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In 2021, 208 farmers in cities within Brevard County received a total of $2.4 million in 301 farm subsidies, a 51.4% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.9 million in 567 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 Brevard County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pratima Jester | $2,721,270 | $478,791 | -82.4% |
| Kevin D Jester | $0 | $398,992 | -- |
| Kempfer Sod Company, Inc. | $0 | $236,317 | -- |
| Nail Farm, Inc. | $0 | $229,380 | -- |
| Southeastern Seaproducts, Inc. | $0 | $112,218 | -- |
| Carolina Queen Bee Farm, LLC | $209,192 | $91,995 | -56% |
| Kay Camp Smith, LLC | $44,398 | $47,091 | 6.1% |
| Mark J Beyel | $14,948 | $30,390 | 103.3% |
| Meeker Limited Partnership | $69,165 | $28,751 | -58.4% |
| Andy Kennedy Trust | $93,100 | $27,718 | -70.2% |
| Cynthia Kennedy Trust | $92,040 | $27,716 | -69.9% |
| David F. Speer | $29,699 | $26,624 | -10.4% |
| Stevenson Landscaping Services, LLC | $0 | $26,371 | -- |
| Highland Farms, Inc. | $69,560 | $24,430 | -64.9% |
| The Vernita M Kamp Trust | $23,748 | $23,748 | 0% |
| Pete Turner | $14,083 | $22,763 | 61.6% |
| Roger Knudson | $22,291 | $22,291 | 0% |
| Christian J. Hasler | $21,011 | $21,011 | 0% |
| Willard Palmer | $60,915 | $19,429 | -68.1% |
| Kasper Jerome Kraft Jr. | $20,437 | $17,612 | -13.8% |
| Erwin Gjerde Trust | $15,874 | $15,874 | 0% |
| F Carlyle Platt Partnership, LLLP | $73,633 | $15,102 | -79.5% |
| L & a Farms, Inc. | $0 | $14,208 | -- |
| James William Campbell | $18,644 | $12,584 | -32.5% |
| Walter C Munly | $12,078 | $12,078 | 0% |
| Nail Ranch, Inc. | $48,312 | $11,918 | -75.3% |
| Jester Bee Company | $0 | $11,571 | -- |
| Danny Sharp | $11,384 | $10,865 | -4.6% |
| Raymond Neil Smith | $10,426 | $10,426 | 0% |
| Indian River Honey Company, LLC | $9,936 | $9,968 | 0.3% |
| L F Bar, Inc. | $31,359 | $9,660 | -69.2% |
| Joseph M. Brannen | $4,382 | $9,409 | 114.7% |
| Francis E Neuzil SR IRR Trust | $9,307 | $9,304 | -0% |
| Tony L. Kennicott | $8,506 | $8,506 | 0% |
| Robert Hegerman | $13,162 | $8,321 | -36.8% |
| David C Ramage Trust | $8,222 | $8,222 | 0% |
| Kc Townsend | $56,992 | $7,694 | -86.5% |
| John E Fatka | $22,069 | $7,643 | -65.4% |
| Jack D Dowdall Living Trustee of Bethany H Dowdall Ttee | $24 | $7,301 | 30,320.8% |
| Millicent Noel | $7,116 | $7,203 | 1.2% |
| The Edwin J Kamp Family Trust | $0 | $7,087 | -- |
| Roger J Molitor Trust | $6,810 | $6,810 | 0% |
| Goat Creek Farms of Brevard, Inc. | $26,712 | $6,609 | -75.3% |
| Michael J. Miller | $8,779 | $6,529 | -25.6% |
| Barbara Gee | $9,702 | $6,406 | -34% |
| Sandy Creek Timbers, LLC | $0 | $6,293 | -- |
