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In 2021, 274 farmers in cities within Augusta County received a total of $3.5 million in 416 farm subsidies, a 46.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $6.6 million in 757 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 Augusta County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennings Gap Dairy, LLC | $230,248 | $258,099 | 12.1% |
| Purple Cow Road Farms | $20,538 | $153,555 | 647.7% |
| Cave View Farms, Inc. | $537,112 | $140,284 | -73.9% |
| Oakland Farms, Inc. | $350,232 | $135,819 | -61.2% |
| Benson Hollow Farm, LLC | $25,783 | $134,458 | 421.5% |
| Plane River Farm, Inc. | $232,734 | $128,050 | -45% |
| Tranquil Cave Farm, LLC | $192,844 | $125,682 | -34.8% |
| Commodity Credit Corporation | $89,643 | $123,711 | 38% |
| Sundial Dairy II, LLC | $168,504 | $118,147 | -29.9% |
| Charles Bernard Sheets | $132,309 | $100,993 | -23.7% |
| Newton Heath Karicofe | $229 | $91,273 | 39,757.2% |
| WRF Dairy, LLC | $118,732 | $87,826 | -26% |
| Fox Run Farms, LLC | $169,081 | $86,746 | -48.7% |
| Timothy R. Waldron | $10,698 | $81,859 | 665.2% |
| Twin Springs Farm, LLC | $37,699 | $78,938 | 109.4% |
| Ricky a & Brenda J Cook, LLC | $11,711 | $74,733 | 538.1% |
| Mooreland Farms | $108,681 | $68,607 | -36.9% |
| William Burwell Patterson Jr. | $125,800 | $65,276 | -48.1% |
| Pine Glenn Farm, LLC | $0 | $59,510 | -- |
| Lucky Charm Farms, LLC | $53,116 | $59,239 | 11.5% |
| Kisamore Enterprises, Inc. | $21,717 | $56,377 | 159.6% |
| FRF Cross Keys, LLC | $26,656 | $54,043 | 102.7% |
| Marshall Farms, LLC | $154,281 | $51,848 | -66.4% |
| Weaver Poultry, Inc. | $0 | $48,496 | -- |
| Orchard Hill Farms, LLC | $0 | $48,494 | -- |
| Matthew Frank Packer | $7,311 | $48,428 | 562.4% |
| Opus Farm, LLC | $0 | $46,912 | -- |
| Blue Ridge Poultry, LLC | $0 | $42,402 | -- |
| C. E. Martin & Sons, LLC | $119,008 | $38,462 | -67.7% |
| Todd R. Beck | $250,805 | $38,052 | -84.8% |
| Garrett Lynn Johnston | $2,013 | $37,310 | 1,753.5% |
| Joshua Aaron Botkin | $154,274 | $35,966 | -76.7% |
| Williams Family Farm, LLC | $166,212 | $34,002 | -79.5% |
| Middlebrook Farms, LLC | $191,233 | $33,708 | -82.4% |
| Dean W. Witmer | $5,856 | $32,908 | 462% |
| Rock Bottom Farm, LLLP | $70,598 | $32,816 | -53.5% |
| Scott D. Siple | $8,228 | $28,743 | 249.3% |
| Buttermilk Road Dairy, LLC | $64,748 | $25,774 | -60.2% |
| Michael L. Avey | $0 | $21,171 | -- |
| Garber Farms, Inc. | $71,301 | $18,075 | -74.6% |
| Mark Alexander Hamilton | $77,996 | $17,304 | -77.8% |
| Jeff Lawson 3rd | $192,037 | $14,889 | -92.2% |
| Jeffrey A. Slaven | $121,562 | $14,378 | -88.2% |
| Mish Brothers | $42,363 | $13,936 | -67.1% |
| Blackwood Farm, LLC | $0 | $13,365 | -- |
| Stanley W. Sheets | $46,859 | $13,004 | -72.2% |
| Bart Black | $55,570 | $12,739 | -77.1% |
| Neysa Simmers | $12,630 | $12,630 | 0% |
| Sinking Springs Farm | $77,678 | $11,986 | -84.6% |
| William P. Revercomb | $73,073 | $11,368 | -84.4% |
| Wesley Steven Marshall | $16,586 | $10,251 | -38.2% |
| Weaver Brothers | $41,823 | $9,665 | -76.9% |
| Garland W. Greene | $56,958 | $9,634 | -83.1% |
