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In 2021, 187 farmers in cities within Kalamazoo County received a total of $2.1 million in 354 farm subsidies, an 85.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $14.5 million in 804 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 Kalamazoo County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wenke Greenhouses, Inc. | $0 | $220,000 | -- |
| Drobny Farms, LLC | $306,205 | $145,717 | -52.4% |
| Vlietstra Farms, LLC | $290,234 | $137,952 | -52.5% |
| C & M Drobny, LLC | $447,493 | $96,071 | -78.5% |
| Michael Scott Wagar | $91,404 | $90,588 | -0.9% |
| Hiscock Farms, Inc. | $201,024 | $90,041 | -55.2% |
| Walter James Stafford Jr. | $439,848 | $82,715 | -81.2% |
| R Richardson Farms, LLC | $153,257 | $81,332 | -46.9% |
| Lori Ann Stafford | $415,334 | $81,327 | -80.4% |
| Skrzypek Farms, LLC | $51,091 | $56,319 | 10.2% |
| Walter James Stafford | $233,162 | $55,264 | -76.3% |
| Matthew W. Gibson | $76,549 | $52,429 | -31.5% |
| RKA Farms, LLC | $142,691 | $46,233 | -67.6% |
| Gijsbert a Vanden Bogerd | $54,886 | $43,954 | -19.9% |
| Wedel's, Inc. | $0 | $40,984 | -- |
| John E. Perkins | $151,090 | $38,153 | -74.7% |
| Jean Ann Stafford | $155,438 | $35,236 | -77.3% |
| Matthew James Drallette | $33,950 | $34,111 | 0.5% |
| Campbell Family Farms | $36,992 | $31,407 | -15.1% |
| Sutfin Farms, LLC | $118,061 | $31,032 | -73.7% |
| Tuinier Brothers Greenhouses, Inc. | $127,050 | $26,410 | -79.2% |
| Schug Farms | $171,249 | $22,430 | -86.9% |
| Scott Edward Jirgens | $73,283 | $21,464 | -70.7% |
| Lynn A. Coville | $24,202 | $21,360 | -11.7% |
| Peter Vanden Bogerd | $22,618 | $19,533 | -13.6% |
| William Heikes | $16,415 | $17,054 | 3.9% |
| Larry L. Phelps | $12,652 | $16,703 | 32% |
| Christopher A. Gallup | $43,586 | $15,834 | -63.7% |
| Leonard C. Jaworski | $60,272 | $15,625 | -74.1% |
| Matthew Holysz | $54,031 | $15,477 | -71.4% |
| Dennis J Vankruiningen | $35,375 | $15,113 | -57.3% |
| SW Michigan Land Conservancy | $11,434 | $14,566 | 27.4% |
| SW Michigan Land Conservancy | $11,434 | $14,566 | 27.4% |
| Matthew L. Wagar | $56,949 | $13,635 | -76.1% |
| Billy F. Hall Jr. | $27,780 | $12,312 | -55.7% |
| Matthew James Fleck | $21,153 | $12,214 | -42.3% |
| Coulter Farms, Inc. | $23,975 | $12,178 | -49.2% |
| Patricia Elisabeth Smith | $33,651 | $11,254 | -66.6% |
| Dennis Wright | $35,406 | $10,427 | -70.6% |
| Pearson Partnership | $0 | $10,123 | -- |
| Hickory 10 Rvoc Trustee Agreement | $24,742 | $9,506 | -61.6% |
| Vosburg Farms | $23,744 | $9,503 | -60% |
| Oswalt Family Farms, LLC | $109,638 | $9,224 | -91.6% |
| Frank Dowd | $23,789 | $9,206 | -61.3% |
| Chad E. Overweg | $16,274 | $9,064 | -44.3% |
| David A. Hale | $27,468 | $8,446 | -69.3% |
| Edith Y Leppke Revocable Trust | $7,853 | $7,853 | 0% |
| Branden Pollard | $21,281 | $7,762 | -63.5% |
| Timothy Jan Vosburg | $14,791 | $7,541 | -49% |
| Alan Dale Poling | $7,440 | $7,440 | 0% |
