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In 2021, 270 farmers in cities within Union County received a total of $7.4 million in 493 farm subsidies, a 50% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $14.9 million in 938 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 Union County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's Greenhouses, Inc. | $0 | $357,971 | -- |
| Randy Lee Kiker Jr. | $0 | $294,488 | -- |
| Randy Lee Kiker Jr. | $0 | $294,488 | -- |
| Bentwood Farms, LLC | $66,861 | $251,059 | 275.5% |
| Cox Brothers Farms | $1,641,425 | $250,074 | -84.8% |
| Circle S Ranch, Inc. | $506,622 | $241,013 | -52.4% |
| Frank Howey Family Farms | $962,656 | $229,276 | -76.2% |
| Everette Little | $86,644 | $189,918 | 119.2% |
| Jeffery Helms | $27,968 | $164,364 | 487.7% |
| Baker Bros. Farm, Inc. | $315,021 | $143,297 | -54.5% |
| Phillip Hinson | $236,094 | $141,588 | -40% |
| Richard Christopher Tucker | $0 | $139,989 | -- |
| Williams Brothers Farm | $96,847 | $139,122 | 43.7% |
| White Rock Farms, LLC | $423,098 | $135,152 | -68.1% |
| Cox & Watson Agent | $0 | $125,757 | -- |
| David L. Mills | $0 | $118,759 | -- |
| Medlin Farms Everette E and Andrew G Medlin | $0 | $117,337 | -- |
| River Island, Inc. | $197,818 | $116,396 | -41.2% |
| Simpson Family Farms | $18,176 | $114,913 | 532.2% |
| Hargett Farms, LLC | $211,256 | $114,304 | -45.9% |
| Baucom Family Farm General Partnership | $0 | $109,102 | -- |
| Randy Keith Baucom | $224,467 | $104,958 | -53.2% |
| Malcolm Chad Brantley | $208,392 | $104,325 | -49.9% |
| Smith Bros Farm | $260,933 | $104,223 | -60.1% |
| Franklin W. Howey III | $106,299 | $104,209 | -2% |
| Cindy Baucom | $0 | $102,044 | -- |
| John A. Ashcraft Jr. | $139,449 | $96,986 | -30.5% |
| Azalee Long | $188,599 | $94,462 | -49.9% |
| Kevin Devon Baucom | $208,293 | $93,814 | -55% |
| Heather B. Christenberry | $0 | $92,054 | -- |
| Chance S. Brantley | $40,633 | $89,723 | 120.8% |
| Steven M. Capps | $195,405 | $87,004 | -55.5% |
| Eddie Ray Barnhardt | $369,134 | $82,193 | -77.7% |
| Richard K Tucker | $198,038 | $81,476 | -58.9% |
| Parker & Sons Farms, LLC | $225,695 | $78,682 | -65.1% |
| Helms Farms | $190,102 | $74,989 | -60.6% |
| Thomas Turf, Inc. | $0 | $71,549 | -- |
| Baucom Farming & Milling | $158,998 | $69,499 | -56.3% |
| Edwards Brothers Farms | $73,562 | $69,404 | -5.7% |
| Geoff Dietrich | $131,140 | $64,801 | -50.6% |
| Phillip B. Austin | $180,308 | $64,330 | -64.3% |
| Marie N. Baucom | $186,606 | $62,302 | -66.6% |
| Kenneth D. Pierce | $102,785 | $60,175 | -41.5% |
| Lathan Farms, Inc. | $113,024 | $59,681 | -47.2% |
| Byron E. Purser | $112,881 | $58,747 | -48% |
| Corey M. Melton | $0 | $56,195 | -- |
| Taylor Farms | $145,036 | $54,540 | -62.4% |
| Edwin S. Couick | $115,466 | $51,016 | -55.8% |
