stanley | $83,435 | $17,958 | -78.5% |
| D & G Farms, LLC | $29,512 | $16,830 | -43% |
| Dale L. Rhoton | $26,828 | $15,963 | -40.5% |
| Brian D. Goodspeed | $41,521 | $15,532 | -62.6% |
| Thomas L. Armstrong | $33,001 | $15,335 | -53.5% |
| Eric T. Evans | $15,137 | $15,137 | 0% |
| Bruce E. Leas | $38,609 | $14,493 | -62.5% |
| James R. Thurman | $50,967 | $13,576 | -73.4% |
| Richard L. Thurman | $51,133 | $13,576 | -73.4% |
| Philip G. Jones | $21,159 | $12,391 | -41.4% |
| Nathan Dollar | $30,125 | $12,190 | -59.5% |
| TK Farms, Inc. | $26,039 | $12,096 | -53.5% |
| Mary E Goodspeed Revocable Trust | $30,488 | $11,883 | -61% |
| James A. Cale | $22,368 | $11,859 | -47% |
| Paul D. Marshall | $33,578 | $11,492 | -65.8% |
| Lawrence L. Aulbach | $28,981 | $11,118 | -61.6% |
| Chris Stroble | $35,880 | $10,750 | -70% |
| Ryan Bole | $26,935 | $10,709 | -60.2% |
| Stephen Edward Holtzleiter | $30,949 | $10,661 | -65.6% |
| Joel K. Leas | $32,017 | $10,649 | -66.7% |
| Jeff Twibell | $15,633 | $9,981 | -36.2% |
| Richard Vangordon | $26,873 | $9,311 | -65.4% |
| Brad Slentz | $21,561 | $9,148 | -57.6% |
| Gary A. Goodspeed | $28,231 | $9,134 | -67.6% |
| David Needler | $29,399 | $9,102 | -69% |
| Garry Shroyer | $3,795 | $8,807 | 132.1% |
| Lieurance Farms, Inc. | $17,374 | $8,707 | -49.9% |
| Chuck Maddox | $46,266 | $8,427 | -81.8% |
| Randal McMillan | $27,161 | $8,315 | -69.4% |
| Jason Douglas Richardson | $16,587 | $7,814 | -52.9% |
| Lyle D Towns | $7,684 | $7,684 | 0% |
| Lewis Willmann | $21,091 | $7,615 | -63.9% |
| Brian Dollier | $14,972 | $7,576 | -49.4% |
| John S. Payne | $19,654 | $7,540 | -61.6% |
| Matthew Dyer | $0 | $7,492 | -- |
| Tri-County Farms of Bluffton, Inc. | $24,560 | $7,419 | -69.8% |
| Daniel A. Perry | $20,089 | $7,158 | -64.4% |
| Roy L. Wells | $18,810 | $7,021 | -62.7% |
| Philip N. Jones | $12,826 | $6,849 | -46.6% |
| Brian G. Conner | $7,405 | $6,716 | -9.3% |
| Brad J. Hile | $24,868 | $6,469 | -74% |
| Michael A. Troyer | $19,472 | $6,274 | -67.8% |
| John J Pluimer | $13,082 | $6,244 | -52.3% |
| Larry K Pluimer | $13,009 | $6,240 | -52% |
| Zach Reinhard | $18,854 | $6,107 | -67.6% |
| Robert A. Fear | $9,056 | $6,027 | -33.4% |
| Stanley Clamme | $25,226 | $5,691 | -77.4% |
| Colton L. Twibell | $0 | $5,650 | -- |
| Nixon David Kelsay | $10,606 | $5,432 | -48.8% |
| David N Clamme | $14,604 | $5,424 | -62.9% |
| Mike S Clamme | $10,685 | $5,424 | -49.2% |
| Tom H. Wells | $12,299 | $5,263 | -57.2% |
| Andy R. Needler | $15,028 | $5,158 | -65.7% |
| Clamme Cattle, Corp. | $5,144 | $5,144 | 0% |
| Donald Ladd | $12,680 | $5,138 | -59.5% |
| Mark L. Leas | $15,819 | $5,043 | -68.1% |
| Tom Sharp | $12,510 | $5,032 | -59.8% |
| Thomas J. Aulbach | $10,302 | $5,011 | -51.4% |
| Paul Armstrong | $13,806 | $4,977 | -64% |
| Sierra Suzanne Patrick | $15,999 | $4,969 | -68.9% |