| Summit Farm, LLC | $16,814 | $9,053 | -46.2% |
| Meadowbrook Growers, LLC | $0 | $8,990 | -- |
| Brandywine Acres, LLC | $62,532 | $8,986 | -85.6% |
| Manley Farms of Virginia, LLC | $10,057 | $8,890 | -11.6% |
| Phillip A. Howell | $43,058 | $8,854 | -79.4% |
| Steven Kirk Fitzgerald | $0 | $7,985 | -- |
| Deloris Wertman - Deloris K. Wertman Revocable Trustee | $0 | $7,791 | -- |
| J H Rubush & Sons, LLC | $27,668 | $7,731 | -72.1% |
| Suffangus Farm, LLC | $25,844 | $7,585 | -70.7% |
| Mike Garrison | $40,257 | $7,137 | -82.3% |
| Lucy Sensabaugh | $17,458 | $7,105 | -59.3% |
| Eric Evers | $24,873 | $6,973 | -72% |
| Jeff Glover Buchanan | $26,356 | $6,820 | -74.1% |
| Carl L. Freed Jr. | $45,190 | $6,736 | -85.1% |
| J. H. Fitzgerald Enterprises, LLC | $0 | $6,483 | -- |
| Mcnett Cattle, LLC | $62,497 | $6,468 | -89.7% |
| Earl S. Kiracofe | $26,292 | $6,348 | -75.9% |
| A. D. Shinaberry Jr. | $0 | $5,729 | -- |
| Little Run, LLC | $9,064 | $5,676 | -37.4% |
| Thomas B. McCall | $26,736 | $5,624 | -79% |
| Botkin Farms, LLC | $9,545 | $5,176 | -45.8% |
| Crosco Company L C | $20,139 | $5,006 | -75.1% |
| Eddie Shaver | $12,134 | $4,945 | -59.2% |
| Donald G. Vess | $19,492 | $4,708 | -75.8% |
| Larry Philip Clemmer | $20,691 | $4,590 | -77.8% |
| Timothy W. Clemmer | $23,659 | $4,454 | -81.2% |
| Dwight F. Swope | $9,378 | $4,449 | -52.6% |
| Steve Hewitt | $29,368 | $4,240 | -85.6% |
| David J. Swink | $8,924 | $4,222 | -52.7% |
| Swope Ridge Farm, LLC | $15,432 | $4,060 | -73.7% |
| Taylor M. Cole | $7,442 | $4,060 | -45.4% |
| James B. Murphy | $17,032 | $4,053 | -76.2% |
| Lewis E. Cline | $15,347 | $4,028 | -73.8% |
| Robin Toms | $17,033 | $3,893 | -77.1% |
| Fred M. Sprouse Jr. | $0 | $3,640 | -- |
| Mark Bradley Dunsmore | $13,730 | $3,594 | -73.8% |
| Dennis C. Michael | $8,455 | $3,500 | -58.6% |
| Brooks Brothers Farm | $14,672 | $3,356 | -77.1% |
| David W. Fitzgerald | $3,239 | $3,239 | 0% |
| Matthew Powers | $1,660 | $3,159 | 90.3% |
| Douglas Clifton Ramsey | $11,964 | $3,156 | -73.6% |
| William H. Arehart | $12,991 | $2,997 | -76.9% |
| Joseph W. Harris | $12,077 | $2,886 | -76.1% |
| Clyde Baker Jr. | $17,333 | $2,834 | -83.6% |
| Steven F Shreckhise | $2,795 | $2,795 | 0% |
| Leo Tammi | $12,302 | $2,760 | -77.6% |
| Warren H. Morris Jr. | $16,471 | $2,739 | -83.4% |
| Misty Dawn Turner | $32,523 | $2,732 | -91.6% |
| John O. Marsh | $9,367 | $2,714 | -71% |
| Benfield Farms, Inc. | $13,267 | $2,699 | -79.7% |
| Lynn Eric Shaver | $7,237 | $2,651 | -63.4% |
| Hillside Farm | $23,444 | $2,573 | -89% |
| S & J Agribusiness, LLC | $604 | $2,546 | 321.5% |
| Mark J. Ramsey | $7,909 | $2,406 | -69.6% |
| Pamela E. Clemmer | $11,022 | $2,404 | -78.2% |
| East Agra, Inc. | $40,361 | $2,380 | -94.1% |
| Benjamin L. Howell Jr. | $0 | $2,351 | -- |
| John D. Senger | $7,938 | $2,349 | -70.4% |
| Douglas W. Sheets | $15,757 | $2,317 | -85.3% |
| Jill C. Heizer | $11,639 | $2,261 | -80.6% |
| Beverly B. Puckett | $7,347 | $2,244 | -69.5% |
| Sunrise Farms, Inc. | $30,137 | $2,244 | -92.6% |
| Sally F. Fulton | $2,232 | $2,232 | 0% |
| Jeffrey G. Ritchie | $10,498 | $2,194 | -79.1% |