| Derrick C. Austin | $82,671 | $47,105 | -43% |
| Rodd C. Price | $0 | $45,565 | -- |
| Randy S. Ratliff | $85,533 | $43,163 | -49.5% |
| Donald Lee Shepard | $0 | $42,510 | -- |
| James S. Austin | $77,179 | $42,160 | -45.4% |
| Robert M. Ratliff Jr. | $86,810 | $40,308 | -53.6% |
| Dale Little | $87,317 | $37,707 | -56.8% |
| Johnny S. Helms | $54,152 | $36,068 | -33.4% |
| Lynn Thomas | $97,739 | $35,657 | -63.5% |
| CMS Farms | $61,951 | $35,468 | -42.7% |
| Kelvin Baucom | $96,049 | $34,915 | -63.6% |
| Douglas E. Purser | $64,353 | $33,470 | -48% |
| Jonathan T. Helms | $0 | $33,226 | -- |
| Matthew Kyle Baucom | $66,541 | $31,307 | -53% |
| Billy Charles Helms | $64,637 | $30,884 | -52.2% |
| Gilliard Brothers, LLC | $72,939 | $30,576 | -58.1% |
| Rocky River Sod Farms, Inc. | $62,647 | $30,173 | -51.8% |
| Eugene Alexander | $85,476 | $29,616 | -65.4% |
| Andrew Kevin Fowler | $77,929 | $29,450 | -62.2% |
| Robert Stowe Brooks JR | $56,872 | $29,324 | -48.4% |
| Robert Garrett Jones | $15,638 | $28,360 | 81.4% |
| Lane D. Griffin | $65,253 | $28,066 | -57% |
| Ronnie Cook | $46,133 | $27,258 | -40.9% |
| Joshua C. Deason | $0 | $25,393 | -- |
| Frankie D. Tarlton | $72,353 | $21,616 | -70.1% |
| Teddy E Stegall JR | $20,489 | $19,839 | -3.2% |
| Jeff Mullis | $0 | $19,177 | -- |
| Keziah Farms | $10,003 | $16,651 | 66.5% |
| Aycoth Farm & Landscaping, LLC | $28,431 | $16,519 | -41.9% |
| Allan Baucom | $0 | $16,389 | -- |
| Randy Stegall | $50,991 | $16,288 | -68.1% |
| Nelson Reid Phifer | $6,632 | $16,156 | 143.6% |
| Harold Simpson | $25,947 | $16,022 | -38.3% |
| Landon Thomas | $45,871 | $15,877 | -65.4% |
| James Kenneth Mills | $17,130 | $15,447 | -9.8% |
| T & T Farms | $26,379 | $15,232 | -42.3% |
| Tony Purser | $16,746 | $14,958 | -10.7% |
| Dolan H. Baucom | $43,906 | $14,877 | -66.1% |
| David Lee Edwards | $18,984 | $14,086 | -25.8% |
| Vaughn 'buck' Stevenson | $0 | $13,426 | -- |
| David L. Russell | $195,616 | $12,112 | -93.8% |
| Timothy L. Coley | $34,161 | $11,861 | -65.3% |
| Jerry F. Austin | $30,189 | $11,488 | -61.9% |
| Kenneth D. Stegall | $39,839 | $10,261 | -74.2% |
| Jacob Bradley Tarlton | $13,595 | $9,209 | -32.3% |
| Thomas Vinson York | $0 | $8,878 | -- |
| Richard M. Ammons | $8,847 | $8,847 | 0% |
| Randy Max Williams | $16,320 | $8,793 | -46.1% |
| Green H. Lp | $0 | $8,604 | -- |
| DM Rushing Investments, LLC | $8,390 | $8,390 | 0% |
| Thomas Reece Bess Jr. | $14,766 | $8,301 | -43.8% |
| David E. Purser | $16,065 | $8,250 | -48.6% |
| David S. Traywick | $109,519 | $7,547 | -93.1% |
| James Randy Mullis | $9,763 | $7,349 | -24.7% |
| Hollis M. Horton Jr. | $9,075 | $7,189 | -20.8% |
| Triple S Cattle, LLC | $39,596 | $7,141 | -82% |
| Milton Baucom | $42,685 | $7,123 | -83.3% |
