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In 2021, 213 farmers in cities within LaGrange County received a total of $2.1 million in 408 farm subsidies, a 70.6% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $7.1 million in 803 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 LaGrange County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| JD Seed Farms General Partnership | $507,896 | $137,884 | -72.9% |
| LLT Group, LLC | $425,612 | $135,683 | -68.1% |
| Pretty Prairie Farms | $416,739 | $116,456 | -72.1% |
| Stutzman Dairy, LLC | $102,526 | $89,204 | -13% |
| Kauffman Farms | $304,805 | $86,484 | -71.6% |
| Cross-Road Farms, LLC | $266,636 | $82,621 | -69% |
| Lewis Century Stock Farms, Inc. | $169,124 | $81,395 | -51.9% |
| K C Squared Farms, LLC | $104,606 | $54,753 | -47.7% |
| Green Meadow Farms, Inc. | $50,547 | $48,546 | -4% |
| Sherman Farms Agent, LLC | $185,351 | $47,719 | -74.3% |
| Chad W. Neff | $230,304 | $38,923 | -83.1% |
| Robert Mishler | $10,026 | $38,820 | 287.2% |
| Terry Northup | $56,760 | $34,292 | -39.6% |
| Nofziger Grain Farms, LLC | $5,480 | $34,206 | 524.2% |
| Russell Yoder | $144,004 | $34,087 | -76.3% |
| Hickory Grove Farms, Inc. | $76,948 | $31,805 | -58.7% |
| Dean J. Stutzman | $33,301 | $31,712 | -4.8% |
| Jerry J. Yoder | $72,250 | $30,437 | -57.9% |
| David O. Miller | $40,218 | $29,209 | -27.4% |
| F B I Farms, Inc. | $60,408 | $26,946 | -55.4% |
| R E Yoder & Sons | $79,643 | $26,900 | -66.2% |
| Myers Triangle Farms, Inc. | $105,420 | $26,347 | -75% |
| Edward J. Slabach | $33,978 | $26,283 | -22.6% |
| Nelson E. Frye | $540 | $24,751 | 4,483.5% |
| JLM Family Farm, LLC | $0 | $23,711 | -- |
| Mckibben Farms, Inc. | $64,111 | $23,548 | -63.3% |
| Allen J. Spade | $52,549 | $22,445 | -57.3% |
| Dennis L. Yoder | $25,693 | $21,565 | -16.1% |
| Craig Helman | $72,837 | $21,296 | -70.8% |
| Scott Gochenaur | $52,377 | $21,062 | -59.8% |
| Dan A. Lehman | $29,746 | $19,098 | -35.8% |
| Ronald D. Hostetler | $44,844 | $17,660 | -60.6% |
| Springfield Swine, Inc. | $185,387 | $17,352 | -90.6% |
| Freeman A. Yoder | $19,259 | $17,327 | -10% |
| Douglas A. Steider | $62,495 | $16,367 | -73.8% |
| Brian Alleshouse | $48,330 | $16,302 | -66.3% |
| Leer Family Trust | $13,210 | $13,210 | 0% |
| Matt Jones | $13,400 | $12,989 | -3.1% |
| Timothy W. Sisson | $39,205 | $12,941 | -67% |
| Mark Kauffman | $42,020 | $12,774 | -69.6% |
| Tammy Kauffman | $42,020 | $12,774 | -69.6% |
| CKS Farms, LLC | $42,511 | $12,336 | -71% |
| Aaron L Pfafman | $44,408 | $12,240 | -72.4% |
| Kent a Pfafman | $43,177 | $12,041 | -72.1% |
| Norman E Pfafman | $43,083 | $12,040 | -72.1% |
| Midway Farms, Inc. | $26,378 | $11,925 | -54.8% |
| Rick A. Welsh | $431,751 | $11,388 | -97.4% |
| Bruce R. Burns | $31,413 | $11,207 | -64.3% |
| Theodore Gunthorp | $32,939 | $11,047 | -66.5% |
| Daniel W. Fought | $34,038 | $10,624 | -68.8% |
| David L. Fry | $0 | $10,231 | -- |
| Lennard Agent Company | $613,592 | $10,055 | -98.4% |
| David Eichelberger | $30,116 | $10,032 | -66.7% |
