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In 2021, 109 farmers in cities within Hertford County received a total of $4.8 million in 305 farm subsidies, a 48% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $9.2 million in 478 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow A. Seed | $0 | $334,017 | -- |
| H & H Farms | $474,589 | $253,988 | -46.5% |
| T & M Enterprises | $271,873 | $245,374 | -9.7% |
| Newsome Farms | $400,418 | $241,392 | -39.7% |
| Byrum Farm Service Center, Inc. | $444,529 | $198,397 | -55.4% |
| S & S Farms Partnership | $284,593 | $167,339 | -41.2% |
| TNT Farms | $306,239 | $163,847 | -46.5% |
| Earl White & Son Farms | $275,258 | $158,727 | -42.3% |
| Pierce and Pierce Farms, LLC | $153,525 | $156,507 | 1.9% |
| Michael Morris Farms | $287,077 | $136,740 | -52.4% |
| Stuart Pierce Farms, Inc. | $454,747 | $132,792 | -70.8% |
| Trey Byrum Farms | $299,916 | $131,966 | -56% |
| W B Gillam III | $216,323 | $129,636 | -40.1% |
| D & J Farms, Inc. | $237,046 | $129,197 | -45.5% |
| Everett W. Larabee | $140,994 | $127,901 | -9.3% |
| Pierce Leaf Company, LLC | $601,573 | $127,588 | -78.8% |
| Megan Larabee | $128,156 | $126,903 | -1% |
| Douglas E. Perry Jr. | $312,717 | $105,037 | -66.4% |
| Tommy Castelow | $589,926 | $101,283 | -82.8% |
| S Pierce Land & Investment Company, LLC | $116,228 | $94,487 | -18.7% |
| Herbert Winborne Futrell Jr. | $145,519 | $87,634 | -39.8% |
| Mr. Charles Raphael Tyner Jr. | $214,568 | $85,688 | -60.1% |
| Everswood Farms, LLC | $263,163 | $84,123 | -68% |
| Brent Pierce | $240,344 | $79,358 | -67% |
| Pate S. Pierce | $241,515 | $79,358 | -67.1% |
| C Pierce Farms, Inc. | $196,037 | $79,322 | -59.5% |
| Potecasi Farms | $132,988 | $67,078 | -49.6% |
| Tree Top Timber, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| W T Jernigan & Sons Trucking, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Ele, Inc. | $0 | $49,777 | -- |
| A D Vinson and Son Logging & Trucking | $0 | $40,865 | -- |
| Brett L. Holloman | $20,099 | $39,042 | 94.2% |
| C & J Farms, LLC | $104,836 | $38,984 | -62.8% |
| Lee Hawkins Britt | $49,249 | $38,765 | -21.3% |
| M & M Farms, Inc. | $87,923 | $37,244 | -57.6% |
| Merritt Brothers | $0 | $36,175 | -- |
| Kevin L. Jones | $56,760 | $32,747 | -42.3% |
| K C W Farms, Inc. | $48,351 | $29,275 | -39.5% |
| Alvin Vinson | $0 | $24,633 | -- |
| William Ward Jr. | $53,670 | $23,745 | -55.8% |
| Michael Chavis | $31,963 | $23,461 | -26.6% |
| Larry Benjamin Howell Jr. | $65,498 | $23,436 | -64.2% |
| Buddgillam Adventures, Inc. | $11,696 | $22,457 | 92% |
| Walter T. Perry II | $23,499 | $20,238 | -13.9% |
| Revelle Grain & Trade, Inc. | $29,823 | $19,099 | -36% |
| Larry B. Howell | $57,975 | $18,674 | -67.8% |
| E R Evans & Sons, Inc. | $25,446 | $17,499 | -31.2% |
| Jethro M. Branch Jr. | $25,613 | $16,157 | -36.9% |
| Stephenson-Mclean Farms, Inc. | $22,551 | $15,218 | -32.5% |
| Clay H. Williams | $16,065 | $12,898 | -19.7% |
| Allen Mizelle | $20,075 | $12,787 | -36.3% |
| Ralph Lee Brinkley | $9,240 | $12,390 | 34.1% |
| Mill Neck Farms, LLC | $4,474 | $12,379 | 176.7% |
| James R. Earley Jr. | $15,363 | $11,779 | -23.3% |
| John D. Simons III | $16,974 | $11,698 | -31.1% |
| T E Vann Heirs | $20,781 | $11,049 | -46.8% |
| William S. Mizelle | $25,345 | $11,025 | -56.5% |