| David Allen Hill | $0 | $7,008 | -- |
| Broadway Cattle Farm, LLC | $16,312 | $6,596 | -59.6% |
| Ronda R. Austin | $0 | $6,590 | -- |
| Larry Love | $12,463 | $6,418 | -48.5% |
| Wriston Alexander Austin | $0 | $6,390 | -- |
| Ann Miller Brainard | $7,367 | $6,261 | -15% |
| Pernay Thomas Preslar JR | $7,978 | $6,024 | -24.5% |
| John L. Winchester | $20,493 | $5,700 | -72.2% |
| Henry E. Purser | $11,907 | $5,503 | -53.8% |
| Larry W. Trull Jr. | $13,218 | $5,212 | -60.6% |
| ATM Cattle Company, LLC | $17,436 | $4,862 | -72.1% |
| Derek C. Phillips | $1,925 | $4,634 | 140.7% |
| Cecil W. Crook | $3,793 | $4,475 | 18% |
| Dale A. Hinson | $11,720 | $4,438 | -62.1% |
| Morning Glory Farms, LLC | $0 | $4,154 | -- |
| Emmett L. Marsh | $22,379 | $4,020 | -82% |
| Henry Nance | $11,628 | $3,821 | -67.1% |
| Ronnie Lee | $8,097 | $3,681 | -54.5% |
| Daniel S. Brooks | $16,401 | $3,645 | -77.8% |
| Pamela K. Runkel | $3,558 | $3,558 | 0% |
| Don C. Griffin | $7,147 | $3,445 | -51.8% |
| Bruce D. Cuddy | $23,944 | $3,296 | -86.2% |
| Randy C. Thomas | $0 | $3,197 | -- |
| Reginald D. Gaddy Jr. | $3,988 | $3,197 | -19.8% |
| Margo Patton | $4,493 | $3,177 | -29.3% |
| J B Smith Family Farm, LLC | $9,669 | $3,161 | -67.3% |
| Gregory K. Pope | $3,110 | $2,963 | -4.7% |
| Gail F Vettorel | $3,081 | $2,962 | -3.9% |
| Jody B. Starnes | $3,056 | $2,787 | -8.8% |
| Susan B. Willmer | $2,765 | $2,765 | 0% |
| William J. Edwards | $12,540 | $2,700 | -78.5% |
| Teddy E. Stegall Jr. | $2,690 | $2,690 | 0% |
| Scott McWhorter | $15,437 | $2,596 | -83.2% |
| Jessica Rothwell | $3,890 | $2,540 | -34.7% |
| Meredith W. Eastridge | $3,889 | $2,539 | -34.7% |
| William B. Hargett | $13,436 | $2,536 | -81.1% |
| Timothy Smith | $9,053 | $2,524 | -72.1% |
| Irvin W. Griffin | $10,736 | $2,437 | -77.3% |
| Ronald L Little and Doris C Little Living Trust 8/28/2012 | $0 | $2,436 | -- |
| Southerland Springs Farm, LLC | $11,356 | $2,424 | -78.7% |
| Ray L. Medlin | $16,712 | $2,380 | -85.8% |
| Andrew Brian Hyatt | $12,823 | $2,294 | -82.1% |
| Thomas C. Staton | $9,375 | $2,206 | -76.5% |
| Susan Blessing | $9,245 | $2,173 | -76.5% |
| Jonathan K. Couick | $27,086 | $2,169 | -92% |
| Roger Starkey | $3,293 | $2,079 | -36.9% |
| Kaleby Austin Little | $10,334 | $2,066 | -80% |
| Tim N. Russell | $14,899 | $2,010 | -86.5% |
| Michael R. Walton | $6,253 | $1,984 | -68.3% |
| John Randall Thomas | $2,458 | $1,979 | -19.5% |
| Ralph Price | $12,742 | $1,967 | -84.6% |
| Thomas Rex Perry | $9,654 | $1,963 | -79.7% |
| Bonnie D. Boatright | $8,360 | $1,955 | -76.6% |
| James Brian Smith | $6,446 | $1,932 | -70% |
| Robert Fairley Drake | $10,179 | $1,896 | -81.4% |
| Ward M. Deese | $1,888 | $1,888 | 0% |
| Betty H. Belk | $8,525 | $1,817 | -78.7% |
| Violet Tyson Cook | $1,782 | $1,782 | 0% |
