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In 2021, 73 farmers in cities within El Dorado County received a total of $375,657 in 106 farm subsidies, a 23% increase from 2020, when the total was $305,458 in 163 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelhouse Vineyards, Inc. | $0 | $118,676 | -- |
| Mike Rasmussen Trucking | $0 | $40,497 | -- |
| Akal Retail, LLC | $0 | $29,870 | -- |
| Chen Beverly Chow | $26,757 | $26,757 | 0% |
| Thomas H. Sinton | $0 | $13,291 | -- |
| Sauber Vineyard & Orchards, Inc. | $0 | $12,280 | -- |
| Walker Vineyard | $0 | $10,294 | -- |
| Bari Family Trust | $13,141 | $7,397 | -43.7% |
| David & Kathleen Mills Family Trust | $0 | $5,759 | -- |
| Lorie Sheehy Cress Farmland Trust | $7,476 | $5,751 | -23.1% |
| James Turner | $5,232 | $5,232 | 0% |
| Fuson Family, LLC | $0 | $4,646 | -- |
| Arnold W Ellwein and Jan T Ellwein Revocable Trust | $0 | $4,520 | -- |
| Nyle Baker | $4,517 | $4,517 | 0% |
| Gwen-Gwen and Jim Erwood Fam Trustee Erwood | $4,438 | $4,438 | 0% |
| Judith Peterson | $5,312 | $4,023 | -24.3% |
| Kristen Draz | $0 | $4,021 | -- |
| William Jack Holland | $0 | $4,021 | -- |
| Naoma C. Fuson | $0 | $3,426 | -- |
| Edward Borba | $15,881 | $3,409 | -78.5% |
| Kathryn Copeland | $5,768 | $3,312 | -42.6% |
| Richard J. Hobbs | $4,137 | $3,294 | -20.4% |
| Larry Fuson | $0 | $3,110 | -- |
| Gail Lynne Hahn | $8,164 | $2,948 | -63.9% |
| Chris Blackburn | $2,582 | $2,582 | 0% |
| Tim Bordges | $5,115 | $2,578 | -49.6% |
| James E. Horton | $3,071 | $2,438 | -20.6% |
| Julie A. Stewart | $3,069 | $2,437 | -20.6% |
| Robert H. Shafer | $2,698 | $2,400 | -11% |
| Daniel J. Russell | $4,191 | $2,353 | -43.9% |
| Ted L. Burdine | $1,620 | $2,101 | 29.7% |
| Randy Luckman | $0 | $2,019 | -- |
| Trina Correa | $0 | $2,019 | -- |
| Sophia O. Fehringer | $2,516 | $1,865 | -25.9% |
| George Megee | $1,863 | $1,863 | 0% |
| Kari Glenn L. Beatty | $2,772 | $1,538 | -44.5% |
| Lawrence W. Loftis | $2,363 | $1,512 | -36% |
| Ted W. Cooper | $11,851 | $1,408 | -88.1% |
| Harry Dean | $4,455 | $1,406 | -68.4% |
| Sandra J. Dirks | $1,586 | $1,210 | -23.7% |
| Walt - Walter & Shirley Sikes Living Trustee Sikes | $1,560 | $1,177 | -24.6% |
| Raffetto Enterprises | $0 | $1,142 | -- |
| Vidlock Living Trust | $1,170 | $1,088 | -7% |
| Suchdeep Bains | $0 | $1,008 | -- |
| Ronald Wayne Chaney Jr. | $3,443 | $922 | -73.2% |
| Maxwell Partners | $2,178 | $881 | -59.6% |
| Robert Bennett | $871 | $871 | 0% |
| Kathy Blankenship | $2,243 | $780 | -65.2% |
| Brian P Dedonder | $1,856 | $767 | -58.7% |
| Derek W. Weller | $741 | $741 | 0% |
| Josephine Stidham Josephine & Dale Stidham 1997 Trust | $2,893 | $690 | -76.1% |
| Elayne Zappia | $937 | $661 | -29.5% |
| Tustin Family Trust | $1,127 | $639 | -43.3% |
| Gail Provencal | $1,225 | $614 | -49.9% |
| Frank M Perez JR & Sandra L Perez Family Trust | $861 | $609 | -29.3% |
| Pamela Boyle | $484 | $583 | 20.5% |
| Arthur S. Dean | $0 | $550 | -- |
| Glenda C. Willman | $1,309 | $492 | -62.4% |
| Gary W. Jackson | $809 | $489 | -39.6% |
| Denise B. Moore | $475 | $475 | 0% |
| David H. Toft | $44 | $472 | 972.7% |
| Nan K. Baker | $655 | $396 | -39.5% |
| Austin Mark Alan Boling | $1,613 | $385 | -76.1% |
| Jerry Zappia | $511 | $377 | -26.2% |
| James W. Wilson | $757 | $366 | -51.7% |
| Michael Evans | $488 | $328 | -32.8% |
| Todd Legler | $495 | $240 | -51.5% |
| Heather E. Waisner | $0 | $237 | -- |
| Ann Robin Kohl | $297 | $157 | -47.1% |
| James B. Portanova | $296 | $145 | -51% |
| Wright Family Revocable Trust | $248 | $69 | -72.2% |
| Patricia L. Meister | $81 | $58 | -28.4% |
| Philip Michael Mendoza | $35 | $30 | -14.3% |
| Bruce E. Harvey | $4,022 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey B. Rich | $1,521 | $0 | -100% |
| Frances Aguilar | $329 | $0 | -100% |
| Marilyn Tays | $329 | $0 | -100% |
| Arnold W Ellwein and Jan T Ellwei | $7,005 | $0 | -100% |
| Christopher Alexander Taylor | $5 | $0 | -100% |
| John D Suacci | $6,176 | $0 | -100% |
| Kanwaljit Kahlon | $6,108 | $0 | -100% |
| Kimberley Russell | $5,379 | $0 | -100% |
| Lefebvre Living Trust - Susan Lefebvre | $741 | $0 | -100% |
| Sandhu Farms | $11,690 | $0 | -100% |
| Theresa Dunham | $785 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Richard Birt | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward W. Goltz | $12,164 | $0 | -100% |
| Flying V Farm, LLC | $15,355 | $0 | -100% |
| Helen M Davis, Inc. | $1,111 | $0 | -100% |
| Lorna Hanson | $27,418 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Cody Findleton | $2,640 | $0 | -100% |
| Teryl J. Allen | $784 | $0 | -100% |
| David & Kathleen Mills Family Trustee | $10,922 | $0 | -100% |
| Lwj-Mej Family, LLC | $6,352 | $0 | -100% |
| Alcamo Farms, LLC | $3,087 | $0 | -100% |
| Janelle Blocher | $598 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $305,458 | $375,657 | 23% |
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