Farms throughout cities in Franklin County received $1.3 million less in subsidies in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to the year before.
In 2021, 187 farmers in cities within Franklin County received a total of $1.3 million in 350 farm subsidies, a 51.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2.6 million in 632 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 Franklin County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| David T. Fravel | $65,056 | $112,214 | 72.5% |
| R & S Halley Company, Inc. | $0 | $68,476 | — |
| Thomas K. Justus | $105,270 | $57,567 | -45.3% |
| Thomas A. Krebs | $108,974 | $55,076 | -49.5% |
| The Roy & Dell Green Revocable Trust | $0 | $54,892 | — |
| Evans Estate Enterprise | $2,134 | $52,588 | 2,364.3% |
| Schreck Farms, LLC | $80,300 | $39,739 | -50.5% |
| Stephen J. Weber | $170,555 | $38,095 | -77.7% |
| Zwayer Farms Kenneth E Zwayer MBR, LLC | $0 | $36,442 | — |
| LHC Irrevocable Trust | $47,740 | $32,311 | -32.3% |
| JJ Walton Farms, LLC | $52,584 | $30,165 | -42.6% |
| John W. Willing | $42,511 | $27,903 | -34.4% |
| Sarah C. Grosse | $6,769 | $26,708 | 294.6% |
| Bryan Vickers | $25,354 | $25,354 | 0% |
| Gale M. Larue | $55,282 | $23,756 | -57% |
| Stevenson Family Farms, LLC | $54,914 | $23,077 | -58% |
| Roger L. Spillman | $63,585 | $22,327 | -64.9% |
| Bryan C. O’Harra | $40,659 | $19,795 | -51.3% |
| Rick L. Haag | $47,097 | $18,479 | -60.8% |
| Scott F. Dever | $36,446 | $18,457 | -49.4% |
| Golden Harvest Farm, LLC | $35,908 | $17,460 | -51.4% |
| Gary L. Dever | $34,233 | $17,001 | -50.3% |
| Roger L Ouse | $11,363 | $16,281 | 43.3% |
| Casey M. Murphy Jr. | $33,310 | $16,179 | -51.4% |
| Sharon K. Witteman | $39,691 | $14,313 | -63.9% |
| Hayes Brothers Joint Venture | $54,483 | $13,259 | -75.7% |
| Brian Brandt | $14,191 | $12,704 | -10.5% |
| Sue A. Sohn | $0 | $12,546 | — |
| Bradley C. Zwayer | $32,738 | $12,316 | -62.4% |
| Christopher Hirth | $40,378 | $11,800 | -70.8% |
| Ethel a Sullivan | $0 | $10,612 | — |
| Red Maverick Ranch, LLC | $10,456 | $10,456 | 0% |
| DCF Land and Livestock, LLC | $13,678 | $9,547 | -30.2% |
| James E. Braskett | $20,117 | $9,496 | -52.8% |
| Jeffrey W. Spears | $14,425 | $8,783 | -39.1% |
| John L. Weinheimer | $14,980 | $8,651 | -42.2% |
| Heartland Bank | $116,544 | $8,021 | -93.1% |
| Glenn L. Elfrink | $24,301 | $7,788 | -68% |
| George Casper | $7,591 | $7,591 | 0% |
| Michael P. Hann | $31,187 | $7,166 | -77% |
| Neall J. Weber | $17,739 | $6,330 | -64.3% |
| Rose Mary Krebs | $21,314 | $6,322 | -70.3% |
| Cummins Electric, Inc. | $3,273 | $6,265 | 91.4% |
| G L & J Farms LLC, Ltd. | $11,258 | $5,728 | -49.1% |
| Heffner Interests, Ltd. | $15,531 | $5,711 | -63.2% |
| Larry E. Smith | $3,085 | $5,696 | 84.6% |
| Carl V. Leier | $5,693 | $5,693 | 0% |
| Austin E. Brown | $23,364 | $5,666 | -75.7% |
| Nathan W. Ehman | $13,616 | $5,602 | -58.9% |
| Jerry L. Tomlison Sr. | $10,277 | $5,468 | -46.8% |
| Grass Valley Farms, Inc. | $20,559 | $5,435 | -73.6% |