| Scottie Gilf Parker | $1,297 | $1,730 | 33.4% |
| Byron Brooks Stewart | $6,617 | $1,625 | -75.4% |
| Judy R. Latham | $1,596 | $1,596 | 0% |
| Ginger B. Moore | $3,156 | $1,578 | -50% |
| John H. Crowell | $4,774 | $1,552 | -67.5% |
| Sarah Ross | $4,873 | $1,484 | -69.5% |
| John D. Couick | $13,368 | $1,471 | -89% |
| Cameron J. Fowler | $4,435 | $1,445 | -67.4% |
| Farm Service Agency | $109,275 | $1,422 | -98.7% |
| Gregory E. Little | $6,116 | $1,364 | -77.7% |
| Paul Hyatt | $30,016 | $1,311 | -95.6% |
| James Johnston | $1,299 | $1,299 | 0% |
| Dennis Lane Austin | $11,526 | $1,276 | -88.9% |
| Mike Tyson | $5,293 | $1,256 | -76.3% |
| Juanita G. McLamb | $0 | $1,242 | -- |
| Lannie R. Lee | $5,159 | $1,234 | -76.1% |
| James Logan Tucker | $7,011 | $1,229 | -82.5% |
| Michael Ted Williams | $7,062 | $1,215 | -82.8% |
| Daron C. Helms | $3,592 | $1,213 | -66.2% |
| Danny L. Baker | $7,712 | $1,194 | -84.5% |
| Scott R. Baucom | $2,715 | $1,190 | -56.2% |
| Gregory L Shedeck | $1,808 | $1,158 | -36% |
| Ten Oaks Farm, Inc. | $1,914 | $1,147 | -40.1% |
| Michael E. Price | $3,662 | $1,114 | -69.6% |
| Scott Rodgers | $2,607 | $1,111 | -57.4% |
| Charlton A. Plyler | $6,072 | $1,105 | -81.8% |
| Marie Greene Hinson | $0 | $1,094 | -- |
| Alan Krenz | $3,074 | $1,088 | -64.6% |
| Aab 2012 Inherited Properties, LLC | $1,697 | $1,078 | -36.5% |
| Linda L Ellis Estate | $907 | $1,072 | 18.2% |
| Ervin Smith | $5,173 | $1,066 | -79.4% |
| Jane W. Starnes | $5,775 | $1,064 | -81.6% |
| Thomas M. Broome | $3,498 | $1,064 | -69.6% |
| Ernest Lane Haigler | $5,148 | $1,002 | -80.5% |
| David L. Long | $6,149 | $982 | -84% |
| Norris Keziah | $3,040 | $939 | -69.1% |
| Wayne C. Duncan | $918 | $918 | 0% |
| Mark Fowler | $2,283 | $911 | -60.1% |
| William T. Rogers | $2,624 | $890 | -66.1% |
| Stephen F. Greene | $4,684 | $889 | -81% |
| Doug Rowell | $3,964 | $868 | -78.1% |
| William Michael Mills | $4,165 | $831 | -80% |
| George Neal Medlin | $1,638 | $819 | -50% |
| Calvin Helms | $2,992 | $819 | -72.6% |
| Parker Farms Cattle & Company | $4,065 | $818 | -79.9% |
| Walker B. Carpenter | $11,812 | $800 | -93.2% |
| Calvin R. Phillips | $3,462 | $765 | -77.9% |
| Peggy Baucom | $2,926 | $702 | -76% |
| Jeff Broadaway | $2,756 | $702 | -74.5% |
| Darrell Ray Phillips | $3,308 | $696 | -79% |
| Daniel Callihan | $0 | $694 | -- |
| Jerry B. Simpson | $1,932 | $624 | -67.7% |
| Dustin Brian Marsh | $2,739 | $613 | -77.6% |
| Jacob Myles McEwen | $1,529 | $602 | -60.6% |
| Karen S. Knight | $2,809 | $601 | -78.6% |
| Heath C. Guion Jr. | $2,403 | $592 | -75.4% |
| Gildardo Ayala Garcia | $0 | $582 | -- |
| Jackie Price | $1,386 | $581 | -58.1% |
| Mary Thomas Smith | $0 | $546 | -- |
| Edward T. Moser | $2,910 | $510 | -82.5% |
| Frank Pope | $4,562 | $501 | -89% |
