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In 2021, 55 farmers in cities within Cumberland County received a total of $431,349 in 93 farm subsidies, a 71% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.5 million in 199 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rusty Knoll Farm | $85,859 | $63,157 | -26.4% |
| Chaplin Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Northwest Forest Management, LLC | $0 | $48,198 | -- |
| Parsons Farm, LLC | $46,833 | $27,404 | -41.5% |
| Fisherman's Pride, LLC | $0 | $26,440 | -- |
| Linda K Gleysteen Rev Trust | $20,590 | $25,730 | 25% |
| The Wolfe's Neck Farm Foundation | $6,145 | $24,765 | 303% |
| Leroy C Wormell JR & Son, Inc. | $13,617 | $19,631 | 44.2% |
| Walter A. Young | $24,666 | $17,961 | -27.2% |
| Great Ledge Fisheries, LLC | $0 | $17,370 | -- |
| Seth Mayberry | $0 | $14,458 | -- |
| Stephen C. Hunt | $12,828 | $8,737 | -31.9% |
| Tricia L. Vachon | $776 | $6,912 | 790.7% |
| Mark L. Vachon | $831 | $6,904 | 730.8% |
| Schnackenberg Family Farm, LLC | $9,136 | $6,793 | -25.6% |
| Mary A. Mamer | $5,725 | $5,937 | 3.7% |
| Paul Randall | $18,766 | $4,710 | -74.9% |
| Marilynn Reasor | $4,532 | $4,532 | 0% |
| Benjamin E. Hartwell | $5,489 | $4,197 | -23.5% |
| Nancy H. Jordan | $8,160 | $3,140 | -61.5% |
| Randy Wood | $0 | $3,090 | -- |
| Richard B. Hawksley | $2,627 | $2,627 | 0% |
| Benson Farm, LLC | $0 | $2,488 | -- |
| LDT Family Farm Interest, LLC | $5,785 | $2,398 | -58.5% |
| Heath L. Emery | $10,217 | $2,162 | -78.8% |
| Thomas R. Walker | $2,980 | $1,975 | -33.7% |
| DJ Schroeder Farm, LLC | $4,083 | $1,950 | -52.2% |
| Victor C. Kay | $0 | $1,934 | -- |
| Charlotte K Perillo Revocable Trust | $3,472 | $1,825 | -47.4% |
| Sharon K. Teel | $1,715 | $1,715 | 0% |
| Carl E Redenbo Revocable Trust | $961 | $1,607 | 67.2% |
| Louise Chasse Bither | $1,778 | $1,544 | -13.2% |
| Kurt Christensen | $0 | $1,489 | -- |
| Chco, LLC | $0 | $1,320 | -- |
| Nestay Incorporated | $2,080 | $1,248 | -40% |
| Deborah Cheney | $3,784 | $1,136 | -70% |
| Kathleen Mcaleney | $1,080 | $1,059 | -1.9% |
| Thomas Martin | $0 | $970 | -- |
| Highland Ridge Farm, LLC | $3,199 | $960 | -70% |
| Timothy Hayes | $0 | $931 | -- |
| Nathaniel S. Grant | $0 | $911 | -- |
| Findview Farm | $0 | $892 | -- |
| Karyl S Sylken | $669 | $764 | 14.2% |
| Timothy Bellanceau | $0 | $675 | -- |
| Lyndon Keck | $1,592 | $642 | -59.7% |
| David B. Smith | $1,273 | $591 | -53.6% |
| Holly M. Smith | $1,241 | $591 | -52.4% |
| Margaret Greep E. Usinger | $0 | $546 | -- |
| Loreen K. Emery | $914 | $457 | -50% |
| Michael J. O'Connell | $965 | $237 | -75.4% |
| Benjamin Gray | $428 | $221 | -48.4% |
| Stephen Scott King | $1,351 | $145 | -89.3% |
| Ann M. Lundquist | $143 | $143 | 0% |
| David B. Yarlott | $133 | $133 | 0% |
| Laurie K. McDermott | $122 | $122 | 0% |
| Hancock Family Farm, LLC | $12,069 | $0 | -100% |
| Adam D. Ulrickson Sr. | $12,936 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew C. Ulrickson | $13,422 | $0 | -100% |
| Bowen Lobster Company, Inc. | $36,782 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald W. Ulrickson | $10,410 | $0 | -100% |
| Fred F. Cass | $2,315 | $0 | -100% |
| George M. Stover | $7,928 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacob W. Todd | $1,460 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason M York, Inc. | $37,424 | $0 | -100% |
| John W. Coffin | $8,780 | $0 | -100% |
| Joshua L. Todd | $6,683 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa L. Turner | $34,969 | $0 | -100% |
| Maine Oyster, Inc. | $21,554 | $0 | -100% |
| Olsen Lobster, Inc. | $26,675 | $0 | -100% |
| Zachary F. White | $22,792 | $0 | -100% |
| Adam Libby | $33,185 | $0 | -100% |
| Christopher N. Crowley | $638 | $0 | -100% |
| Timothy Foster | $9,506 | $0 | -100% |