| Revelle Investment, Corp. | $17,543 | $10,842 | -38.2% |
| Denton Spruill Farms, LLC | $17,826 | $10,434 | -41.5% |
| Early Brothers | $16,049 | $10,110 | -37% |
| Joann Jordan Narron N. Farms | $16,982 | $10,094 | -40.6% |
| Aaron T. Byrum III | $34,117 | $10,046 | -70.6% |
| Honey Hole Farms, LLC | $6,749 | $8,999 | 33.3% |
| William Ward III | $3,542 | $7,177 | 102.6% |
| Grady Saunders Farm, Inc. | $9,382 | $7,174 | -23.5% |
| Joshua Perry | $47,569 | $6,895 | -85.5% |
| Fred L. Liverman | $8,493 | $6,681 | -21.3% |
| J & K Poultry Farm, Inc. | $0 | $6,573 | -- |
| James E. Jones | $10,745 | $6,481 | -39.7% |
| Jesse C. Jones | $11,519 | $6,293 | -45.4% |
| Corris J. Jenkins Jr. | $51,407 | $5,988 | -88.4% |
| John R. Feher | $9,262 | $4,981 | -46.2% |
| Johnson M. B. Farms | $11,263 | $4,957 | -56% |
| Myrle V. Curle | $6,750 | $4,682 | -30.6% |
| Dnbazemore Farms, LLC | $0 | $4,046 | -- |
| Charlie B. Sumner | $5,475 | $4,042 | -26.2% |
| Ronald E. Harrison | $4,415 | $3,438 | -22.1% |
| Linda A. Chamblee | $4,410 | $3,355 | -23.9% |
| Hugh C. Vincent Jr. | $4,545 | $3,101 | -31.8% |
| Michael R. Davis | $4,762 | $3,081 | -35.3% |
| Joy S. Critzer | $4,912 | $2,998 | -39% |
| Newsome Agent, LLC | $3,353 | $2,985 | -11% |
| Betty Ann Earley | $2,579 | $2,874 | 11.4% |
| Ronald Byrd | $4,386 | $2,801 | -36.1% |
| Gregory M. Hughes | $3,047 | $2,661 | -12.7% |
| Charles G. Pierce | $5,400 | $2,420 | -55.2% |
| William H. Sessoms | $7,783 | $2,363 | -69.6% |
| D & B Farms PTR | $3,344 | $2,295 | -31.4% |
| Joseph W. Barkley Jr. | $4,838 | $1,795 | -62.9% |
| Linwood E. Taylor | $2,369 | $1,606 | -32.2% |
| Melvin T. Matthews | $2,866 | $1,515 | -47.1% |
| Thelton B Matthews | $2,796 | $1,515 | -45.8% |
| Brian Mack Francis | $4,132 | $1,237 | -70.1% |
| Milton J. Vaughan | $0 | $1,226 | -- |
| Quintin F. Sharp | $1,364 | $1,190 | -12.8% |
| Elmore G. Whitley Jr. | $2,616 | $1,188 | -54.6% |
| Mark W. Vann | $1,672 | $866 | -48.2% |
| Hazel E. Davis | $2,066 | $808 | -60.9% |
| Elaine E. Brown | $1,246 | $764 | -38.7% |
| Philip B. Howell | $347 | $516 | 48.7% |
| Betty F. Farmer | $0 | $444 | -- |
| Judy F. Mizelle | $444 | $444 | 0% |
| Richard Feher Jr. | $444 | $444 | 0% |
| Henderson Wayne Brown | $247 | $425 | 72.1% |
| Sandbox, LLC | $1,385 | $348 | -74.9% |
| Elaine E. Myers | $609 | $205 | -66.3% |
| Charlie Jessie Watson Jr. | $6 | $150 | 2,400% |
| Evelyn Carol Hedspeth Lowe | $86 | $79 | -8.1% |
| Connie G. Riddick | $26 | $26 | 0% |
| Amy A. Snipes | $928 | $0 | -100% |
| Bayside Farms, LLC | $61,435 | $0 | -100% |
| Berkley M Francis Estate | $46,807 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian M. Francis | $1,948 | $0 | -100% |
| Marian D. Alston | $1,055 | $0 | -100% |
| O. S. Suiter Jr. | $8,257 | $0 | -100% |
| Bradley C. Gillam | $23,885 | $0 | -100% |
| James W. Mason | $253 | $0 | -100% |
| William E. Mizelle Jr. | $7,926 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald Patrick Martin | $2,472 | $0 | -100% |
| Herbert Winborne Futrell Jr & FSA | $24,703 | $0 | -100% |
| Milton J. Vaughan | $4,098 | $0 | -100% |
| Revland Farms, Inc. | $701 | $0 | -100% |
| Southern Bank and Trust Company | $364,401 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $9,189,167 | $4,782,583 | -48% |
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