| Gregory E. Smith | $1,010 | $477 | -52.8% |
| Teresa Hinson Dipple | $664 | $474 | -28.6% |
| James C. Harkey | $4,894 | $473 | -90.3% |
| Tom Appenzeller | $1,280 | $452 | -64.7% |
| Michael Land, M.D. | $1,551 | $450 | -71% |
| Ronald Ratzlaff | $449 | $449 | 0% |
| Dennis Paige Long | $1,452 | $448 | -69.1% |
| Roger A. Nance | $1,969 | $436 | -77.9% |
| Troy Ray Sizemore | $1,956 | $404 | -79.3% |
| Joseph Davis | $726 | $378 | -47.9% |
| Chandler Taylor Cathey | $3,878 | $371 | -90.4% |
| Cory L. Rape | $1,518 | $371 | -75.6% |
| Edward Lewis Haigler | $2,548 | $358 | -85.9% |
| White Oak Dairy Farms%L H Howie | $1,793 | $356 | -80.1% |
| David M. McAuley | $924 | $348 | -62.3% |
| Jones G. Andrews III | $2,585 | $348 | -86.5% |
| Timothy Dwaine Melton | $1,440 | $338 | -76.5% |
| Terry Byrum | $515 | $337 | -34.6% |
| Michael Pitman | $0 | $334 | -- |
| Higher Ground Training Center | $627 | $308 | -50.9% |
| Wade Crowder | $633 | $307 | -51.5% |
| Timothy Andrew Ross | $666 | $283 | -57.5% |
| Miriam Carroll | $283 | $283 | 0% |
| Teresa A. Ross | $699 | $272 | -61.1% |
| Russell L. Braswell | $1,670 | $264 | -84.2% |
| Carolyn T. Smith | $1,243 | $260 | -79.1% |
| Billy Joe Mills | $3,031 | $253 | -91.7% |
| Chris Guin | $2,414 | $232 | -90.4% |
| Franklin W. Howey Jr. | $4,949 | $229 | -95.4% |
| Nelda Jean W. Davis | $469 | $218 | -53.5% |
| Tater Hill Farms, LLC | $0 | $208 | -- |
| Ann C. Griffin | $414 | $207 | -50% |
| Danielle Paul | $689 | $194 | -71.8% |
| Carol A. Winesette | $181 | $181 | 0% |
| Jerry Fred Austin Jr. | $429 | $173 | -59.7% |
| Jackie D. Pressley | $396 | $146 | -63.1% |
| Wayne M. Hinson | $0 | $134 | -- |
| Robert W. Bowlin | $128 | $128 | 0% |
| Benjamin R. Lybrand | $108 | $108 | 0% |
| Christine Hinson Branch | $253 | $107 | -57.7% |
| John Mark Hinson | $390 | $85 | -78.2% |
| Lola H. Morton | $332 | $73 | -78% |
| Wanda M. McWhorter | $53 | $62 | 17% |
| Warren Threatt | $526 | $58 | -89% |
| Rebekah Fredricksen | $133 | $42 | -68.4% |
| Norcott H D Esterre & Cynthia H D Esterre | $0 | $11 | -- |
| Charles Mark Dunlap | $5,438 | $0 | -100% |
| Estate of Samuel Mack Cochran | $35 | $0 | -100% |
| North Carolina Farms, LLC | $266,629 | $0 | -100% |
| Samuel E. Locklear | $115,315 | $0 | -100% |
| Timothy Curtis Meggs | $1,220 | $0 | -100% |
| Wesley R. Rundquist | $195 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew D. Smyre | $137 | $0 | -100% |
| Anna Marie Thomas | $378 | $0 | -100% |
| Arbor Fields, Inc. | $129,830 | $0 | -100% |
| Bridget Bishop | $1,043 | $0 | -100% |
| C. J. Speights | $1,595 | $0 | -100% |
| Chadwick R. Whitley | $440 | $0 | -100% |
| Cox & Watson Agent | $240,574 | $0 | -100% |
| David Allen Hill | $28,827 | $0 | -100% |
| J & R Helms Farms | $3,305 | $0 | -100% |
| Jesse D. Baucom | $4,041 | $0 | -100% |