| Billy Stanton | $7,560 | $4,961 | -34.4% |
| Brian Needler | $16,205 | $4,770 | -70.6% |
| Catherine H. Decker | $4,842 | $4,696 | -3% |
| The Fred a Richardson & Renee a Richardson Rev Living Trust | $11,797 | $4,696 | -60.2% |
| Allen J Clamme | $12,395 | $4,674 | -62.3% |
| Judith M. Morris | $9,897 | $4,558 | -53.9% |
| BW Bovine Enterprises, LLC | $8,393 | $4,405 | -47.5% |
| Willmann Farms-Randall a Willmann | $10,783 | $4,256 | -60.5% |
| Eric T. Aulbach | $8,410 | $4,046 | -51.9% |
| Mark L. Aulbach | $9,051 | $3,988 | -55.9% |
| Paul D. Oswalt | $3,976 | $3,976 | 0% |
| J C Kelley, Inc. | $10,800 | $3,904 | -63.9% |
| James S. Forcum | $3,763 | $3,763 | 0% |
| Gregg Slentz | $5,379 | $3,745 | -30.4% |
| Neil T. Dollar | $9,392 | $3,700 | -60.6% |
| David H. Smith | $8,039 | $3,447 | -57.1% |
| S & S Family Farms | $0 | $3,414 | -- |
| Clint L. Armstrong | $6,927 | $3,227 | -53.4% |
| Scott K. Slusher | $5,993 | $3,195 | -46.7% |
| Clifton Rinker | $7,143 | $3,101 | -56.6% |
| J. van Smith | $7,311 | $3,032 | -58.5% |
| Double Ridge Farms, Inc. | $7,833 | $2,841 | -63.7% |
| William M. Niswander | $6,194 | $2,831 | -54.3% |
| Oswalt Stone & Gravel | $2,758 | $2,758 | 0% |
| Thomas Alfrey | $4,191 | $2,747 | -34.5% |
| James R. Carfield | $2,689 | $2,689 | 0% |
| Bradley M. Wright | $5,834 | $2,688 | -53.9% |
| Evan Marshall Jones | $4,030 | $2,601 | -35.5% |
| Earl A. Twibell | $2,599 | $2,599 | 0% |
| Joseph Aulbach | $6,202 | $2,486 | -59.9% |
| Maddox Brothers | $3,695 | $2,457 | -33.5% |
| David R. Lennon | $2,402 | $2,402 | 0% |
| L & J Pluimer, LLC | $20,652 | $2,392 | -88.4% |
| Gary L. Hall | $2,374 | $2,374 | 0% |
| Howard Quillen Jr. | $10,139 | $2,355 | -76.8% |
| Michael B. Roush | $2,349 | $2,349 | 0% |
| Randy E. Wilkerson | $5,807 | $2,345 | -59.6% |
| Wm C. Bales | $4,041 | $2,238 | -44.6% |
| William E. McIntire | $2,300 | $2,199 | -4.4% |
| Blake Powell | $4,014 | $2,157 | -46.3% |
| Gary Seidner | $9,164 | $2,110 | -77% |
| Mccammon Construction Company, Inc. | $6,130 | $2,100 | -65.7% |
| Francis G. Ford | $2,303 | $2,076 | -9.9% |
| Kurt Vance | $1,272 | $1,931 | 51.8% |
| James D. Kline | $6,407 | $1,878 | -70.7% |
| Max a Hiser & Yolonda L Hiser Revocable Trust | $4,192 | $1,783 | -57.5% |
| Carolyn Schuhmacher | $3,961 | $1,724 | -56.5% |
| Harold Schuhmacher | $3,963 | $1,724 | -56.5% |
| Gregory L. Forrester | $2,016 | $1,721 | -14.6% |
| Drew F. Walker | $5,927 | $1,587 | -73.2% |
| Patricia J. Gaither | $1,573 | $1,573 | 0% |
| Dennis Smith | $4,201 | $1,519 | -63.8% |
| Michael R. Needler | $5,109 | $1,419 | -72.2% |
| Dennis Coons | $612 | $1,414 | 131% |
| Darren Thomas Patrick | $4,564 | $1,385 | -69.7% |
| Schuhmacher Farms, LLC | $1,918 | $1,364 | -28.9% |
| Stephen Emshwiller | $3,997 | $1,351 | -66.2% |
| Stan Wilson | $1,347 | $1,347 | 0% |
| Eric Jones | $2,488 | $1,299 | -47.8% |
