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In 2021, 105 farmers in cities within Worcester County received a total of $621,455 in 162 farm subsidies, a 74% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $2.4 million in 343 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 Worcester County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carter and Stevens Farm, LLC | $66,639 | $61,814 | -7.2% |
| Howe's Farm and Garden, LLC | $100,243 | $57,669 | -42.5% |
| Blanchflower Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Sean Conway | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Steven Guillotte | $0 | $48,001 | -- |
| Brett Mann | $0 | $35,415 | -- |
| Stanley Grigas | $40,013 | $29,796 | -25.5% |
| Ashley Howard | $107,303 | $22,951 | -78.6% |
| Charles Woodward Jr. | $0 | $19,824 | -- |
| Glenn S. Stillman | $141,357 | $17,743 | -87.4% |
| Beth Stuerman | $15,698 | $15,698 | 0% |
| David W. Salem | $17,230 | $13,462 | -21.9% |
| Neil A. Zanni | $40,978 | $12,799 | -68.8% |
| Buzz and Thrive, Inc. | $0 | $12,280 | -- |
| Meadowbrook Orchards, Inc. | $26,424 | $11,682 | -55.8% |
| Levon Kachadoorian | $0 | $9,854 | -- |
| Lanni Orchards, Inc. | $10,197 | $8,322 | -18.4% |
| Sandra Evangelista | $3,716 | $7,783 | 109.4% |
| Jane R. Duderstadt | $16,339 | $7,034 | -56.9% |
| Herron Farms, LLC | $16,209 | $6,900 | -57.4% |
| Steven R. Holmes | $0 | $6,107 | -- |
| John M. Winsky | $28,950 | $5,625 | -80.6% |
| Steven Clarkson | $0 | $5,607 | -- |
| Hollis Hills Farm, Inc. | $14,153 | $4,489 | -68.3% |
| Walnut Lane, LLC | $7,030 | $4,408 | -37.3% |
| Joan R. Walker | $4,904 | $3,607 | -26.4% |
| John Stephenson | $20,265 | $3,455 | -83% |
| Thistle Rock Farm, LLC | $3,016 | $3,420 | 13.4% |
| J Norman East Trust | $13,238 | $3,339 | -74.8% |
| David H. Rota | $18,236 | $3,059 | -83.2% |
| Audrey East Living Trust | $10,498 | $2,801 | -73.3% |
| Lawrence Favreau | $7,067 | $2,656 | -62.4% |
| James H. Koebke | $7,142 | $2,467 | -65.5% |
| Hubbard's Farm, LLC | $10,314 | $2,360 | -77.1% |
| Stillman Dairy Farm | $1,413 | $2,273 | 60.9% |
| Raymond MacMillan | $4,143 | $2,218 | -46.5% |
| David E. Howe | $4,357 | $2,196 | -49.6% |
| Phillip Lam | $15,857 | $2,149 | -86.4% |
| Charlton Orchards Group, LLC | $2,803 | $2,130 | -24% |
| William Richardson | $0 | $2,006 | -- |
| Matthew Koziol | $8,567 | $1,939 | -77.4% |
| Pollard Herbert and Nancy | $154 | $1,935 | 1,156.5% |
| Peter W. Hawkes | $14,248 | $1,928 | -86.5% |
| Crystal A. Maloney | $3,760 | $1,850 | -50.8% |
| Marianne E. McCarthy | $4,752 | $1,833 | -61.4% |
| Steven Tucker IRRV Trustee DTD November 19, 2015 | $1,512 | $1,812 | 19.8% |
| Shad Wells | $11,475 | $1,552 | -86.5% |
| Joseph P. Duhamel | $2,689 | $1,438 | -46.5% |
| Roland N. Gaumond | $6,567 | $1,438 | -78.1% |
| Herbert Lee Pollard Jr. | $6,919 | $1,316 | -81% |
| John Sinkewicz | $1,648 | $1,246 | -24.4% |
| Dawn Michelle Rosenlund | $2,866 | $1,232 | -57% |
| Douglas A. Waugh | $3,130 | $1,230 | -60.7% |
| Jacobson Farm | $3,062 | $1,228 | -59.9% |
| Keith Cutler | $2,625 | $1,203 | -54.2% |
| George Hill Orchards, Inc. | $5,530 | $1,162 | -79% |
| Michael J. Klem | $1,958 | $1,160 | -40.8% |
| Dennis K. Murphy | $9,894 | $1,141 | -88.5% |
| Anna Korch | $3,106 | $1,113 | -64.2% |
| Leobardo Mondragon | $4,536 | $1,082 | -76.1% |
| Ruth Kihu | $0 | $1,078 | -- |
