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In 2021, 43 farmers in cities within Providence County received a total of $251,957 in 58 farm subsidies, a 58.8% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $610,866 in 99 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Land Company, LLC | $135,271 | $101,871 | -24.7% |
| The Nature Conservancy | $48,297 | $50,000 | 3.5% |
| Mary Hastings | $0 | $20,925 | -- |
| Running Brook Vineyard & Winery I | $0 | $12,178 | -- |
| Briden Nurseries and Landscape Management, Inc. | $0 | $12,083 | -- |
| Wrights Dairy Farm, Inc. | $103,475 | $8,566 | -91.7% |
| Estate of Margaret Nell Longeteig | $2,883 | $8,017 | 178.1% |
| Bruce Evje | $4,412 | $4,412 | 0% |
| Joseph Hotz | $6,575 | $3,604 | -45.2% |
| Kia Xiong | $0 | $2,919 | -- |
| Deep Roots Farm, LLC | $6,295 | $2,891 | -54.1% |
| Teresa L Schul Family Trust | $3,058 | $2,774 | -9.3% |
| Vickie G. Wilson | $2,271 | $2,271 | 0% |
| Michael A. Difazio | $7,118 | $2,270 | -68.1% |
| Michael Tortorella | $0 | $2,266 | -- |
| Sharon Pace | $3,241 | $1,623 | -49.9% |
| Ann Morgan Dodge | $5,938 | $1,246 | -79% |
| Mark F. Steinbach | $1,906 | $1,024 | -46.3% |
| Brenda Mallicoat | $3,602 | $960 | -73.3% |
| Seraphina Mukagatare | $124 | $954 | 669.4% |
| Jonathan K. Howard | $2,019 | $900 | -55.4% |
| C. S. Stevenson | $1,213 | $708 | -41.6% |
| Quaintly Farm, LLC | $0 | $697 | -- |
| Josephine Ndimugwanko | $0 | $631 | -- |
| Itangishaka Genevieve | $0 | $583 | -- |
| Excellent Coffee Company, Inc. | $1,250 | $500 | -60% |
| Rodney A. Burkett | $1,492 | $499 | -66.6% |
| John McGarry | $0 | $479 | -- |
| Zera Hamenyimana | $0 | $468 | -- |
| Karen Longeteig | $855 | $453 | -47% |
| Monika Drake Patten | $0 | $393 | -- |
| James Kellner | $815 | $386 | -52.6% |
| James N. McManus | $389 | $351 | -9.8% |
| Solange Mujawimana | $0 | $318 | -- |
| Alphonse Kayitare | $0 | $286 | -- |
| Dativa Kantamba | $0 | $286 | -- |
| Marthe Dusabe | $0 | $286 | -- |
| Ada Boaz | $0 | $277 | -- |
| The Farm, LLC | $317 | $250 | -21.1% |
| Khaelan Tucker | $628 | $212 | -66.2% |
| David K. Hainley | $198 | $71 | -64.1% |
| Robert Doherty | $34 | $46 | 35.3% |
| Pippin Orchard, LLC | $17,954 | $23 | -99.9% |
| Katie Steere | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| Chessawanock Island Oysters Company, I | $6,378 | $0 | -100% |
| Forest Hills Nurseries, Corp. | $82,080 | $0 | -100% |
| Journey Basham | $1,457 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Perugino | $4,613 | $0 | -100% |
| Michele Kozloski | $9,514 | $0 | -100% |
| Nicholas Russo III | $1,724 | $0 | -100% |
| Twin Pine Farms | $2,772 | $0 | -100% |
| James Steere | $16,554 | $0 | -100% |
| Goodwin Brothers Farms | $21,507 | $0 | -100% |
| Ken Milligan | $121 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald M. Vaz | $19,904 | $0 | -100% |
| African Alliance of Rhode Island | $4,456 | $0 | -100% |
| Benjamin C. Torpey | $11,615 | $0 | -100% |
| Catherine M Mardosa | $3,345 | $0 | -100% |
| Chai Thao | $3,197 | $0 | -100% |
| Foggy Notion Farm | $6,676 | $0 | -100% |
| Julia a Barber | $1,010 | $0 | -100% |
| Margaret N Longeteig | $6,530 | $0 | -100% |
| Ploua Lee Khang | $1,131 | $0 | -100% |
| T-Bila Moua | $3,783 | $0 | -100% |
| Teodulio Martinez Del Rosario | $1,774 | $0 | -100% |
| Walrus and Carpenter Oysters, LLC | $38,875 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $610,866 | $251,957 | -58.8% |
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