| Gary L. Spillman | $20,083 | $5,403 | -73.1% |
| Lilly Ann Seipel | $4,550 | $5,284 | 16.1% |
| Cass Farm, LLC | $22,467 | $4,519 | -79.9% |
| Susanne H. Hirth | $4,455 | $4,455 | 0% |
| Gary L. Mayle | $8,827 | $4,443 | -49.7% |
| Judith K. Mayle | $8,827 | $4,443 | -49.7% |
| W. L. Wildman | $7,778 | $4,200 | -46% |
| David A. Aldridge | $2,881 | $4,009 | 39.2% |
| Beverly Harper | $2,879 | $4,007 | 39.2% |
| Daniel J. Weston II | $4,175 | $3,683 | -11.8% |
| Donald Richter | $4,285 | $3,512 | -18% |
| Angela-Angela R. Richter Trust R Richter | $0 | $3,427 | — |
| James R. Kuhlwein | $7,432 | $3,316 | -55.4% |
| Linda L. Cole | $3,230 | $3,230 | 0% |
| Rene V. Schreck | $6,336 | $3,110 | -50.9% |
| Lisa M Neiswander-Spillman | $8,291 | $3,103 | -62.6% |
| Cowdery Green Valley Farms, LLC | $3,058 | $3,058 | 0% |
| Edgar T Shaudys Amended and Reinstated Trust | $0 | $2,982 | — |
| Geraldine A. Zwayer | $8,233 | $2,910 | -64.7% |
| Andrew Ritenour | $0 | $2,627 | — |
| Thomas Royse Living Trust | $9,902 | $2,459 | -75.2% |
| Steven L. Marcum | $3,869 | $2,406 | -37.8% |
| Gary L. Blackburn | $2,320 | $2,320 | 0% |
| Cynthia Cline | $2,996 | $2,307 | -23% |
| Donna Clark | $2,997 | $2,307 | -23% |
| Scott Witting | $2,180 | $2,180 | 0% |
| James M. Bausch | $8,426 | $2,125 | -74.8% |
| Robert D. Bausch | $8,426 | $2,125 | -74.8% |
| Cherry Rinehart | $4,599 | $2,051 | -55.4% |
| Gene Todd | $0 | $2,018 | — |
| Robert W. Hunter | $587 | $2,000 | 240.7% |
| Hart’s Glory Farm, LLC | $2,524 | $1,984 | -21.4% |
| Joshua Eugene Griffin | $3,075 | $1,965 | -36.1% |
| Donald E. Kizer | $6,377 | $1,869 | -70.7% |
| Joshua P. Beard | $1,677 | $1,785 | 6.4% |
| Nathan Fausnaugh | $1,677 | $1,785 | 6.4% |
| Daniel J Stradley, LLC | $5,198 | $1,712 | -67.1% |
| Jennifer Denny | $0 | $1,697 | — |
| Clement J. Weidenbenner | $2,386 | $1,685 | -29.4% |
| J & W Chemlizer, Inc. | $4,375 | $1,680 | -61.6% |
| Jennifer M. Denney | $0 | $1,654 | — |
| Sherri Saleh | $0 | $1,629 | — |
| Sherry L. Hay | $1,503 | $1,503 | 0% |
| Kieffer Brothers Farm, LLC | $2,800 | $1,400 | -50% |
| Thomas E. Minton | $2,616 | $1,373 | -47.5% |
| Randall K. Thompson | $1,364 | $1,364 | 0% |
| Margaret Brooks IRR Living Trust | $2,749 | $1,351 | -50.9% |
| David Grieshop | $3,103 | $1,345 | -56.7% |
| Dale Witte | $1,286 | $1,286 | 0% |
| D and F Farms, LLC | $4,444 | $1,273 | -71.4% |
| David H. Brobst | $2,511 | $1,263 | -49.7% |
| A & a Farms, LLC | $4,825 | $1,260 | -73.9% |
| Kristan M Hastrich | $1,613 | $1,216 | -24.6% |
| Sandra Ewart | $1,339 | $1,211 | -9.6% |
| Lawrence W Buergel | $905 | $1,207 | 33.4% |
| David Berna | $2,080 | $1,171 | -43.7% |
| Katherine M. Harrison | $6,511 | $1,169 | -82% |
| Catherine S. Benson | $3,540 | $1,159 | -67.3% |
| Janet E. Joseph | $3,947 | $1,139 | -71.1% |
| Philip W. Johnson | $2,324 | $1,133 | -51.2% |
| Anthony Schroeder | $2,329 | $1,120 | -51.9% |
| Gantz Farms, LLC | $3,306 | $1,098 | -66.8% |
| Fabian J. Orth | $1,348 | $1,090 | -19.1% |