| Dewin' Well Farm, Inc. | $27,543 | $9,200 | -66.6% |
| Niley Allen Wisler | $21,023 | $9,188 | -56.3% |
| B. A. R. Farm, LLC | $15,777 | $9,140 | -42.1% |
| Dean A. Bassett | $26,481 | $8,934 | -66.3% |
| Stanley D. Notestine | $13,723 | $8,663 | -36.9% |
| Brad Litwiller | $4,940 | $8,658 | 75.3% |
| Ray Gunthorp | $19,194 | $8,639 | -55% |
| Jeanette L. Sisson | $17,167 | $8,382 | -51.2% |
| Nathan Wisler | $19,820 | $8,291 | -58.2% |
| James Cossairt | $30,771 | $8,030 | -73.9% |
| Aaron Wisler | $17,923 | $7,709 | -57% |
| Larry Schermerhorn | $16,908 | $6,771 | -60% |
| David Maas | $9,886 | $6,540 | -33.8% |
| Roger Klopfenstein | $5,046 | $6,192 | 22.7% |
| Lois M. Faust | $5,761 | $6,163 | 7% |
| Hadley Associates, Inc. | $20,303 | $5,860 | -71.1% |
| Michael L Vandekeere | $9,272 | $5,808 | -37.4% |
| Charles Hartman | $9,643 | $5,374 | -44.3% |
| Mckibben Family Farms, Inc. | $5,263 | $5,094 | -3.2% |
| Thomas L. Atwater | $9,841 | $4,985 | -49.3% |
| Eric Spade | $12,040 | $4,874 | -59.5% |
| Lowell F. Freed | $37,894 | $4,843 | -87.2% |
| Craig D. Mast | $11,141 | $4,655 | -58.2% |
| Dale Klopfenstein | $12,355 | $4,415 | -64.3% |
| Michael Oesch | $8,371 | $4,361 | -47.9% |
| Michael L. Fanning | $72,101 | $4,254 | -94.1% |
| P Porter Place, LLC | $8,402 | $3,800 | -54.8% |
| James King | $3,764 | $3,764 | 0% |
| Twin Pines Farm, Inc. | $15,543 | $3,742 | -75.9% |
| Devon O. Miller | $8,820 | $3,576 | -59.5% |
| Noel W. Klingaman | $8,057 | $3,512 | -56.4% |
| Bateman Farms, LLC | $1,899 | $3,498 | 84.2% |
| Richard D Randol Estate | $0 | $3,437 | -- |
| Dan G. Weiland | $11,590 | $3,432 | -70.4% |
| Scott Weiland | $11,590 | $3,432 | -70.4% |
| Tim Sanderson | $3,203 | $3,204 | 0% |
| Daniel L. Prough | $7,891 | $3,142 | -60.2% |
| Jon R. Klopfenstein | $4,776 | $2,798 | -41.4% |
| Anthony J. Green | $5,422 | $2,693 | -50.3% |
| Terry Holsinger | $2,687 | $2,687 | 0% |
| Robert Johnson Jr. | $2,245 | $2,634 | 17.3% |
| James Oxender | $2,577 | $2,577 | 0% |
| Lagrange County Commissioners | $2,561 | $2,561 | 0% |
| Karen L. Bates | $1,652 | $2,502 | 51.5% |
| Subbarao V. Yarlagadda | $2,541 | $2,415 | -5% |
| Riverdale Farm, Corp. | $4,782 | $2,409 | -49.6% |
| Marion L. Miller | $14,339 | $2,247 | -84.3% |
| Robert L. Cart | $4,010 | $2,230 | -44.4% |
| David R. Wenger | $2,932 | $2,126 | -27.5% |
| Adam R. Allen | $8,583 | $2,068 | -75.9% |
| Ll-AA Farms, LLC | $4,276 | $1,981 | -53.7% |
| Melvin R. Miller | $2,848 | $1,955 | -31.4% |
| Christine Mershman | $6,787 | $1,900 | -72% |
| Donald Mershman | $6,787 | $1,900 | -72% |
| Wayne L. Bontrager | $14,095 | $1,889 | -86.6% |
| Daniel J. Troyer | $2,709 | $1,794 | -33.8% |
| James A. Warrener | $1,770 | $1,770 | 0% |
| Reed M. Oesch | $0 | $1,760 | -- |
| Atwater Century Farm, LLC | $2,697 | $1,704 | -36.8% |
| Freddy Laverne Burger | $10,345 | $1,682 | -83.7% |
| Patricia Jean Pichon | $1,668 | $1,668 | 0% |
| D & M Thompson Farm, LLC | $3,289 | $1,654 | -49.7% |
| David L. Miller | $12,915 | $1,608 | -87.5% |
| Lambert Farms, LLP | $8,266 | $1,531 | -81.5% |
