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In 2021, 55 farmers in cities within Lamoille County received a total of $1.2 million in 78 farm subsidies, a 48.9% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2.3 million in 203 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Percy | $267,002 | $174,552 | -34.6% |
| Kirk & Katrina Lanphear, LLC | $335,543 | $127,417 | -62% |
| L & L Farms, Inc. | $79,100 | $100,566 | 27.1% |
| Paul McLure II | $61,661 | $75,533 | 22.5% |
| Young Farm | $30,840 | $61,981 | 101% |
| Douglas Edwards | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Adam Allen | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Riverbend Farm, LLC | $73,176 | $45,289 | -38.1% |
| Bryce Farms, Inc. | $53,139 | $40,973 | -22.9% |
| Boyden Farm, LLC | $144,518 | $40,857 | -71.7% |
| Anthony Trombley Sr. | $0 | $40,415 | -- |
| Suddabees Honey, LLC | $64,479 | $39,406 | -38.9% |
| Keewaydin Farm, LLC | $46,987 | $33,831 | -28% |
| Randall Plante | $60,208 | $28,349 | -52.9% |
| Jordan L. Pratt | $0 | $27,731 | -- |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $25,662 | -- |
| Dennis A. Morin | $28,621 | $24,580 | -14.1% |
| Gates Farm, LLC | $5,892 | $21,849 | 270.8% |
| Towne Farm | $18,704 | $21,393 | 14.4% |
| Metcalf Pond Maple, LLC | $0 | $21,186 | -- |
| Morrill Brothers | $17,534 | $18,180 | 3.7% |
| Rooney Farm | $20,224 | $16,491 | -18.5% |
| Robin Sweet Sr. | $22,399 | $16,005 | -28.5% |
| Eliza Steffens | $0 | $12,236 | -- |
| Shaag, LLC | $0 | $10,884 | -- |
| Foote Brook Organic Farm | $40,103 | $8,100 | -79.8% |
| Jason Washer | $9,937 | $7,275 | -26.8% |
| Sarah Schlosser | $0 | $5,814 | -- |
| Andrew L. Naylor | $26,704 | $4,975 | -81.4% |
| Umbrella Hill Maple, LLC | $0 | $3,797 | -- |
| Jerry Marsh | $0 | $3,285 | -- |
| Jay Marsh | $0 | $3,285 | -- |
| Rick Emery | $0 | $2,841 | -- |
| Charles M. Cooley Jr. | $2,553 | $2,553 | 0% |
| Valley Dream Farm, LLC | $0 | $2,548 | -- |
| Alan D. McKnight | $0 | $2,242 | -- |
| Lauren Tilton | $0 | $1,815 | -- |
| Caroline Anderson | $0 | $1,667 | -- |
| Lehouillier Maple Orchard | $0 | $1,647 | -- |
| Barbara Freeman | $0 | $1,107 | -- |
| Josef Furrer | $0 | $999 | -- |
| Denette Locke | $1,254 | $969 | -22.7% |
| Benjamin Waterman | $0 | $948 | -- |
| Maple Sugar Mountain, LLC | $10,030 | $942 | -90.6% |
| Dennis Thomas | $3,986 | $859 | -78.4% |
| Frank & Donna Hutchins | $744 | $744 | 0% |
| Vermont Mapleworks, LLC | $957 | $700 | -26.9% |
| Jason Boissoneault | $0 | $567 | -- |
| Michael J. Spaulding | $4,528 | $543 | -88% |
| Warren Rankin | $5,740 | $413 | -92.8% |
| David Ring | $0 | $399 | -- |
| Tom Kontos | $0 | $180 | -- |
| Amy Haders | $0 | $167 | -- |
| Joneslan Farm, LLC | $90,900 | $44 | -100% |
| Gregory Beaudoin | $20,078 | $28 | -99.9% |
| Boyden Valley Winery, LLC | $8,112 | $0 | -100% |
| Brendan C. Driscoll | $6,395 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce Gillilan | $2,235 | $0 | -100% |
| Church Hill Maples, LLC | $14,407 | $0 | -100% |
| Crystal Porter | $180 | $0 | -100% |
| Georgette Huffman | $245 | $0 | -100% |
| Hollow Brook Farms, LLC | $29,458 | $0 | -100% |
| Minor Family Maple, LLC | $33,511 | $0 | -100% |
| Patrick Fondry | $3,382 | $0 | -100% |
| Pleasant Valley Field & Forest PR | $4,441 | $0 | -100% |
| Rachel Brodlie | $90 | $0 | -100% |
| Sogle Property, LLC | $165,900 | $0 | -100% |
| Terri L. Bryce | $112,954 | $0 | -100% |
| Wayne King | $6,566 | $0 | -100% |
| David Bothfeld | $7,791 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald H. Godin Jr. | $7,069 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth A. Harvey | $144 | $0 | -100% |
| Ryan Zabriskie Demarest | $5,802 | $0 | -100% |
| Daryl W. Decker | $6,792 | $0 | -100% |
| Deborah R. Williamson | $11,920 | $0 | -100% |
| Holly Ferris | $1,654 | $0 | -100% |
| Hunt's Farm Supply, LLC | $1,247 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin J. Hanley | $13,446 | $0 | -100% |
| Ledge View Maple, LLC | $19,273 | $0 | -100% |
| Matthew James Sweet | $8,083 | $0 | -100% |
| Matthew Richard Gough | $20,548 | $0 | -100% |
| Quarry Hill Farm, LLC | $423 | $0 | -100% |
| Rick Marsh | $32,437 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert C. Maynard | $2,285 | $0 | -100% |
| Carroll Manchester | $6,803 | $0 | -100% |
| Cody C. Goodwin | $28,024 | $0 | -100% |
| Cold Ridge Maple, LLC | $2,146 | $0 | -100% |
| Deb Ravenelle | $2,285 | $0 | -100% |
| G & a Cunningham Farm, LLC | $6,520 | $0 | -100% |
| Ridge Line Maple Works, LLC | $2,302 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven Ohearn | $1,864 | $0 | -100% |
| Zachary Adams | $5,203 | $0 | -100% |
| Debora Wickart | $14,979 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $12,209 | $0 | -100% |
| Tom Paines Plumbing, Inc. | $10,485 | $0 | -100% |
| Top Notch Jerseys | $22,282 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Ricketson | $15,012 | $0 | -100% |
| Henry K. Manchester | $39,990 | $0 | -100% |
| John Cushman | $47,636 | $0 | -100% |
| John Gillespie | $5,825 | $0 | -100% |
| Tim Young | $8,680 | $0 | -100% |
| Troy Reynolds Jr. | $13,403 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia Schoolcraft | $69 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronnie Leroux | $11,897 | $0 | -100% |
| Roy Schoolcraft | $69 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $2,332,014 | $1,192,569 | -48.9% |
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