| The Estate of Joseph W Benedict | $0 | $1,026 | — |
| James W. Krebs | $2,931 | $1,011 | -65.5% |
| Ralph E. Kropp | $759 | $972 | 28.1% |
| Richard Farrin | $3,564 | $931 | -73.9% |
| Donald E Richter Trust Dated July 5, 2000 | $901 | $899 | -0.2% |
| John Meyer | $526 | $897 | 70.5% |
| Marie T. Jones | $1,738 | $894 | -48.6% |
| Buglers Holiday Farms I, LLC | $2,385 | $880 | -63.1% |
| Robert N. Spillman | $2,009 | $774 | -61.5% |
| Edgar T Shaudys Amd & Rest Trust | $0 | $774 | — |
| Nancy J Orum Trust | $762 | $762 | 0% |
| Jeffrey A. Myers | $732 | $732 | 0% |
| Rosina Hartig | $903 | $719 | -20.4% |
| Watson Wiest Farms, Ltd. | $2,609 | $716 | -72.6% |
| James A. Barr | $2,503 | $704 | -71.9% |
| Kimberly S. Stewart | $684 | $684 | 0% |
| Kim Caris | $708 | $664 | -6.2% |
| Bernard Wolpert | $0 | $651 | — |
| Lynne B. Siegal | $644 | $644 | 0% |
| Edward Fitzhugh C. Tr | $1,701 | $617 | -63.7% |
| Andrew M. Sweigart | $608 | $608 | 0% |
| Dennis Imbrock | $1,232 | $555 | -55% |
| Celeste E Horman-Roberts | $0 | $539 | — |
| Betty Anewalt | $1,636 | $538 | -67.1% |
| Gregory R Kuss – Kuss Farm Limited | $0 | $510 | — |
| Three Creeks Produce, LLC | $6,991 | $500 | -92.8% |
| Doug Roberts | $2,371 | $479 | -79.8% |
| Charles D. Ellis | $150 | $477 | 218% |
| Melissa Moles | $475 | $475 | 0% |
| James D. Sayre | $2,211 | $474 | -78.6% |
| Kimberly R. Ball | $467 | $467 | 0% |
| James R. Witteman | $1,490 | $465 | -68.8% |
| Thomas Tussing | $1,104 | $462 | -58.2% |
| Edgar T Shaudys | $0 | $438 | — |
| The Andrew B Mayer Trust | $19,789 | $432 | -97.8% |
| Bernard Rossiter | $0 | $424 | — |
| Marilyn Feldwisch | $2,151 | $383 | -82.2% |
| David J Shetlar | $753 | $371 | -50.7% |
| Christine A. Dietsch | $0 | $358 | — |
| Charles W. Hall Jr. | $603 | $357 | -40.8% |
| Ellamay Jerman | $902 | $354 | -60.8% |
| Steven Michael Still | $328 | $328 | 0% |
| Cheryl E. Gehres | $1,443 | $327 | -77.3% |
| Judith K. Hoffman | $313 | $313 | 0% |
| Dorothy S. Lang | $0 | $311 | — |
| Carol J. Heacock | $301 | $301 | 0% |
| Helen A. Sutherland | $402 | $292 | -27.4% |
| Scott E. Hartman | $261 | $287 | 10% |
| Jack Chinn | $1,135 | $279 | -75.4% |
| Harold R. Long | $1,279 | $257 | -79.9% |
| Melissa D Peiter Hutchins | $285 | $243 | -14.7% |
| Richard A. McGrath | $362 | $240 | -33.7% |
| Robert S. Sharp | $559 | $232 | -58.5% |
| Eldon Ronning | $465 | $228 | -51% |
| Jane E. Schreiner | $227 | $227 | 0% |
| Buglers Holiday Farms II, LLC | $1,239 | $222 | -82.1% |
| Amy S. Kimes | $0 | $193 | — |
| Kristine Regula Ness | $384 | $192 | -50% |
| Dorothy Jane Weislogel | $391 | $192 | -50.9% |
| Robert M. Obringer | $590 | $190 | -67.8% |
| Richard E Imbrock | $0 | $187 | — |
| James C. Lewis | $176 | $176 | 0% |
| Warren H. Zachman | $0 | $141 | — |
| Lyndon E. Kuhlwein | $1,536 | $141 | -90.8% |
| Jeffrey S. Fultz | $156 | $134 | -14.1% |
| Proicou Family Limited Partenership | $0 | $112 | — |
| Michael L. Garcia | $125 | $72 | -42.4% |
| Alice K. Appel | $60 | $60 | 0% |
| Linda M. Riley | $72 | $54 | -25% |