| Mark Manoogian | $3,874 | $1,068 | -72.4% |
| Carl Rossbach | $1,123 | $1,013 | -9.8% |
| Adams Farm Slaughterhouse, LLC | $979 | $979 | 0% |
| The Farm School, Inc. | $10,647 | $965 | -90.9% |
| Red River Farm, LLC | $4,912 | $916 | -81.4% |
| Brianna Lo | $0 | $890 | -- |
| Kaszowski Dairy Farm | $2,751 | $839 | -69.5% |
| John M Kittredge Many Hands Organic Farm | $7,215 | $800 | -88.9% |
| Lukas Johan Bjorklund | $2,745 | $766 | -72.1% |
| J Norman East Family Trust | $0 | $754 | -- |
| Victor P. Kallgren | $2,576 | $742 | -71.2% |
| Adisson Toussaint SR | $0 | $684 | -- |
| Nalee Yang | $0 | $616 | -- |
| Jason H. Austin | $582 | $582 | 0% |
| Andrew Kimwomi | $0 | $568 | -- |
| Barry Nadon Sr. | $2,517 | $566 | -77.5% |
| Kristin Ayotte-Lapierre | $0 | $546 | -- |
| Katherine Lathrop | $0 | $540 | -- |
| Richard Green | $440 | $487 | 10.7% |
| Christine Humphrey | $1,210 | $419 | -65.4% |
| Fred Lake | $0 | $417 | -- |
| Whitney L Deciccio | $4,482 | $400 | -91.1% |
| Vincent Magasi | $0 | $394 | -- |
| Hannah Miller | $824 | $388 | -52.9% |
| Catherine Hansgate | $2,460 | $350 | -85.8% |
| Robert Berube | $1,644 | $337 | -79.5% |
| Jonathan Dupuis | $1,638 | $308 | -81.2% |
| Robert Meagher | $407 | $306 | -24.8% |
| Mustafa Harrati | $13,403 | $297 | -97.8% |
| Dorothy H. Benedict | $1,238 | $257 | -79.2% |
| Andrea Schnepf | $2,173 | $249 | -88.5% |
| Paul Grady | $4,010 | $243 | -93.9% |
| Thomas J. Colyer | $608 | $235 | -61.3% |
| Janet Johnson | $245 | $200 | -18.4% |
| Keith Tetreault | $339 | $156 | -54% |
| Richard H. Stevens | $154 | $154 | 0% |
| Dianna Provencher | $2,260 | $150 | -93.4% |
| Sangiwa Eliamani | $500 | $148 | -70.4% |
| Richard Mecha | $29 | $148 | 410.3% |
| Eben Chesebrough | $618 | $141 | -77.2% |
| Linda Herbison | $353 | $132 | -62.6% |
| Arlene Joyal | $451 | $123 | -72.7% |
| Greenwood Hill Farm | $64 | $64 | 0% |
| Albert Stoddart | $295 | $53 | -82% |
| Daniel F. King | $4,595 | $0 | -100% |
| Autumn Morning Farm, LLC | $4,918 | $0 | -100% |
| Carissa Hartman-Wozniak | $3,351 | $0 | -100% |
| Deborah M. Duplisea | $3,308 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn Hartman | $763 | $0 | -100% |
| Renaissance Farms, LLC | $3,101 | $0 | -100% |
| Sean K. Maki | $1,986 | $0 | -100% |
| Davis Farms Trust | $54,968 | $0 | -100% |
| Katherine Cole | $412 | $0 | -100% |
| Nashoba Valley Spirits, Ltd. | $3,084 | $0 | -100% |
| Nicewicz Family Farm | $21,125 | $0 | -100% |
| Ginger Kelly | $226 | $0 | -100% |
| Bethanne Wood | $92 | $0 | -100% |
| George Hall | $310 | $0 | -100% |
| Randal Morse | $6,664 | $0 | -100% |
| Cauley's, Inc. | $29,942 | $0 | -100% |
| James K Momanyi | $90 | $0 | -100% |
| James Lor | $816 | $0 | -100% |
| John W. Todd | $5,351 | $0 | -100% |
| Txong Yang | $59 | $0 | -100% |
| Vue Yang | $370 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul Anderson | $543 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe Meichelbeck | $2,020 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia Knowlton | $434 | $0 | -100% |
| Sarah Page | $2,862 | $0 | -100% |
| Raymond Sawyer | $3,509 | $0 | -100% |
| Amanda Barker | $3,201 | $0 | -100% |
| John Miczek | $49,046 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas E. Southwick Jr. | $4,317 | $0 | -100% |
| Andy Thao | $532 | $0 | -100% |
| Aoma Muma | $147 | $0 | -100% |