| Dustin M. Wilkerson | $13,660 | $1,283 | -90.6% |
| Michael Ray | $1,900 | $1,266 | -33.4% |
| Raymond Needler | $1,242 | $1,242 | 0% |
| Ryan Calvin Gadbury | $2,616 | $1,234 | -52.8% |
| James W. Harris | $7,890 | $1,180 | -85% |
| Chad McCoin | $7,108 | $1,148 | -83.8% |
| Michael R. Saylor | $2,864 | $1,062 | -62.9% |
| Douglas F. Maddox | $3,950 | $1,040 | -73.7% |
| Michael D. Logan | $2,649 | $1,032 | -61% |
| Traci D. Davis | $3,048 | $1,028 | -66.3% |
| Mark Herring | $1,955 | $1,027 | -47.5% |
| Julie Forcum | $1,167 | $1,012 | -13.3% |
| Luke W. Wilson | $2,690 | $991 | -63.2% |
| Andy Coffee | $1,731 | $990 | -42.8% |
| Dale R. Nottingham | $1,890 | $920 | -51.3% |
| Shawn Taylor | $1,448 | $919 | -36.5% |
| Donald L. Daily | $2,693 | $870 | -67.7% |
| Nathan Mitchell Clem | $2,513 | $855 | -66% |
| Patricia Redmond | $835 | $835 | 0% |
| Michael D. Gilbert | $2,600 | $813 | -68.7% |
| Vicki A. Haviland | $2,600 | $813 | -68.7% |
| Peggy Inman | $2,068 | $810 | -60.8% |
| James P. Trant | $2,810 | $810 | -71.2% |
| Laura Hanauer | $0 | $797 | -- |
| Cody L. Quillen | $2,271 | $796 | -64.9% |
| Stella Earhart | $1,728 | $760 | -56% |
| Dennis K. Layman | $1,610 | $732 | -54.5% |
| Nick Bonvillian | $729 | $729 | 0% |
| Jerry Trant | $1,320 | $729 | -44.8% |
| Jane Gadbury | $1,081 | $728 | -32.7% |
| Julie Coons | $2,063 | $720 | -65.1% |
| Kyle Coons | $3,156 | $720 | -77.2% |
| Brian L. Kitterman | $701 | $698 | -0.4% |
| Karen Kitterman | $701 | $698 | -0.4% |
| Jeremy Trant | $2,004 | $690 | -65.6% |
| Pamla L Hurley | $686 | $686 | 0% |
| Janet E. Yadon | $927 | $682 | -26.4% |
| Peggy J Daily Estate | $658 | $658 | 0% |
| Norman D. Logan | $1,150 | $639 | -44.4% |
| Calvin Gadbury | $1,506 | $636 | -57.8% |
| Stephen Weschke | $1,274 | $632 | -50.4% |
| A & S Land, LLC | $622 | $622 | 0% |
| Harold Montgomery | $621 | $621 | 0% |
| Nick Wells | $686 | $598 | -12.8% |
| John Price | $594 | $594 | 0% |
| Lowell Sharp | $1,397 | $553 | -60.4% |
| Paul J Perry Paul J Perry Trust | $552 | $552 | 0% |
| Lyle Hutchison | $891 | $531 | -40.4% |
| Alex D. Ort | $665 | $529 | -20.5% |
| Dexter Jones | $523 | $523 | 0% |
| Lucille Jones | $523 | $523 | 0% |
| Ronnie D. Yadon | $825 | $508 | -38.4% |
| Jackson Family Farms, LLC | $490 | $490 | 0% |
| Max W. Glancy | $1,231 | $488 | -60.4% |
| Rose Davidson | $977 | $482 | -50.7% |
| Frank G. Vancamp | $1,221 | $481 | -60.6% |
| Nancy R. Johnson | $472 | $472 | 0% |
| Ruth Garr | $602 | $461 | -23.4% |
| Rick A. Davis | $1,651 | $452 | -72.6% |
| Judy Trees | $1,552 | $419 | -73% |
| Keith Nestleroad | $1,306 | $412 | -68.5% |
| Andy Alfrey | $1,178 | $386 | -67.2% |
| James A. Alfrey | $413 | $386 | -6.5% |
| Jeffery D. Rinker | $664 | $377 | -43.2% |
| John Paul Davis | $854 | $376 | -56% |
| Rick K. Willmann | $388 | $349 | -10.1% |
| Allen Donathan | $333 | $333 | 0% |