| Marilyn R. Shie | $0 | $37 | — |
| Michael D. Reid | $0 | $30 | — |
| Richard L. Evans | $55 | $22 | -60% |
| Robert Butler | $184 | $3 | -98.4% |
| Donald L. Sowards | $635 | $0 | -100% |
| Angela Grieshop | $180 | $0 | -100% |
| Connie Sparks | $56 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward M Coughenour Trust | $10,791 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank Seipel | $427 | $0 | -100% |
| Karen J. Murray | $175 | $0 | -100% |
| Proicou Family Limited Partenersh | $112 | $0 | -100% |
| Beverly Walls Co Lori Barron | $11,850 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian B. Thompson | $150 | $0 | -100% |
| Elizabeth Ann Sidner Trust | $3,041 | $0 | -100% |
| Janet Clemons | $22 | $0 | -100% |
| John Hartig | $674 | $0 | -100% |
| John R. Hartig | $597 | $0 | -100% |
| Jones Family Farm, Ltd. | $1,609 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Lee Sexten | $15,838 | $0 | -100% |
| Ruth F. Willing | $678 | $0 | -100% |
| Warren G Birk Estate | $2,490 | $0 | -100% |
| Zachary Ryan Yutzy | $1,355 | $0 | -100% |
| Bradley A. Kotnik | $3,227 | $0 | -100% |
| Carl S Zwayer Estate | $466 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Werner | $316 | $0 | -100% |
| Deckers Nursery, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Gail Werner | $250 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey T. Derr | $1,919 | $0 | -100% |
| Russell V. Cook | $812 | $0 | -100% |
| Suzanne Foster | $1,059 | $0 | -100% |
| Winchester Landscape Gardens, Inc. | $46,584 | $0 | -100% |
| Zwayer Farms Kenneth E Zwayer, LLC | $116,996 | $0 | -100% |
| Abbruzzese Enterprises | $492 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew B Mayer Trust | $5,187 | $0 | -100% |
| Berdena Jodry | $8,488 | $0 | -100% |
| Bernice D. Everman | $747 | $0 | -100% |
| Carlton Dietsch | $3,733 | $0 | -100% |
| Celeste E. Horman-Roberts | $2,083 | $0 | -100% |
| Chuck James Osborne | $91 | $0 | -100% |
| Cynthia H. Nickey | $1,600 | $0 | -100% |
| Ena Hicks | $18,076 | $0 | -100% |
| Kimberly Hoffman | $366 | $0 | -100% |
| Nancy Rupright | $666 | $0 | -100% |
| Ray and Margery Bauman Investment | $128 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert E. Watts | $381 | $0 | -100% |
| Ruth Ann Watts Revocable Trust | $364 | $0 | -100% |
| Ruth Jennings Irrevocable Trust | $256 | $0 | -100% |
| The Adnrew B Mayer Trust | $3,728 | $0 | -100% |
| The Roberta Chaney Trust | $717 | $0 | -100% |
| Angela R. Richter | $3,427 | $0 | -100% |
| Jane E. Barnett | $555 | $0 | -100% |
| Jarrett R. Holmes | $4,585 | $0 | -100% |
| Elizabeth J Russell IRRV Living T | $2,509 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank M. Pees | $1,855 | $0 | -100% |
| Gregory R Kuss – Kuss Farm Limite | $510 | $0 | -100% |
| John Binns | $13,884 | $0 | -100% |
| Norman Hugh Geary | $5,245 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen B. Johnson | $674 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $2,592,310 | $1,256,542 | -51.5% |
