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In 2021, 185 farmers in cities within Etowah County received a total of $771,631 in 256 farm subsidies, a 47.4% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.5 million in 485 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 Etowah County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethan Alexander Bolding | $4,587 | $54,543 | 1,089.1% |
| Barron Logging, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Barron Timber, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Jones Logging, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Tidwell Logging | $0 | $42,973 | -- |
| Justin Craig Smedley | $190,071 | $39,190 | -79.4% |
| Jon Michael Lee | $87,857 | $31,923 | -63.7% |
| David Chadwick | $37,127 | $30,548 | -17.7% |
| Peeks Farm | $67,300 | $23,283 | -65.4% |
| Donald L. Sewell | $58,093 | $19,434 | -66.5% |
| Wide Open Spaces, LLC | $67,646 | $19,266 | -71.5% |
| Javin W O'Barr | $10,463 | $17,846 | 70.6% |
| Marion Eugene Jaggears | $1,772 | $15,236 | 759.8% |
| Howard D. Cowser | $35,468 | $14,886 | -58% |
| Lamar Rosson | $44,927 | $14,533 | -67.7% |
| Jason F. Ledbetter | $0 | $14,451 | -- |
| Ronel E Burns | $33,881 | $14,316 | -57.7% |
| Lucas Ramsey Burns | $28,579 | $14,292 | -50% |
| Tommy G. Sewell | $45,640 | $12,153 | -73.4% |
| Donald G. Hale | $27,164 | $10,778 | -60.3% |
| Gene Paul Proctor | $21,685 | $10,613 | -51.1% |
| Michael E. Moon | $0 | $9,937 | -- |
| S & W Cattle Company, LLC | $28,833 | $8,696 | -69.8% |
| James Ronald Turner | $11,794 | $8,304 | -29.6% |
| James M. Condit | $39,493 | $7,968 | -79.8% |
| Jeffery Langley | $0 | $6,968 | -- |
| Mary Jo Pollock | $6,397 | $6,397 | 0% |
| Gary Arthur McVicar | $0 | $6,069 | -- |
| Rodney V. Austin | $20,075 | $4,407 | -78% |
| Fredric W. Feist | $3,827 | $4,160 | 8.7% |
| Steve Gross | $6,280 | $4,126 | -34.3% |
| Karl L. Higgins | $0 | $4,082 | -- |
| Edwin D. Blythe | $21,518 | $4,010 | -81.4% |
| James Steven Ashley | $21,793 | $4,010 | -81.6% |
| Timothy G. Jones | $19,234 | $3,931 | -79.6% |
| Jerry McTee | $2,880 | $3,428 | 19% |
| Brad Sewell | $17,375 | $3,424 | -80.3% |
| Timothy D. Lowrey | $15,024 | $3,154 | -79% |
| Patricia R. Saye | $5,185 | $3,133 | -39.6% |
| Jason Andrew Miller | $0 | $2,860 | -- |
| Dale E Space Revocable Trust | $0 | $2,777 | -- |
| Ivan Meeks | $11,735 | $2,743 | -76.6% |
| Kerry M. Buckley | $22,076 | $2,410 | -89.1% |
| Charles Lee Holliday | $11,103 | $2,181 | -80.4% |
| Paul Jason Shirley | $9,085 | $2,156 | -76.3% |
| Lynne R. Tumlin | $3,534 | $2,148 | -39.2% |
| James M. Copeland | $19,827 | $2,138 | -89.2% |
| Autry H. Burns | $21,360 | $2,131 | -90% |
| Stephen T. Snead | $12,160 | $2,082 | -82.9% |
| Nancy C. Wallace | $2,081 | $2,081 | 0% |
| Travonne Evans | $847 | $2,059 | 143.1% |
| Glennis Burns | $10,500 | $2,027 | -80.7% |
| Oura Lee Swart | $9,702 | $1,997 | -79.4% |
| Frank E. Roden | $9,144 | $1,984 | -78.3% |
| Randy Lane Burns | $8,994 | $1,974 | -78.1% |
| Mitchell E. Kessler | $1,956 | $1,956 | 0% |
| Louie James Rosson | $0 | $1,924 | -- |
| Fred B. Hobart | $1,915 | $1,915 | 0% |
| Larry Cochran | $4,818 | $1,914 | -60.3% |
| James R. Putnam | $4,676 | $1,828 | -60.9% |
