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In 2021, 53 farmers in cities within Chittenden County received a total of $1.1 million in 92 farm subsidies, a 41.8% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2 million in 170 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Lake Farm No 2, LLC | $599,252 | $267,208 | -55.4% |
| Belter Family Partnership | $164,180 | $140,594 | -14.4% |
| Meadowbrook Acres, Inc. | $145,578 | $137,855 | -5.3% |
| Taft, Bruce & Mary | $148,263 | $126,005 | -15% |
| Rowley Brothers Dairy, LLC | $117,618 | $116,653 | -0.8% |
| Bernard & Joanne Guillemette | $58,841 | $63,785 | 8.4% |
| Shelburne Farms | $74,713 | $49,806 | -33.3% |
| Burnt Rock Farm, LLC | $40,559 | $44,816 | 10.5% |
| Pitchfork Farm, LLC | $43,898 | $36,808 | -16.2% |
| Gary & Tammy Davis | $16,269 | $33,589 | 106.5% |
| Mailles Dairy, LLC | $28,368 | $21,358 | -24.7% |
| Mary Ann Lickteig | $15,433 | $19,363 | 25.5% |
| Robert T. Morrill | $0 | $8,940 | -- |
| Shelburne Vineyard | $0 | $8,215 | -- |
| Greg Shover | $0 | $7,334 | -- |
| National Audubon Society, Inc. | $7 | $6,643 | 94,800% |
| Gary D. Pittman | $8,994 | $5,836 | -35.1% |
| Speed W Stanton Trust | $6,311 | $5,325 | -15.6% |
| Daniel Leclair | $3,737 | $5,309 | 42.1% |
| Matthew Schroeder | $2,956 | $5,154 | 74.4% |
| Robert D. Hill | $11,464 | $4,379 | -61.8% |
| Andrew Aldrich | $2,111 | $3,298 | 56.2% |
| Brownway Real Estate Limited Partnership | $0 | $2,773 | -- |
| Bread and Butter Farm, LLC | $12,342 | $2,183 | -82.3% |
| David Cadreact | $1,743 | $1,743 | 0% |
| Janine Ndagijimana | $5,623 | $1,319 | -76.5% |
| Browns River Maple, LLC | $22,491 | $1,299 | -94.2% |
| Betty Ann C Lockhart - Donald Gustafson Lockhart 1 | $0 | $1,274 | -- |
| Mucca Grasso Agricola, LLC | $6,083 | $1,224 | -79.9% |
| Edward J. Robinson | $6,666 | $1,205 | -81.9% |
| Billie Durham Hall | $3,084 | $1,157 | -62.5% |
| Sheila C Stanton Trust | $3,393 | $1,110 | -67.3% |
| Tropical Edibles | $8,477 | $1,025 | -87.9% |
| Amber Ridge Maple, LLC | $55,473 | $1,000 | -98.2% |
| Edward Stygles | $3,809 | $906 | -76.2% |
| Highland Trust, LLC | $798 | $798 | 0% |
| Martha Luna | $2,311 | $694 | -70% |
| Toby Alexander | $0 | $653 | -- |
| Mary Jane Dickerson | $648 | $648 | 0% |
| Steven W. Slagle | $1,519 | $608 | -60% |
| Jane Berlin | $542 | $561 | 3.5% |
| Charles B. MacMartin | $560 | $560 | 0% |
| Edwin Dale | $0 | $498 | -- |
| Cadwell Brothers Trust | $455 | $455 | 0% |
| Cynthia L. Cushing | $456 | $450 | -1.3% |
| Stephen Zeigfinger | $0 | $439 | -- |
| Pamela Pelino | $0 | $348 | -- |
| Connor P. Rowley | $8,805 | $323 | -96.3% |
| Leonard Blades | $2,119 | $294 | -86.1% |
| Arthur E Berlin Family Trust | $181 | $187 | 3.3% |
| Mary Post-Bruce S Post and Mary E Post Rev Trustee Post | $0 | $187 | -- |
| Keller Family Farms, LLC | $140 | $140 | 0% |
| David Johnson | $50 | $50 | 0% |
| Brennan Martin | $178 | $0 | -100% |
| Diggers' Mirth Collective Farm | $24,076 | $0 | -100% |
| Fisher Brothers Farm, LLC | $16,210 | $0 | -100% |
| Formicarium, LLC | $10,094 | $0 | -100% |
| Francois Gasaba | $129 | $0 | -100% |
| Homestead Permaculture, LLC | $5,433 | $0 | -100% |
| June Farm, LLC | $6,218 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Jordan | $5,399 | $0 | -100% |
| Glenn Rogers | $725 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Reynolds | $1,262 | $0 | -100% |
| Adam D. Piper | $1,494 | $0 | -100% |
| Elliot J. Diana | $7,462 | $0 | -100% |
| Maple Wind Farm, Inc. | $32,163 | $0 | -100% |
| Peter Purinton | $39,759 | $0 | -100% |
| Bone Mountain Farm, LLC | $1,584 | $0 | -100% |
| Herbert A. Neill | $1,067 | $0 | -100% |
| Jericho Settlers' Farm, Inc. | $81,078 | $0 | -100% |
| Alan Parent | $6,131 | $0 | -100% |
| Devino Bros | $294 | $0 | -100% |
| Hamlin Family Christmas Trees, LLC | $2,345 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason C. Sanders | $15,765 | $0 | -100% |
| Malletts Creek Sugar Works, LLC | $11,403 | $0 | -100% |
| Maurice Montcalm | $8,697 | $0 | -100% |
| Betty Ann Lockhart - Donald C. Gus | $2,417 | $0 | -100% |
| Lapierre Farm, LLC | $739 | $0 | -100% |
| Shelburne Orchards Company | $39,807 | $0 | -100% |
| Unity Farm, LLC | $7,313 | $0 | -100% |
| Breezy Valley Farm Partnership | $141 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,965,703 | $1,144,384 | -41.8% |
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