| Robert K. Olson | $8,621 | $2,182 | -74.7% |
| David C. Good | $9,409 | $2,162 | -77% |
| Allen O. Norheim | $2,147 | $2,147 | 0% |
| Steven M. Weaver | $8,408 | $2,062 | -75.5% |
| Steven P. Hord | $4,083 | $2,017 | -50.6% |
| Hillside Dairy, LLC | $1,294 | $1,974 | 52.6% |
| Jerry O. Cleveland | $5,648 | $1,973 | -65.1% |
| Bradley J. Reeves | $10,711 | $1,866 | -82.6% |
| G. J. Balsley Jr. | $4,074 | $1,854 | -54.5% |
| M & M Farms - Roy Clinton Mcallister | $0 | $1,842 | -- |
| Kirk P. Humphries | $0 | $1,836 | -- |
| Arlie Lee Wolfe Jr. | $8,327 | $1,818 | -78.2% |
| David H. Schaefer | $6,428 | $1,771 | -72.4% |
| Ralph S. Lam | $3,880 | $1,770 | -54.4% |
| Hugh A. Christian Jr. | $7,562 | $1,764 | -76.7% |
| Jeffery Fink | $8,645 | $1,754 | -79.7% |
| Scott Alan Morris | $7,368 | $1,634 | -77.8% |
| Jayme Reed | $8,705 | $1,634 | -81.2% |
| Richard G. Layser | $2,067 | $1,626 | -21.3% |
| Camp Hollow Farm, LLC | $15,159 | $1,611 | -89.4% |
| Franklin S. Evers | $12,754 | $1,609 | -87.4% |
| Dennis W. Sellers | $11,891 | $1,588 | -86.6% |
| Donald Smith | $5,544 | $1,568 | -71.7% |
| Donald L. Hulvey | $9,658 | $1,556 | -83.9% |
| Shinaberry Family Farms, LLC | $18,185 | $1,554 | -91.5% |
| Neal F. Buchanan | $6,391 | $1,524 | -76.2% |
| Kenneth Scott Lowery | $6,173 | $1,524 | -75.3% |
| Garry Gordon | $1,442 | $1,442 | 0% |
| Teresa Taylor | $6,485 | $1,415 | -78.2% |
| Karen T. Chamblee | $1,349 | $1,349 | 0% |
| Hilda Jones Craig | $6,974 | $1,329 | -80.9% |
| Montgomery R. Gochenour | $3,708 | $1,294 | -65.1% |
| Joseph F Borzelleca JR | $0 | $1,290 | -- |
| Robert Ruebush | $10,383 | $1,267 | -87.8% |
| Charlotte S. Michael | $0 | $1,265 | -- |
| Duane L. Witmer | $5,456 | $1,255 | -77% |
| Bonnie J. Holliday | $839 | $1,239 | 47.7% |
| Hugh A. Watkins | $4,247 | $1,228 | -71.1% |
| Lloyd Jackson Hinton | $11,094 | $1,209 | -89.1% |
| Kyle Brandon Shilling | $5,434 | $1,202 | -77.9% |
| Randolph W. Covington | $1,200 | $1,200 | 0% |
| Bradley Allen Gordon | $8,850 | $1,177 | -86.7% |
| Winding River Farms, LLC | $1,938 | $1,164 | -39.9% |
| David Mattthew Hemp | $4,650 | $1,142 | -75.4% |
| Irvin J. Marshall | $8,802 | $1,118 | -87.3% |
| Brasil W. Hamrick | $1,118 | $1,118 | 0% |
| Lowrie W. Tucker | $1,116 | $1,116 | 0% |
| Buddy Lee Shaver Jr. | $884 | $1,095 | 23.9% |
| Dexter Ritchie | $7,469 | $1,090 | -85.4% |
| James H. Bryan Jr. | $7,314 | $1,090 | -85.1% |
| Jo Annis H. Eller | $1,060 | $1,060 | 0% |
| Brooks L. Cushman | $1,051 | $1,051 | 0% |
| George W. Smiley | $3,626 | $1,038 | -71.4% |
| Eloise R. Pingry | $1,711 | $1,035 | -39.5% |
| James Beery | $3,375 | $1,018 | -69.8% |
| Broad Creek Farm, LLC | $3,662 | $1,014 | -72.3% |
| J Kevin Sanetrik | $4,675 | $986 | -78.9% |
| Garrett John Beck | $10,305 | $973 | -90.6% |
| Bryan D. Shafer | $3,074 | $969 | -68.5% |
| Rachel Lee Swortzel Ashby | $0 | $958 | -- |
| Robert J. Clements | $3,226 | $938 | -70.9% |
| Jamison Houff | $3,168 | $918 | -71% |
| Single Ridge Farm, LLC | $3,960 | $910 | -77% |
| Marcus Maust | $2,847 | $908 | -68.1% |
| Emma Jean Wise Revocable Trust | $900 | $900 | 0% |
| Christopher A. Botkin | $884 | $884 | 0% |