| Dorothy Onyonka | $60 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas Romano | $5,993 | $0 | -100% |
| Friends of Sholan Farms, Inc. | $15,464 | $0 | -100% |
| Janice Willard | $62 | $0 | -100% |
| Joash Nyangageria | $110 | $0 | -100% |
| Marie Romaje | $166 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul Gove | $62,944 | $0 | -100% |
| Yia Ly | $1,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Arthur Snow | $1,824 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel Pierce | $9,482 | $0 | -100% |
| Dicks Market Garden, Inc. | $132,117 | $0 | -100% |
| Flat Hill Orchards, LLC | $83,278 | $0 | -100% |
| Whitemarz Farm, LLC | $4,240 | $0 | -100% |
| Casey Vandervalk | $6,502 | $0 | -100% |
| John Gomersall | $3,263 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric Nelson | $4,507 | $0 | -100% |
| Justin P. Schur | $703 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin F. Nimtz | $2,152 | $0 | -100% |
| Berberian Farms | $74,250 | $0 | -100% |
| Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. | $305,250 | $0 | -100% |
| Shirley G. Hanson | $2,411 | $0 | -100% |
| Tougas Family Farm, LLC | $180,197 | $0 | -100% |
| Irene L. Perkins | $446 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa Prozzo | $371 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa Trotto | $235 | $0 | -100% |
| Delia A. Mulvaney | $1,079 | $0 | -100% |
| Gulbankian Farms Garden Center and Florist Shop | $8,765 | $0 | -100% |
| Jean a Hartigan Trust | $3,565 | $0 | -100% |
| Catherine A. Beyer | $1,370 | $0 | -100% |
| Little Lamb Farm, Inc. | $19,182 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Edward Pineo | $2,091 | $0 | -100% |
| Philbin Orchards, Inc. | $11,310 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Gauld | $8,136 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald S. Thompson | $12,573 | $0 | -100% |
| William E. Broderick | $46,662 | $0 | -100% |
| Fivefork Farms, LLC | $48,117 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelly Family Farm, Inc. | $18,332 | $0 | -100% |
| Phil Philbin | $473 | $0 | -100% |
| Hunt Road Berry Farm and Forest, Inc. | $7,420 | $0 | -100% |
| James R Talvy | $770 | $0 | -100% |
| Keith Arsenault | $19,042 | $0 | -100% |
| Michelle Nydam Thompson | $7,871 | $0 | -100% |
| Storeco, Inc. | $19,635 | $0 | -100% |
| Barnabas Forndia | $354 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel Agborkey | $1,190 | $0 | -100% |
| David Tetteh | $1,190 | $0 | -100% |
| Fabiola Nizigiyimana | $725 | $0 | -100% |
| Josephine Kihu | $211 | $0 | -100% |
| Katelyn Parsons | $1,278 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary E. Duane | $768 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia Kayobera | $139 | $0 | -100% |
| Stacey Schnee | $76 | $0 | -100% |
| Tam T. Nguyen | $87,678 | $0 | -100% |
| Valeria Niyonkuru | $469 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $2,394,562 | $621,455 | -74% |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Petersham• Charlton• City Of Worcester• West Boylston• Upton• Sterling• City Of Gardner• Athol• City of Fitchburg• East Douglas• Mendon• Leicester• Oxford• City of Leominster• Hubbardston• Town of Southborough• Grafton• Lunenburg• West Brookfield• Dudley• Northborough• Barre• Princeton• New Braintree• South Lancaster• Bolton
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