| David E. Dunn | $9,222 | $1,794 | -80.5% |
| Kenneth W. Bolton | $8,030 | $1,750 | -78.2% |
| Joseph Saxon | $11,590 | $1,728 | -85.1% |
| Benny R. Alverson | $0 | $1,722 | -- |
| Dennis R. Frasier | $15,252 | $1,653 | -89.2% |
| Lewis Lankford Jr. | $8,833 | $1,626 | -81.6% |
| Charles McClain | $9,189 | $1,602 | -82.6% |
| Gary M. Howington | $7,939 | $1,567 | -80.3% |
| Ed Minton | $1,450 | $1,450 | 0% |
| William Bart Blevins | $7,385 | $1,424 | -80.7% |
| Robert Lee Cone | $6,303 | $1,382 | -78.1% |
| Gary Williams | $4,824 | $1,339 | -72.2% |
| Steven Warren | $5,561 | $1,281 | -77% |
| William W. Fuhrman | $3,339 | $1,246 | -62.7% |
| Jane Broach-Rosson | $2,406 | $1,239 | -48.5% |
| Ronnie Gilliland | $4,973 | $1,192 | -76% |
| Christopher Scott Lipscomb | $11,044 | $1,174 | -89.4% |
| Stanley McCarty | $5,631 | $1,142 | -79.7% |
| Edgar Lee Godfrey | $3,903 | $1,113 | -71.5% |
| Phillip A. Blair | $1,013 | $1,013 | 0% |
| William T. Cox | $4,026 | $986 | -75.5% |
| Dean A. Bass | $1,280 | $981 | -23.4% |
| MRS Ana Katherine Burns | $4,774 | $956 | -80% |
| Jerry Thomas Gilmer | $3,707 | $949 | -74.4% |
| Gary Lynn Merriman | $5,544 | $942 | -83% |
| Chester C. Hicks Jr. | $3,111 | $925 | -70.3% |
| James D. Robinson Jr. | $922 | $922 | 0% |
| Colby David Dunn | $6,378 | $865 | -86.4% |
| Wayne F. Stephens | $3,322 | $858 | -74.2% |
| Joe G. Logan | $3,718 | $841 | -77.4% |
| Orville Theodore Lowe Estate | $426 | $767 | 80% |
| Beth L. Ford | $1,509 | $760 | -49.6% |
| William T. Cox Jr. | $3,344 | $754 | -77.5% |
| Michael J. Sheffield | $3,245 | $732 | -77.4% |
| Donnie S. Howard | $2,761 | $729 | -73.6% |
| David Lee Jenkins | $3,589 | $716 | -80.1% |
| Randall Christopher Frost | $4,499 | $705 | -84.3% |
| Jean P. Anderson | $2,453 | $696 | -71.6% |
| James H. Patterson | $2,211 | $680 | -69.2% |
| Douglas M. Jones Jr. | $2,794 | $662 | -76.3% |
| Steven E. Cofield | $0 | $660 | -- |
| James M. McClain | $4,515 | $644 | -85.7% |
| Freddie Wayne Lee | $2,970 | $616 | -79.3% |
| Gary F. Murphree | $1,551 | $616 | -60.3% |
| Joe Foreman Bynum | $3,683 | $599 | -83.7% |
| William L. Raber | $7,207 | $587 | -91.9% |
| Mark Blevins | $2,486 | $581 | -76.6% |
| John David Holt | $390 | $568 | 45.6% |
| Camp Sumatanga | $555 | $555 | 0% |
| Angela Geer | $0 | $550 | -- |
| Alton T. Gulledge | $2,981 | $544 | -81.8% |
| Catherine Gil | $0 | $538 | -- |
| Tracie L. Wiggs | $687 | $530 | -22.9% |
| Luann Gladden | $1,456 | $527 | -63.8% |
| Daniel Shane Grant | $2,178 | $523 | -76% |
| Donald R. Owens | $957 | $523 | -45.4% |
| Ryan Yates | $2,255 | $518 | -77% |
| Judy R. Williams | $1,583 | $507 | -68% |
| Luther B. Riddle | $2,354 | $502 | -78.7% |
| J. W. Shelton | $3,089 | $485 | -84.3% |
| John A. Bowling | $2,374 | $478 | -79.9% |
| James D. Baker | $5,507 | $478 | -91.3% |
| Brandon J. Vice | $1,617 | $464 | -71.3% |
| Douglas W. Sullivan | $1,364 | $453 | -66.8% |
| Sarah E. Sullivan | $1,364 | $453 | -66.8% |
| Ervin M. Gilley | $1,086 | $449 | -58.7% |
| David Watkins | $2,376 | $442 | -81.4% |
| Jason L. Cochran | $1,947 | $433 | -77.8% |
| Tommy C. Miller | $2,611 | $419 | -84% |
| Michael Dewayne Prickett | $1,617 | $402 | -75.1% |
