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In 2021, 51 farmers in cities within Hardin County received a total of $282,664 in 72 farm subsidies, a 50.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $566,415 in 113 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denton Bros | $44,218 | $44,222 | 0% |
| Big E. Farms | $76,583 | $43,341 | -43.4% |
| Tim Spivey | $145,011 | $37,523 | -74.1% |
| Karen Wood Belford | $28,584 | $29,552 | 3.4% |
| Dorsey E. Sisler | $10,674 | $10,674 | 0% |
| Susan L. Armstrong | $10,592 | $10,592 | 0% |
| Sharon S. Riggs | $10,588 | $10,588 | 0% |
| Kyle Finnie | $41,231 | $10,085 | -75.5% |
| Dan J. Lamar | $7,181 | $7,703 | 7.3% |
| Charles Soward | $10,656 | $7,214 | -32.3% |
| Terry Fulkerson | $20,496 | $7,102 | -65.3% |
| Jerry Mosby | $17,749 | $5,482 | -69.1% |
| Darrell W. Winters | $7,844 | $5,231 | -33.3% |
| Bradley Joe Austin | $2,152 | $4,415 | 105.2% |
| Robert W. Humm | $16,965 | $3,933 | -76.8% |
| David T. Rash | $3,091 | $3,183 | 3% |
| Paul W. Lamar | $2,948 | $2,948 | 0% |
| James O. Gross | $3,032 | $2,820 | -7% |
| Kenneth M. Walters | $11,040 | $2,705 | -75.5% |
| Wm Aaron Bishop | $2,490 | $2,490 | 0% |
| Cullum Mining Company | $4,081 | $2,486 | -39.1% |
| Joyce A. Baker | $2,278 | $2,278 | 0% |
| Harry W. Spivey | $9,443 | $2,146 | -77.3% |
| Gary C. Gross | $3,137 | $2,088 | -33.4% |
| David Elroy Dunstan | $1,931 | $1,931 | 0% |
| John Lee Dunstan | $1,642 | $1,642 | 0% |
| Steven Ray Rutherford Estate | $3,232 | $1,551 | -52% |
| David Ozee | $8,623 | $1,536 | -82.2% |
| Albert L. Brian | $1,910 | $1,446 | -24.3% |
| Mike Brand | $3,940 | $1,367 | -65.3% |
| Ronald Keith Hastie | $4,994 | $1,360 | -72.8% |
| Linda S. Brazier | $1,023 | $1,195 | 16.8% |
| Eddie Rose | $5,071 | $1,152 | -77.3% |
| Gary Griffith | $3,366 | $1,067 | -68.3% |
| Michael L. Williams | $4,029 | $878 | -78.2% |
| William J Caprata | $1,331 | $857 | -35.6% |
| Rita Warren | $2,805 | $832 | -70.3% |
| Steve Carter | $3,278 | $783 | -76.1% |
| Nathan D. Montgomery | $3,564 | $602 | -83.1% |
| Dale Patton | $3,176 | $563 | -82.3% |
| Steven T. Cowsert | $2,783 | $527 | -81.1% |
| Kelly E. Blair | $1,485 | $474 | -68.1% |
| James R. Vaughn | $1,408 | $451 | -68% |
| Gregory S. Nyberg | $2,112 | $377 | -82.1% |
| Gale Guynn | $1,485 | $298 | -79.9% |
| Ryan A. Frailey | $1,518 | $290 | -80.9% |
| Carlos B. Blair Sr. | $2,724 | $285 | -89.5% |
| Kolt S. Carter | $1,034 | $228 | -77.9% |
| Everett Davis | $1,089 | $138 | -87.3% |
| Alice I. Parker | $0 | $20 | -- |
| Fay Miles | $90 | $13 | -85.6% |
| Bradley Jamerson Austin | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Carlos B. Blair Jr. | $167 | $0 | -100% |
| Diann Vaughn | $72 | $0 | -100% |
| Rosemary Patton Riley | $742 | $0 | -100% |
| Bert Austin | $3,067 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $566,415 | $282,664 | -50.1% |
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