| Renfrow Revocable Trust | $16,949 | $5,714 | -66.3% |
| Beth Ann Byassee | $10,402 | $5,569 | -46.5% |
| Patricia Dohrer | $4,304 | $5,498 | 27.7% |
| Jeffrey A. Ville | $5,186 | $5,186 | 0% |
| Michael Ville | $5,186 | $5,186 | 0% |
| Mr. Keith Merlin Skalet | $10,193 | $5,076 | -50.2% |
| Terry Woods | $15,170 | $4,984 | -67.1% |
| CDC Florida, LLC | $0 | $4,400 | -- |
| Shelia D. Smith | $13,649 | $4,151 | -69.6% |
| John Marshall Brannen | $9,825 | $4,099 | -58.3% |
| Lare Leen, Inc. | $14,414 | $4,005 | -72.2% |
| Jeannine B. Browning | $6,072 | $3,900 | -35.8% |
| Carter Family Trust | $0 | $3,804 | -- |
| Dorothy I Markman-Dorothy J Markman Trust | $0 | $3,802 | -- |
| Dwight Hodson Trust | $6,387 | $3,759 | -41.1% |
| William Love Brannon JR Protection Trust | $0 | $3,753 | -- |
| Shirley Hundley | $2,357 | $3,705 | 57.2% |
| Alice A. Ungs | $3,699 | $3,699 | 0% |
| Cecil Field, Inc. | $18,392 | $3,698 | -79.9% |
| Arthur E Barry & Marilyn L Barry Revocable Trust | $8,531 | $3,599 | -57.8% |
| Jeri D. Jones | $4,800 | $3,444 | -28.2% |
| William S Flatt Trust | $3,425 | $3,425 | 0% |
| Bill J. Hunsinger | $7,357 | $3,419 | -53.5% |
| Nellie M. Stace | $0 | $3,263 | -- |
| Pine Grove Farm | $11,582 | $3,257 | -71.9% |
| Mary Ryan Hughes | $3,336 | $3,206 | -3.9% |
| Wanda J. Weber | $3,034 | $3,017 | -0.6% |
| Freeda Collins | $2,581 | $2,898 | 12.3% |
| Marilyn L Beckemeier RVCB TRST | $2,826 | $2,826 | 0% |
| Melvin V Lempiainen | $0 | $2,769 | -- |
| Homer Coffman Declaration Trust | $6,518 | $2,718 | -58.3% |
| Oak Lawn Farm, LLC | $2,436 | $2,436 | 0% |
| Woolf Family Trust | $13,647 | $2,358 | -82.7% |
| Jerry a Roper-Witt | $2,356 | $2,356 | 0% |
| John W. MacKinson | $0 | $2,330 | -- |
| Stuart Joe Everly | $129 | $2,320 | 1,698.4% |
| Larry Chase | $2,303 | $2,304 | 0% |
| Ronald and Patricia Rainbolt Trust | $9,683 | $2,260 | -76.7% |
| Ann Bruns | $4,863 | $2,227 | -54.2% |
| L&M C Farms, Inc. | $8,305 | $2,194 | -73.6% |
| Ronald R. Nail | $9,119 | $2,191 | -76% |
| Jody Lequear | $0 | $2,090 | -- |
| Barbara C. Davis | $1,591 | $2,084 | 31% |
| Janis R Harlan Living Trust DTD 4/26/05 | $2,077 | $2,077 | 0% |
| Louis H Shaw and Karen R Shaw Trust Dated 4-19-1999 | $2,021 | $2,021 | 0% |
| Jane A. Tjaden | $0 | $1,985 | -- |
| Cheryl Mammenga | $1,984 | $1,984 | 0% |
| Judith A. Slough | $2,110 | $1,955 | -7.3% |
| George & Henry Kempfer PTRS | $13,212 | $1,949 | -85.2% |
| Frances Elizabeth Poor | $3,593 | $1,792 | -50.1% |
| James D. Gilliam | $1,725 | $1,725 | 0% |
| Carlos L. Springfield | $7,293 | $1,722 | -76.4% |
| Richard A. Flamm | $11,934 | $1,678 | -85.9% |
| Jerald C. Lowe | $7,775 | $1,676 | -78.4% |
| J&N Farm, LLC | $5,444 | $1,666 | -69.4% |