| Steve Michael Root | $3,124 | $872 | -72.1% |
| Gary E. Conner | $2,497 | $869 | -65.2% |
| Delmer G. Botkin | $865 | $865 | 0% |
| Courtney Newlen | $6,333 | $836 | -86.8% |
| Devin C. Michael | $4,322 | $835 | -80.7% |
| Benjamin L. Howell III | $8,588 | $827 | -90.4% |
| French Farms, LLC | $8,847 | $796 | -91% |
| Mark Christopher Brill | $577 | $791 | 37.1% |
| Augusta County School Board | $791 | $791 | 0% |
| Aleta Springs Farms, LLC | $10,414 | $788 | -92.4% |
| John G. Sproul | $781 | $781 | 0% |
| Ashley D. Shinaberry | $3,894 | $769 | -80.3% |
| Meade Land & Cattle Company, LLC | $2,695 | $765 | -71.6% |
| Eric E. Earhart | $4,285 | $762 | -82.2% |
| Long Roots Farm, LLC | $6,754 | $758 | -88.8% |
| John Caleb Liptrap | $3,256 | $743 | -77.2% |
| Donald W. Clark | $958 | $735 | -23.3% |
| Michael G. Snell | $4,292 | $732 | -82.9% |
| Jeremy Ambler | $1,650 | $709 | -57% |
| David W. Surratt | $25,639 | $700 | -97.3% |
| Robert Michael McCune | $4,548 | $700 | -84.6% |
| Alex Taylor Botkin | $1,903 | $695 | -63.5% |
| Treva S. Cupp | $916 | $691 | -24.6% |
| Brenda Kay Wilhelm | $679 | $679 | 0% |
| Ronald Lee Young | $2,970 | $672 | -77.4% |
| Dennis Miller | $17,579 | $672 | -96.2% |
| Richard S. Mansfield | $667 | $667 | 0% |
| Benjamin R. Gee | $3,554 | $663 | -81.3% |
| Daniel William Gordon | $3,889 | $654 | -83.2% |
| Rodney F. Wilkins | $4,777 | $651 | -86.4% |
| J. V. Dunlap | $3,003 | $634 | -78.9% |
| Forrest N. Weaver | $3,223 | $634 | -80.3% |
| Mcnutt Place, LLC | $616 | $616 | 0% |
| Annette V. Wood | $595 | $595 | 0% |
| Ronald R. Reich | $3,297 | $595 | -82% |
| Marlin P. Hewitt | $1,122 | $575 | -48.8% |
| Jonathan F. Garber | $566 | $566 | 0% |
| Calvin L. Lambert | $3,930 | $557 | -85.8% |
| Jane S Karicofe | $794 | $549 | -30.9% |
| Kenneth E. Cupp | $549 | $549 | 0% |
| John W. Michael | $1,287 | $519 | -59.7% |
| Alton Pannel | $1,287 | $498 | -61.3% |
| Brian D. Botkin | $3,115 | $490 | -84.3% |
| Cody Campbell | $2,354 | $490 | -79.2% |
| Springdale Water Gardens, Inc. | $6,521 | $486 | -92.5% |
| Clay Greene | $2,375 | $476 | -80% |
| William B. Speck Estate | $2,651 | $474 | -82.1% |
| Walter E Farnholtz | $0 | $459 | -- |
| Jacob Fitzgerald | $2,642 | $443 | -83.2% |
| John H. Curry Jr. | $2,353 | $439 | -81.3% |
| Mitchell L. Banta | $419 | $419 | 0% |
| Kevin M. Smith | $1,254 | $396 | -68.4% |
| Martha C. Brooks | $1,023 | $391 | -61.8% |
| Berlin H. Smiley Jr. | $2,024 | $391 | -80.7% |
| John M. Liptrap | $2,370 | $380 | -84% |
| John R. Tankesley | $1,617 | $367 | -77.3% |
| David Tempkin | $353 | $353 | 0% |
| Brian Paul Jones | $9,071 | $343 | -96.2% |
| Cecil M. Wright | $2,964 | $340 | -88.5% |
| Walnut Acres, LLC | $336 | $336 | 0% |
| Kenneth Redifer | $2,524 | $320 | -87.3% |
| Jason Donald Michael | $1,243 | $301 | -75.8% |
| Lester Phares Witmer | $497 | $300 | -39.6% |
| David L. Gardner | $1,206 | $297 | -75.4% |
| William R. Youell | $1,605 | $294 | -81.7% |
| Miller Poultry, LLC | $2,204 | $291 | -86.8% |
| Gary L. Knupp | $1,935 | $280 | -85.5% |
| Rupert P. Chandler Jr. | $276 | $276 | 0% |
| Buster Land, LLC | $719 | $270 | -62.4% |