| Dick H Bruce - Bruce Family Revoc LVG Trust | $4,510 | $1,487 | -67% |
| Castle Family Farms, LLC | $3,700 | $1,443 | -61% |
| Terry L Mickem Testamentary Trust | $1,348 | $1,348 | 0% |
| James Klopfenstein | $2,188 | $1,317 | -39.8% |
| Jeff Bercaw | $2,628 | $1,291 | -50.9% |
| Mark W. Atwater | $1,497 | $1,275 | -14.8% |
| Adam J. Drummond | $1,162 | $1,162 | 0% |
| Marlin R. Eash | $9,988 | $1,140 | -88.6% |
| Alvin J. Beechy | $12,403 | $1,096 | -91.2% |
| Raymond L. Miller | $14,563 | $1,060 | -92.7% |
| Leland F. Lehman | $14,979 | $1,043 | -93% |
| Lavon Zimmerman | $14,338 | $1,005 | -93% |
| Mervin M. Bontrager | $1,062 | $1,000 | -5.8% |
| William F. Connelly | $2,483 | $984 | -60.4% |
| Ira J. Johnson | $2,643 | $907 | -65.7% |
| Marvin E. Eash | $26,326 | $866 | -96.7% |
| Clayton Barrows | $1,977 | $850 | -57% |
| Larry Dickinson | $1,386 | $845 | -39% |
| Robert Fanning | $1,194 | $831 | -30.4% |
| Michael D. Atwater | $1,722 | $788 | -54.2% |
| Ernest M. Wengerd | $536 | $782 | 45.9% |
| Steven R. Lambright | $17,192 | $782 | -95.5% |
| Phillip D. Miller | $750 | $750 | 0% |
| Calvin R. Miller | $750 | $750 | 0% |
| Jay Dee Lehman | $0 | $750 | -- |
| Elroy O. Miller | $750 | $750 | 0% |
| Wilbur Eash | $500 | $750 | 50% |
| Terry D. Bontrager | $1,244 | $721 | -42% |
| Richard J. Hostetler | $1,778 | $714 | -59.8% |
| Ervin O. Miller | $28,864 | $712 | -97.5% |
| Pisgah Summit, LLC | $706 | $706 | 0% |
| Valley Line Dairy, LLC | $12,752 | $705 | -94.5% |
| Brandon Miller | $1,750 | $700 | -60% |
| Mervin E. Miller | $700 | $700 | 0% |
| Richard M. Bontrager | $700 | $700 | 0% |
| Gerald E. Troyer | $700 | $700 | 0% |
| Floyd O. Bontrager | $700 | $700 | 0% |
| John R. Miller | $750 | $700 | -6.7% |
| Larry C. Miller | $728 | $700 | -3.8% |
| Steven D. Bontrager | $642 | $700 | 9% |
| Christy J. Graber | $935 | $685 | -26.7% |
| Richard C. Jordan | $1,581 | $656 | -58.5% |
| Vernon D. Miller | $67,386 | $648 | -99% |
| Larry Myers | $450 | $600 | 33.3% |
| Joseph A. Yoder | $500 | $576 | 15.2% |
| Bruce Hunter | $570 | $570 | 0% |
| Clay L. Crabill | $539 | $539 | 0% |
| Harley S. Schrock | $536 | $536 | 0% |
| Ralph and Ida Johnson Family Trust | $849 | $524 | -38.3% |
| Bruce E. Hostetler | $1,021 | $521 | -49% |
| Phillip Hill | $2,397 | $511 | -78.7% |
| Jag Agri, LLC | $510 | $510 | 0% |
| John D. Knepper | $920 | $508 | -44.8% |
| Aaron V. Miller | $3,790 | $507 | -86.6% |
| Kurt Alleshouse | $1,155 | $506 | -56.2% |
| Daniel Jay Bontrager | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Jerry E. Miller | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Jerry W. Fry | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Joe D. Miller | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| L & M Agent, LLC | $466 | $500 | 7.3% |
| Steven R. Borntrager | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Vernon M. Hershberger | $500 | $500 | 0% |
| Willard L. Yoder | $10,303 | $500 | -95.1% |
| Robert D. Bond | $822 | $493 | -40% |
| Leon Lehman | $0 | $469 | -- |