| Sherrill R Dobbs Family Trust | $1,824 | $1,665 | -8.7% |
| Randy Beville | $2,578 | $1,652 | -35.9% |
| Thomas Ely Orrison | $0 | $1,617 | -- |
| Joshua Trosvig | $0 | $1,608 | -- |
| Steven Murphy | $2,990 | $1,596 | -46.6% |
| Scott R. Anderson | $1,588 | $1,588 | 0% |
| Kathleen Johnson | $1,561 | $1,561 | 0% |
| Barbara J. Loftus | $1,500 | $1,500 | 0% |
| Arnold Al Mallard Jr. | $0 | $1,469 | -- |
| Terri Hart | $0 | $1,469 | -- |
| Corey R. Nail | $8,163 | $1,430 | -82.5% |
| Myra Irene Kennedy Spencer Irrevocable Trust | $4,573 | $1,414 | -69.1% |
| Nancy Marr Stephenson | $4,576 | $1,370 | -70.1% |
| Don Remling | $1,347 | $1,347 | 0% |
| Andrea E. Rexroad | $1,305 | $1,305 | 0% |
| Francis Donald Eugene Smith | $2,563 | $1,279 | -50.1% |
| Kiyoshi Tanaka | $4,662 | $1,263 | -72.9% |
| Randall S Page Estate | $2,635 | $1,258 | -52.3% |
| Kathy Knowles | $4,464 | $1,251 | -72% |
| Carl Hamann | $3,113 | $1,241 | -60.1% |
| Glennis Thies | $3,638 | $1,233 | -66.1% |
| Carol Culbertson | $2,214 | $1,204 | -45.6% |
| Barbara A. Timm | $4,125 | $1,202 | -70.9% |
| Little Blue River Acres, LLC | $3,839 | $1,167 | -69.6% |
| Mary T. Eschbach | $2,475 | $1,154 | -53.4% |
| Catherine Ann Sheetz | $0 | $1,081 | -- |
| Earl M. Perry | $1,078 | $1,078 | 0% |
| David Popelka | $1,650 | $1,056 | -36% |
| Denise Purinton - Denise O Purinton Rev Trust | $0 | $1,046 | -- |
| Municipal Trust & Savings Bank Trust 2849 | $782 | $1,042 | 33.2% |
| Roy and Betty Suhling Revocable Living Trust No 1 | $3,047 | $998 | -67.2% |
| Edward J. Dwyer | $0 | $974 | -- |
| Ann N. Fleming | $2,886 | $930 | -67.8% |
| Steven R. Barth | $917 | $917 | 0% |
| Murray A. Conrath | $1,558 | $860 | -44.8% |
| Frederick E. Kusterer | $3,619 | $841 | -76.8% |
| Andrew Channing Lewis | $3,598 | $826 | -77% |
| Robert Beaumont | $1,591 | $821 | -48.4% |
| Marion Sylvia Flatt Revocable Trust | $3,198 | $808 | -74.7% |
| Clark Edward Brodersen | $1,052 | $798 | -24.1% |
| Richard Welch III | $0 | $797 | -- |
| John K. Phillips | $1,323 | $794 | -40% |
| Virginia O. Mallard | $0 | $757 | -- |
| Marvin F Wherry Trust No 1 | $3,096 | $724 | -76.6% |
| Steven Thompson | $1,025 | $723 | -29.5% |
| Patricia A. Abbott | $1,898 | $720 | -62.1% |
| Donna C. Owens | $861 | $700 | -18.7% |
| Marcio F. Lima | $5,248 | $657 | -87.5% |
| GJG Farms, Inc. | $2,839 | $657 | -76.9% |
| Ruth L Habel Trustee Dated April 20 1981 | $2,106 | $595 | -71.7% |
| Leona Colson | $990 | $592 | -40.2% |
| Phyllis Jean Reitz | $591 | $591 | 0% |
| Christopher L. Meng | $1,616 | $589 | -63.6% |
| Jean Eriksen | $1,446 | $563 | -61.1% |
| Anna J. Rogers | $1,531 | $558 | -63.6% |
| Ingrid J. Conant | $6,393 | $557 | -91.3% |
| James K. Comeaux | $641 | $536 | -16.4% |