| Stephen Mark Kirklin | $25,028 | $7,361 | -70.6% |
| Jan Merle Vosburg | $37,378 | $7,172 | -80.8% |
| Charles Maile | $16,257 | $6,602 | -59.4% |
| Triple S Family Farm Holdings, LLC | $26,968 | $6,359 | -76.4% |
| James A. Bronson | $6,209 | $6,209 | 0% |
| Foster Beef, LLC | $14,314 | $5,864 | -59% |
| John W Byholt | $11,936 | $5,734 | -52% |
| Joe P. Patrick | $3,990 | $5,372 | 34.6% |
| Nick Chapin | $13,540 | $5,215 | -61.5% |
| Craig A. Riddle | $12,111 | $5,154 | -57.4% |
| Perry Clinton Loker | $15,883 | $5,145 | -67.6% |
| John P. Cagney | $10,557 | $4,921 | -53.4% |
| Juliana Pick | $18,028 | $4,766 | -73.6% |
| Arthur E. Mezo | $11,042 | $4,557 | -58.7% |
| Howard W. Smith | $10,609 | $4,476 | -57.8% |
| David H. Dyer | $13,342 | $4,466 | -66.5% |
| Deboer Farm Enterprises, Inc. | $7,695 | $4,253 | -44.7% |
| Starr CMNWLTH School | $22,686 | $4,156 | -81.7% |
| Dr. James Jonathan Kraatz | $4,107 | $3,988 | -2.9% |
| Benjamin David Brown | $0 | $3,644 | -- |
| Cougar Corporation | $988 | $3,493 | 253.5% |
| Ronald Butler | $3,438 | $3,438 | 0% |
| Nancy L. Collins | $3,943 | $3,373 | -14.5% |
| Phillipy Farms, LLC | $7,669 | $3,365 | -56.1% |
| Patterson Family Farm, LLC | $15,309 | $3,303 | -78.4% |
| John Seem | $7,596 | $3,150 | -58.5% |
| Rice Farms, LLC | $5,736 | $3,042 | -47% |
| Chanterelle Vogtmann | $0 | $2,994 | -- |
| James Maile | $6,586 | $2,914 | -55.8% |
| Miriam Fleming | $6,516 | $2,835 | -56.5% |
| Nancy E. Draayer | $11,504 | $2,824 | -75.5% |
| Robert L. Coburn | $7,086 | $2,722 | -61.6% |
| Herbert C. Boyer | $2,638 | $2,638 | 0% |
| Brandon Mezo | $7,305 | $2,628 | -64% |
| Justin Mezo | $7,305 | $2,628 | -64% |
| Victor L Callahan & Roxanne J Callahan | $2,658 | $2,609 | -1.8% |
| Matthew D. Tuley | $2,594 | $2,594 | 0% |
| James E. Mezo | $7,088 | $2,552 | -64% |
| Danne L. Willoughby | $0 | $2,409 | -- |
| Andrew M. Anderson | $4,722 | $2,407 | -49% |
| Eagle Bee Haven, LLC | $0 | $2,376 | -- |
| Bruce Bourner | $0 | $2,333 | -- |
| Larry D Edlefson | $4,767 | $2,325 | -51.2% |
| Kalamazoo Nature Center | $1,686 | $2,322 | 37.7% |
| William E. Dimond | $9,803 | $2,316 | -76.4% |
| Verhage Fruit Farms | $2,194 | $2,194 | 0% |
| Naomi Day Living Trust | $1,336 | $2,166 | 62.1% |
| David F. Harper | $6,785 | $2,163 | -68.1% |
| John Tubergen | $2,074 | $2,068 | -0.3% |
| The Krymis Family Trust | $1,928 | $1,928 | 0% |
| Burt Heikes | $8,521 | $1,888 | -77.8% |
| Scott Leslie Stoneburner | $0 | $1,881 | -- |
| Bernard Cronkhite | $5,101 | $1,872 | -63.3% |
| Robert D. Winters | $3,048 | $1,870 | -38.6% |
| Leroy Walter Fink | $5,756 | $1,863 | -67.6% |
| Joseph W. Cagney | $5,550 | $1,861 | -66.5% |
| Andrews Family Farm, LLC | $4,024 | $1,800 | -55.3% |
| Katherine K. Greydanus | $1,791 | $1,791 | 0% |
| David M. Perkins | $6,023 | $1,741 | -71.1% |
| Patricia K. Bailey | $3,048 | $1,720 | -43.6% |
| Elizabeth Wherry J. Pappalardo | $1,700 | $1,700 | 0% |
| Thomas G. House | $3,931 | $1,642 | -58.2% |