| Steve McClendon | $1,430 | $390 | -72.7% |
| Roger L. Yates | $1,980 | $384 | -80.6% |
| Harry C. Wallace | $1,161 | $377 | -67.5% |
| Brandon Caleb Vice | $2,529 | $360 | -85.8% |
| Russell Alan Gray | $1,960 | $356 | -81.8% |
| Charlotte Rodgers | $908 | $326 | -64.1% |
| Kevin S. Tallant | $858 | $326 | -62% |
| Shelia Wiggs | $891 | $326 | -63.4% |
| Windell D. Burns | $238 | $318 | 33.6% |
| Trey Whorton | $1,219 | $315 | -74.2% |
| Patricia C. McCullars | $865 | $313 | -63.8% |
| David R. Usry | $1,132 | $311 | -72.5% |
| Carolyn Reeves | $872 | $291 | -66.6% |
| Wade C. Reed | $611 | $285 | -53.4% |
| Chad C. Griffin | $2,709 | $284 | -89.5% |
| Jimmie Ray Wetzel Jr. | $769 | $276 | -64.1% |
| Robert W. Coker | $1,472 | $273 | -81.5% |
| Thomas R. Lipscomb | $1,230 | $272 | -77.9% |
| Diane H. Hayes | $739 | $268 | -63.7% |
| Gary Wayne Whitt | $1,581 | $262 | -83.4% |
| Alexander Reese Cromer | $1,461 | $257 | -82.4% |
| Dale Hyatt | $608 | $243 | -60% |
| Thomas N. Lewis | $1,034 | $239 | -76.9% |
| Nancy Gale Chaffin | $2,779 | $221 | -92% |
| Karon Sansom Fortenberry | $517 | $212 | -59% |
| Harold Leon Daugherty | $893 | $183 | -79.5% |
| Johnny Grant | $409 | $183 | -55.3% |
| Donna Mitchell | $1,133 | $169 | -85.1% |
| Leland Hill | $704 | $163 | -76.8% |
| James C. Stivender | $1,404 | $158 | -88.7% |
| Floyd L. Hollis | $152 | $152 | 0% |
| Rodney T. Hollis | $152 | $152 | 0% |
| Kenneth L. Hester | $496 | $149 | -70% |
| Michael S. Yopp | $377 | $149 | -60.5% |
| Timothy H. Carter | $487 | $143 | -70.6% |
| Johnny Leon Phillips | $264 | $138 | -47.7% |
| Betty W. Hall | $402 | $136 | -66.2% |
| Virgil Harold Smith | $517 | $133 | -74.3% |
| Bradley Q. Berry | $935 | $132 | -85.9% |
| Lillian P. Ward | $351 | $123 | -65% |
| Marian R. Alexander | $152 | $121 | -20.4% |
| Johnathan Taber Fielding | $183 | $118 | -35.5% |
| Perry W. Gwin | $0 | $116 | -- |
| Iva Lea Hampton Patty | $264 | $111 | -58% |
| Myra B. Cash | $260 | $111 | -57.3% |
| Jerrie E. Fuhrman | $336 | $103 | -69.3% |
| Tryston Smith | $713 | $69 | -90.3% |
| Stephen F. Blackstock | $1,721 | $66 | -96.2% |
| Gehrig S. Fuhrman | $130 | $40 | -69.2% |
| Sandra Sansom Wanner | $301 | $40 | -86.7% |
| Price J. Young Jr. | $0 | $36 | -- |
| Larry D. Alexander | $0 | $31 | -- |
| Eli Hunter Dunn | $121 | $24 | -80.2% |
| Alice J. Clanton | $94 | $9 | -90.4% |
| Geraldine L. Kidd | $6 | $3 | -50% |
| Larry V. Payne | $1,498 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry W. Minshew | $1,650 | $0 | -100% |
| Martha Jane Childers | $3,289 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Earl Guyton | $1,045 | $0 | -100% |
| William Garry Barksdale | $788 | $0 | -100% |
| Billy Hill, LLC | $234 | $0 | -100% |
| David William Sewell | $748 | $0 | -100% |
| Jennifer Murray Patterson | $222 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Chad Jones | $1,155 | $0 | -100% |
| Peyton Samuel Weddington | $5,719 | $0 | -100% |
| R. T. Lasseter | $871 | $0 | -100% |
| Valeria Taylor | $3,081 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeremy Jones | $605 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,467,156 | $771,631 | -47.4% |
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