| Jordan Lee Conner | $1,188 | $264 | -77.8% |
| Lee S. Heizer | $2,050 | $255 | -87.6% |
| Ralph E. Griffin Jr. | $1,134 | $209 | -81.6% |
| Christopher Snyder | $803 | $204 | -74.6% |
| Anthony Lee Morton | $4,312 | $203 | -95.3% |
| Diane H. Hinch | $194 | $194 | 0% |
| Guy F. Thompson | $935 | $187 | -80% |
| Anthony Shafer | $825 | $177 | -78.5% |
| Titus Joe Showalter | $0 | $144 | -- |
| Karl M. Kiracofe | $1,920 | $140 | -92.7% |
| Robert A. Gaunce | $340 | $139 | -59.1% |
| Edward L. Sensabaugh | $8,616 | $89 | -99% |
| Michael D. Cromer | $298 | $84 | -71.8% |
| Charles Beery | $67 | $67 | 0% |
| Malinda K. Eavers | $65 | $65 | 0% |
| High Meadow Farm, LLC | $9,246 | $63 | -99.3% |
| Scott W. Grove | $345 | $61 | -82.3% |
| Jeffery C. Jones | $264 | $60 | -77.3% |
| Joe Howell | $105 | $60 | -42.9% |
| Jean S. Link | $0 | $54 | -- |
| Amie M. Trinca | $47 | $47 | 0% |
| James F. Ellis | $96 | $24 | -75% |
| Joan Geary | $2,695 | $0 | -100% |
| John C. Geary | $412 | $0 | -100% |
| Lori R. Nelson | $1,595 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark A. Geary | $1,459 | $0 | -100% |
| Rowland K. Hermanson | $165 | $0 | -100% |
| Sarah E. Kiracofe | $503 | $0 | -100% |
| Deloris Wertman - Deloris K. Wert | $7,791 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob Lynn Kyger | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| Nelson L Grove Estate | $597 | $0 | -100% |
| Tricia Black | $276 | $0 | -100% |
| The Wilderness, LLC | $12,302 | $0 | -100% |
| Chris M. Jensen | $2,141 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert P. Flanders | $2,053 | $0 | -100% |
| Candida S. Clark | $581 | $0 | -100% |
| Dorothy Cash | $100 | $0 | -100% |
| Jordan Taylor | $1,039 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth F. Earman | $31 | $0 | -100% |
| Rachel Lee Swortzel Ashby | $958 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas C. Faircloth | $54 | $0 | -100% |
| William B. Speck | $548 | $0 | -100% |
| Ashley Rathburn | $2,078 | $0 | -100% |
| David Lotts | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Gayle Kanney Marcum | $1,265 | $0 | -100% |
| Summit Farm, LLC | $16,236 | $0 | -100% |
| Theros, LLC | $28,350 | $0 | -100% |
| Calvin Eugene Michael | $203 | $0 | -100% |
| James K. Daly | $419 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Aaron Thurston | $1,848 | $0 | -100% |
| M & M Farms - Roy Clinton Mcallis | $18,590 | $0 | -100% |
| Martin K. Auville | $3,302 | $0 | -100% |
| The White Barn Company | $942 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian L. Harris | $34,753 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel L. Bowers | $377 | $0 | -100% |
| Garland Martin | $3,067 | $0 | -100% |
| Jonathan Troyer | $2,021 | $0 | -100% |
| Woodrow F. Payne | $102 | $0 | -100% |
| Wesley L. Bean | $2,200 | $0 | -100% |
| Clay P. Wallace | $2,145 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward K. Maloney Jr. | $51,273 | $0 | -100% |
| Harmony Harvest Farm, LLC | $14,018 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $6,605,944 | $3,536,862 | -46.5% |
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