| J & J Bee Service, Inc. | $1,033,600 | $1,620 | -99.8% |
| Christopher John Pick | $3,144 | $1,620 | -48.5% |
| Catherine Graf | $2,999 | $1,530 | -49% |
| Charles Allen Stull | $1,590 | $1,497 | -5.8% |
| Kathy A. Mitchell | $5,489 | $1,436 | -73.8% |
| Ira J. Krupp Jr. | $3,778 | $1,418 | -62.5% |
| Kathleen N. Yoder | $2,675 | $1,416 | -47.1% |
| Daniel E Wherry-the Wherry Family Revocable Trust | $0 | $1,371 | -- |
| Epp-Dolan Nebraska Farms, LLC | $6,823 | $1,356 | -80.1% |
| Liberty Hill Farm, LLC | $0 | $1,313 | -- |
| Phillip J. Sheets | $4,279 | $1,305 | -69.5% |
| Theodore Harold Holt | $5,779 | $1,302 | -77.5% |
| Larry Albert Leach | $0 | $1,233 | -- |
| Craig Sherwood | $1,178 | $1,181 | 0.3% |
| Saunders Greenhouse, Inc. | $82,275 | $1,176 | -98.6% |
| Catherine Westover | $4,559 | $1,162 | -74.5% |
| Craig E. Fuller | $3,415 | $1,122 | -67.1% |
| Perkins Farms, LLC | $1,871 | $1,081 | -42.2% |
| Rerucha Family Trust | $1,925 | $839 | -56.4% |
| Slightom-Lyons Farms, LLC | $3,707 | $818 | -77.9% |
| Myron E. Rhodes | $7,764 | $807 | -89.6% |
| Marietta Jo Finley | $2,074 | $751 | -63.8% |
| Paula J. Manley | $1,656 | $733 | -55.7% |
| John Kinley Hayward | $3,107 | $730 | -76.5% |
| Jane Carter Vondell | $2,140 | $722 | -66.3% |
| Kyle Schunk | $1,149 | $717 | -37.6% |
| Joyce Harrison | $2,772 | $688 | -75.2% |
| August Roberts | $2,578 | $660 | -74.4% |
| Riley Matthew Skrzypek | $1,746 | $652 | -62.7% |
| Mick Francis | $1,537 | $598 | -61.1% |
| William Antony Endres | $1,336 | $588 | -56% |
| Jack Peckham | $1,717 | $586 | -65.9% |
| Scott A. Kienast | $1,873 | $576 | -69.2% |
| Dean Ransler | $3,320 | $540 | -83.7% |
| Eugene J. Mezo Jr. | $1,390 | $534 | -61.6% |
| Jerry T Dinzik | $2,414 | $517 | -78.6% |
| Jan Crittenden | $1,855 | $511 | -72.5% |
| Jonathan George Chizmadia | $0 | $504 | -- |
| William H. Oldenkamp | $7,775 | $504 | -93.5% |
| David Angel | $1,043 | $486 | -53.4% |
| Soil Friends, LLC | $17,686 | $480 | -97.3% |
| Christopher Irwin Smith | $1,206 | $456 | -62.2% |
| John Mark Thompson Living Trust | $994 | $434 | -56.3% |
| Stacey Robin Marlowe-Cook | $1,320 | $421 | -68.1% |
| Mark James Marlowe | $1,277 | $401 | -68.6% |
| Robert G. Moore | $1,466 | $381 | -74% |
| Mike McMichael | $1,063 | $346 | -67.5% |
| Ealy Tomlinson | $599 | $343 | -42.7% |
| Jeremiah West | $0 | $334 | -- |
| Kimberly S. Negri | $672 | $328 | -51.2% |
| Bruce D. Goethe | $1,751 | $327 | -81.3% |
| West Farm a, LLC | $352 | $322 | -8.5% |
| Timothy R. Brady | $734 | $315 | -57.1% |
| Maurice J. Kaercher | $1,911 | $308 | -83.9% |
| Theodore R. Watson | $1,218 | $307 | -74.8% |
| Patricia Ann Langs | $484 | $287 | -40.7% |
| John E. Letts | $156 | $272 | 74.4% |
| Yves Koeffer | $815 | $266 | -67.4% |
| James R. Collins | $702 | $264 | -62.4% |
| Troy A. Henson | $220 | $230 | 4.5% |
| Andrea England | $1,091 | $223 | -79.6% |
| Kody Dale Kadesch | $407 | $189 | -53.6% |