| Ann E. Cobb | $2,477 | $0 | -100% |
| Kurt M. Spear | $470 | $0 | -100% |
| Lost and Found Farm, LLC | $4,205 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark A. McGoon | $8,100 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul R. Blanchard | $10,044 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Rutter | $13,343 | $0 | -100% |
| Wendy Gallagher | $2,257 | $0 | -100% |
| Boat Kristi's-Turn | $8,528 | $0 | -100% |
| David B. Johnson | $25,800 | $0 | -100% |
| F-V Isla Dawn, LLC | $15,546 | $0 | -100% |
| Fern Park Lobster Company, Inc. | $13,555 | $0 | -100% |
| Great Ledge Cove Seafood, LLC | $16,680 | $0 | -100% |
| Harold J. Stewart | $8,868 | $0 | -100% |
| Jane E. Conley | $505 | $0 | -100% |
| John R. Mahany | $3,776 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael P. Johnson | $1,126 | $0 | -100% |
| Old Cove Lobster Company, Inc. | $11,060 | $0 | -100% |
| Shawn M. Rich | $12,264 | $0 | -100% |
| Shearwater Ventures, LLC | $1,598 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen R. Train | $17,459 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas W. Marr | $1,828 | $0 | -100% |
| Anthony J. Fusco | $2,500 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce D. Gridley | $749 | $0 | -100% |
| Cheryl K, Inc. | $15,458 | $0 | -100% |
| Christopher G. Norris | $12,270 | $0 | -100% |
| FV Tenacious | $19,444 | $0 | -100% |
| James I. Holden Jr. | $4,554 | $0 | -100% |
| Karl Nordli | $1,533 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark H. Rand | $18,314 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark Nordli | $2,932 | $0 | -100% |
| Neill C. Grant | $695 | $0 | -100% |
| Peter L. Pray | $7,107 | $0 | -100% |
| Phils Farm, LLC | $5,669 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard J. Black Jr. | $1,134 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard Merrill | $8,500 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Michael, Inc. | $3,755 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger D. Poulin | $530 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger F. Woodman Jr. | $2,951 | $0 | -100% |
| The Hop Yard, LLC | $32,114 | $0 | -100% |
| Wild Ocean Aquaculture, LLC | $59,525 | $0 | -100% |
| Dwight Ely | $3,736 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary E. Todd | $5,284 | $0 | -100% |
| Butterfield Shellfish, LLC | $3,096 | $0 | -100% |
| F/V Bonnie & Roxanne | $6,486 | $0 | -100% |
| Glenn B. Steeves | $1,801 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Lloy | $283 | $0 | -100% |
| Alan Greene | $3,300 | $0 | -100% |
| Brandon Rideout | $6,705 | $0 | -100% |
| F-V Ocean Spray Partnership | $238,837 | $0 | -100% |
| James Holland Rich | $18,628 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey R. Lowell | $10,476 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael E. Lane Sr. | $3,335 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott U. Pierce | $7,098 | $0 | -100% |
| SRJ, LLC | $31,758 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen J. Gillis | $5,103 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian M. Smith | $3,822 | $0 | -100% |
| C D Napue Estate, LLC | $1,014 | $0 | -100% |
| Julee Applegarth | $3,338 | $0 | -100% |
| Bamd, Inc. | $37,449 | $0 | -100% |
| Garfield C. Day III | $6,471 | $0 | -100% |
| Gregg A. Whitton | $16,702 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn & William, Inc. | $44,861 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael C. Davis | $15,668 | $0 | -100% |
| Nicholas P. Nappi | $3,872 | $0 | -100% |
| Ernest R. R. Callow | $13,686 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Leahan | $602 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,488,707 | $431,349 | -71% |
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