| David Edward Marshall | $1,518 | $328 | -78.4% |
| Hazel Cline | $594 | $327 | -44.9% |
| Jessica Thurman | $603 | $319 | -47.1% |
| Schriver Heritage Farms, LLC | $300 | $300 | 0% |
| Darron Gilbert | $716 | $290 | -59.5% |
| Jimmy Clark | $578 | $287 | -50.3% |
| Linda Stiles | $578 | $287 | -50.3% |
| Roberta Lancaster | $604 | $273 | -54.8% |
| Jonathan A. Bole | $200 | $267 | 33.5% |
| Kim E. Penrod | $493 | $261 | -47.1% |
| Terry Kirtley | $748 | $245 | -67.2% |
| Arlin W. Mann | $466 | $223 | -52.1% |
| Jerry L. Love | $628 | $214 | -65.9% |
| Leroy Stallsmith | $582 | $198 | -66% |
| Ken Hunter | $495 | $197 | -60.2% |
| Nancy Knox | $184 | $184 | 0% |
| Fred Parker | $160 | $168 | 5% |
| Kevin Love | $444 | $159 | -64.2% |
| Randall F. Gorski | $159 | $159 | 0% |
| Thomas Blevins | $693 | $143 | -79.4% |
| Sandy Clamme | $1,227 | $124 | -89.9% |
| Kris Glancy | $447 | $122 | -72.7% |
| Josephine E Bole Revocable Trust/Donald L Bole | $230 | $113 | -50.9% |
| Nicholas J. Gadbury | $206 | $113 | -45.1% |
| Debra Jo Shelton | $110 | $110 | 0% |
| James E Mccoin Living Trust | $98 | $98 | 0% |
| Joseph M. Smith | $534 | $96 | -82% |
| Janet S. McDonald | $159 | $70 | -56% |
| Gregory Adams | $33 | $63 | 90.9% |
| Matthew A. Cale | $0 | $50 | -- |
| Paul D Clamme | $119 | $49 | -58.8% |
| Michael E. Guffey | $116 | $48 | -58.6% |
| Michael Hardesty | $47 | $47 | 0% |
| M & M Farms Family Limited Partne | $0 | $28 | -- |
| Travis Lee Weschke | $179 | $2 | -98.9% |
| Cathy Willmann | $98 | $0 | -100% |
| David E. Morgan | $191 | $0 | -100% |
| David E. Rice | $1,359 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis Whitesell | $89 | $0 | -100% |
| J. D. Collins | $137 | $0 | -100% |
| Lois J. Jones | $51 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark Townsend | $2,075 | $0 | -100% |
| Matthew D. Willmann | $2,261 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Hanauer | $797 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael L Holtzleiter | $531 | $0 | -100% |
| Norma G Donathan Estate | $8,095 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul Eskew | $21 | $0 | -100% |
| Rex Baxter | $52 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Montgomery | $54 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven Shrader | $1,289 | $0 | -100% |
| Susan Cook | $388 | $0 | -100% |
| Aaron J. McMillan | $2,837 | $0 | -100% |
| Annabee Mcintire | $1,844 | $0 | -100% |
| Chad E. Clark | $221 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel K. Oswalt | $5,480 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Hartley | $2,835 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary D. Blew | $42 | $0 | -100% |
| Trisha Batten | $110 | $0 | -100% |
| Tyler Batten | $1,036 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $7,298,960 | $2,651,458 | -63.7% |
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