| Justin Austin | $2,530 | $0 | -100% |
| Marsha H. Rushing | $3,961 | $0 | -100% |
| Matthew Jay Bullington | $9,735 | $0 | -100% |
| Norris Horne | $684 | $0 | -100% |
| Panoramic Farm, Inc. | $287,040 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert W. Doak | $488 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald L Little and Doris C Littl | $2,436 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald Wayne Mills | $918 | $0 | -100% |
| Tony Lane Helms | $1,476 | $0 | -100% |
| Vinson York | $19,535 | $0 | -100% |
| Allen Neil Robinson | $636 | $0 | -100% |
| Baucom Family Farm General Partne | $311,074 | $0 | -100% |
| Blanche S. Almond | $122 | $0 | -100% |
| Campbell F. Cox | $3,967 | $0 | -100% |
| Clarence W. Tarleton | $271 | $0 | -100% |
| David K. Rorie | $1,210 | $0 | -100% |
| Doris S. Funderburk | $3,971 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas Keziah | $638 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas M. Cox | $1,430 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $25,712 | $0 | -100% |
| FSA | $4,808 | $0 | -100% |
| Helen A. Cox | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Jessica Stewart Morris | $3,465 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph E. Cox | $18,179 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph William King | $5,879 | $0 | -100% |
| Kay M. Spittle | $3,574 | $0 | -100% |
| Latham's Nursery, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Lois L. McAdams | $656 | $0 | -100% |
| Medlin Farms Everette E and Andre | $327,657 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael G. Peoples | $592 | $0 | -100% |
| Patty R. Currin | $557 | $0 | -100% |
| R. W. Knight | $189 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger Cox | $1,210 | $0 | -100% |
| Rolling Hill Farms, LLC | $7,921 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald B. Cox | $753 | $0 | -100% |
| Sammy D. Dennison | $595 | $0 | -100% |
| Simpson EGGS | $762,958 | $0 | -100% |
| Sue B. Morrow | $148 | $0 | -100% |
| Tracy B. Helms | $848 | $0 | -100% |
| Union County Farm Service Agency | $5,326 | $0 | -100% |
| Windcrest Group, Inc. | $5,582 | $0 | -100% |
| Amy Lynn Rohrer | $20,553 | $0 | -100% |
| David G. Smith | $7,959 | $0 | -100% |
| New Town Farms, LLC | $10,372 | $0 | -100% |
| Randy A. Rape | $1,650 | $0 | -100% |
| Russell James Davis | $1,367 | $0 | -100% |
| Sammy D. Dennison | $434 | $0 | -100% |
| Sydna Bass | $224 | $0 | -100% |
| William Timothy Turner | $1,545 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilma E Kellough - Wek Land, LLC | $295 | $0 | -100% |
| Norman P. Caldwell Jr. | $446 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $14,883,236 | $7,434,594 | -50% |
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