| Michael E. Perkins | $525 | $188 | -64.2% |
| Keith Holladay | $1,330 | $155 | -88.3% |
| Travis L. Baughman | $410 | $146 | -64.4% |
| Carl A. Randles III | $1,118 | $124 | -88.9% |
| Ruth E. Friddle | $110 | $110 | 0% |
| Mark Alan Dittenbir | $0 | $97 | -- |
| Gusty Farms, Inc. | $1,447 | $67 | -95.4% |
| Donna Rae Vanmiddlesworth | $956 | $65 | -93.2% |
| Rvoc Living Trustee Agreement of John H Brinn | $4,796 | $56 | -98.8% |
| Jonathan Vanmiddlesworth | $493 | $33 | -93.3% |
| Bolhuis Farms Incorporated | $435 | $9 | -97.9% |
| Donald P. Baas | $341 | $9 | -97.4% |
| Joseph Grzegorczyk | $144 | $8 | -94.4% |
| Cedar CRK Eight Cons Club | $432 | $0 | -100% |
| Duwaine Langs | $833 | $0 | -100% |
| John M. Batch | $166 | $0 | -100% |
| Rudolph W. Hirzel | $2,259 | $0 | -100% |
| French Greenhouses, LLC | $77,647 | $0 | -100% |
| Mallory Schug | $2,923 | $0 | -100% |
| B & C Greenhouses, Inc. | $81,612 | $0 | -100% |
| Bloomin Time Greenhouses, LLC | $25,154 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel P. Cassidy | $25 | $0 | -100% |
| David Lee Vaughn | $55 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis A. Higgins | $286 | $0 | -100% |
| Elizabeth Roschek | $49 | $0 | -100% |
| Esman Greenhouses, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry F. Shear | $72 | $0 | -100% |
| Flavorsum, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Francis John Fleck | $66,235 | $0 | -100% |
| George J. Ebinger | $23 | $0 | -100% |
| Great Lakes Greenhouses, LLC | $321,671 | $0 | -100% |
| Hector M. Llerena | $1,413 | $0 | -100% |
| Hidden Drive Greenhouse, Inc. | $95,986 | $0 | -100% |
| John Gernaat & Son, Inc. | $126,735 | $0 | -100% |
| John H. Brinn | $1,869 | $0 | -100% |
| John M. Kruzich | $4,732 | $0 | -100% |
| Josephine E Czuhajewski | $463 | $0 | -100% |
| Kalamazoo Specialty Plants, LLC | $375,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelly Lynn Vallelunga | $1,749 | $0 | -100% |
| Ken's Greenhouses, Inc. | $172,943 | $0 | -100% |
| Klamer Greenhouses, LLC | $99,876 | $0 | -100% |
| Klooster Brothers, LLC | $255,831 | $0 | -100% |
| Klooster Greenhouses, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Lawrence a & Joan L Root Trust | $1,176 | $0 | -100% |
| Lovely's Greenhouse, Inc. | $60,979 | $0 | -100% |
| Lowell E. Graves | $2,505 | $0 | -100% |
| Martha K. Harvey | $423 | $0 | -100% |
| Meinema Greenhouses | $88,618 | $0 | -100% |
| Nally's Greenhouse, LLC | $203,335 | $0 | -100% |
| Napp's Greenhouses, LLC | $37,958 | $0 | -100% |
| Nash Greenhouses, LLC | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Panse Greenhouses, LLC | $230,027 | $0 | -100% |
| Peggy Jo Schreur | $288 | $0 | -100% |
| Perfectly Natural Herbs, LLC | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Phil Gernaat and Sons, Inc. | $92,619 | $0 | -100% |
| Pineview Greenhouses, Inc. | $232,820 | $0 | -100% |
| Plants Unlimited, Inc. | $464,706 | $0 | -100% |