| Maynard F. Lehman | $11,059 | $441 | -96% |
| Hilltop Holsteins, LLC | $437 | $437 | 0% |
| Don Merten | $877 | $383 | -56.3% |
| Paul Richard Corman | $969 | $367 | -62.1% |
| Wishing Well Farms, Inc. | $357 | $357 | 0% |
| Michael A. Lehman | $347 | $347 | 0% |
| Kenneth E. Crague | $332 | $332 | 0% |
| Rosemarie L. Crague | $332 | $332 | 0% |
| Michael D. Howe | $361 | $297 | -17.7% |
| Edward R. Slabach | $294 | $294 | 0% |
| Charles D. Rasler | $586 | $268 | -54.3% |
| Patrick Rasler | $806 | $268 | -66.7% |
| Duane L. Rheinheimer | $770 | $244 | -68.3% |
| Lavon L. Bontrager | $242 | $242 | 0% |
| Rodney L. Bauermeister | $570 | $220 | -61.4% |
| Lance E. Kendrick | $264 | $208 | -21.2% |
| TRT Farms, LLC | $262 | $203 | -22.5% |
| Keith Fry | $362 | $192 | -47% |
| Delee N. Schrock | $331 | $177 | -46.5% |
| Kenton Lochamire | $167 | $167 | 0% |
| Rex Combs | $101 | $155 | 53.5% |
| Shawn Combs | $101 | $155 | 53.5% |
| Wesley Combs | $101 | $155 | 53.5% |
| Thomas McKee | $251 | $131 | -47.8% |
| Joe P. Miller | $13,522 | $70 | -99.5% |
| Gregory M. Rasler | $148 | $67 | -54.7% |
| Julie Rasler | $194 | $67 | -65.5% |
| Harvey C Lambright Irrevocable Trust | $135 | $60 | -55.6% |
| Mr. Lavern D. Miller | $19,021 | $44 | -99.8% |
| Mark A. Yoder | $31 | $8 | -74.2% |
| Everett Bachman | $25 | $1 | -96% |
| Andrew Curtis | $482 | $0 | -100% |
| Ann Bowerman | $207 | $0 | -100% |
| Booth Family Farms, LLC | $381 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald Spreuer | $1,172 | $0 | -100% |
| Aaron V. Miller | $700 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel A. Bontrager | $28,481 | $0 | -100% |
| Elmer W. Hochstetler | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Greg Gunthorp | $243,762 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob A. Schrock | $826 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob J. Yoder Jr. | $433 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason Hill | $98 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry Grogg | $758 | $0 | -100% |
| John W. Reffett | $102 | $0 | -100% |
| Leo J. Weaver | $3,574 | $0 | -100% |
| Mervin A. Bontrager | $13,617 | $0 | -100% |
| Orla F Miller | $9,161 | $0 | -100% |
| Orva S Miller | $2,232 | $0 | -100% |
| Raymond G. Miller | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard D. Randol | $1,330 | $0 | -100% |
| Russell Howe | $1,656 | $0 | -100% |
| Vernon R. Miller | $7,773 | $0 | -100% |
| C Keith Whittern | $10,098 | $0 | -100% |
| John E. Mast | $35,708 | $0 | -100% |
| Leroy E. Miller | $336 | $0 | -100% |
| Merlin Otto | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Philip L. Gage | $7,333 | $0 | -100% |
| Rodney J. Frain | $594 | $0 | -100% |
| Devon R. Yoder | $700 | $0 | -100% |
| Elmer D. Fry | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Leroy A. Schrock | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Ray E. Wingard | $16,008 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $7,078,212 | $2,079,613 | -70.6% |
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