| R & D Havenaar Greenhouse, LLC | $119,661 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard R. Patterson | $1,430 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard W. Conklin | $6,038 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger Straatmeyer | $63 | $0 | -100% |
| Ruth Marie Rosegrant | $825 | $0 | -100% |
| Schaap's Greenhouse, LLC | $88,103 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Forden | $3,034 | $0 | -100% |
| Sheila R. Augst | $1,906 | $0 | -100% |
| Sportel Greenhouses, LLC | $262,755 | $0 | -100% |
| Stan Ouding Bedding Plants, Inc. | $264,712 | $0 | -100% |
| Steadfast Farms, LLC | $7,755 | $0 | -100% |
| Streek's Greenhouse, Inc. | $303,079 | $0 | -100% |
| The Growing Place, LLC | $59,615 | $0 | -100% |
| Tom's Greenhouse, Inc. | $224,737 | $0 | -100% |
| Water Street Coffee Joint, Inc. | $500 | $0 | -100% |
| Westrate Greenhouses, Inc. | $328,464 | $0 | -100% |
| Corstange Greenhouses, LLC | $63,922 | $0 | -100% |
| D & D Greenhouses, LLC | $204,925 | $0 | -100% |
| Estelle M Phillipson Trust | $2,603 | $0 | -100% |
| G Hoeksema & Sons, Inc. | $139,907 | $0 | -100% |
| Galen R. Eichorn | $1,858 | $0 | -100% |
| Garden Spot Greenhouse, LLC | $312,974 | $0 | -100% |
| Hoeksema Brothers Greenhouses, LLC | $98,450 | $0 | -100% |
| John Schuring JR Company | $99,641 | $0 | -100% |
| Joyce Stuifbergen | $215 | $0 | -100% |
| Nathan Bryan Cronenwett | $5,303 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Haas | $242 | $0 | -100% |
| Schram & Schram | $53,619 | $0 | -100% |
| David John Campbell | $37,965 | $0 | -100% |
| Flowertime Greenhouses, Inc. | $80,451 | $0 | -100% |
| Gull Meadow Farms, LLC | $31,708 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry Charles Henson | $319 | $0 | -100% |
| John C. Kamerman | $306 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Kirch | $104 | $0 | -100% |
| LHN Enterprises, LLC | $56,001 | $0 | -100% |
| Wayne J. Kramer | $435 | $0 | -100% |
| Aubrey Schroeder | $162 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian Keith Odell | $151 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank A. Roberts | $3,554 | $0 | -100% |
| Gregory N. Willis | $395 | $0 | -100% |
| H & H Farms, LLC | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Harold W. Lash | $2,083 | $0 | -100% |
| Island Acres, LLC | $385,115 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry L. Schuring | $140 | $0 | -100% |
| John L. Oswalt | $8,778 | $0 | -100% |
| Key Blooms, Inc. | $79,444 | $0 | -100% |
| Ky10 Farms, LLC | $121,760 | $0 | -100% |
| Linda G. Oswalt | $2,197 | $0 | -100% |
| Lucky 7 Farms, LLC | $6,875 | $0 | -100% |
| Mardee - Mott Enterprise Mott, LLC | $3,487 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Blough | $742 | $0 | -100% |
| Mott Farms, Inc. | $55,283 | $0 | -100% |
| Pork 23, LLC | $1,650 | $0 | -100% |
| R & R Pork, LLC | $6,875 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $14,451,041 | $2,148,341 | -85.1% |
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