| Lindner Farm | $3,310 | $527 | -84.1% |
| Linda Rann | $547 | $526 | -3.8% |
| Ann H Bruns GST Exempt Trust U/A Edward F Huncker | $854 | $496 | -41.9% |
| Alice Mckinstry Davis | $674 | $479 | -28.9% |
| Sharen Talbert | $1,595 | $475 | -70.2% |
| Joann W. Vanover | $68 | $437 | 542.6% |
| Gloria Wavering | $867 | $412 | -52.5% |
| C. P. Sherlock Jr. | $223 | $369 | 65.5% |
| Flounders Family Trust | $636 | $348 | -45.3% |
| Carey B. McLaughlin | $887 | $343 | -61.3% |
| Peggy A. Gross | $665 | $328 | -50.7% |
| Sharon A. Beaumont | $605 | $326 | -46.1% |
| Barbara Ann Braun | $326 | $325 | -0.3% |
| Larry Copper | $452 | $323 | -28.5% |
| Lush Family Enterprises, LLC | $827 | $320 | -61.3% |
| Cloyce D Walden JR | $1,099 | $308 | -72% |
| Daniel Anderson | $879 | $303 | -65.5% |
| Hoyt G. Mack | $880 | $294 | -66.6% |
| Kenneth R. Dehoff | $543 | $278 | -48.8% |
| Claude L. Blair Sr. | $3,520 | $266 | -92.4% |
| Carolyn Terrell | $409 | $258 | -36.9% |
| Frank C. Odell | $227 | $243 | 7% |
| Sterling A. Warner | $764 | $231 | -69.8% |
| Michael Hess | $225 | $225 | 0% |
| Donna Dennis Rev Trust | $201 | $201 | 0% |
| John Culbertson | $393 | $197 | -49.9% |
| Ambi M Cochran | $165 | $165 | 0% |
| Raven S. Cochran | $165 | $165 | 0% |
| Julianne L. Unruh | $1,212 | $161 | -86.7% |
| Dennis Straub | $373 | $157 | -57.9% |
| Leonard Kieffer | $469 | $150 | -68% |
| Dennis Tjaden | $133 | $133 | 0% |
| Valerie J. Wells | $1,086 | $132 | -87.8% |
| Kathleen E. Collins | $219 | $125 | -42.9% |
| David Lee Tape | $466 | $121 | -74% |
| Ray S. Lea | $265 | $81 | -69.4% |
| Robert Marx Sullivan | $1,280 | $70 | -94.5% |
| David Byrne | $182 | $61 | -66.5% |
| Carolyn Sparks | $2,960 | $44 | -98.5% |
| Marla M Forschino | $85 | $43 | -49.4% |
| Roland Hayes Jr. | $74 | $42 | -43.2% |
| Aron Eix | $0 | $39 | -- |
| Don Collier | $171 | $38 | -77.8% |
| John Collier | $171 | $38 | -77.8% |
| Rhonda A. Anderson | $177 | $28 | -84.2% |
| Dorthy Jean Seib | $0 | $24 | -- |
| Jeffery G. Brown | $17 | $20 | 17.6% |
| Linda Tobe | $143 | $20 | -86% |
| Frederick G. Thorne Jr. | $459 | $11 | -97.6% |
| Brian Walls | $29 | $10 | -65.5% |
| Doris L. Eshelman | $332 | $0 | -100% |
| Carl Mittelhauser | $738 | $0 | -100% |
| Keith Grosse | $2,970 | $0 | -100% |
| Paula Lossner | $155 | $0 | -100% |
| Celeno V West | $1 | $0 | -100% |
| James Chow | $1,232 | $0 | -100% |
| Mack Daniel Stoner Jr. | $575 | $0 | -100% |
| Tom Armenoff | $325 | $0 | -100% |
| James Maxner | $1,268 | $0 | -100% |
| James R. Rankin Sr. | $601 | $0 | -100% |
| John Jackson Helton Jr. | $262 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Bibb Cain | $832 | $0 | -100% |
| Teri Eno Maxner | $1,268 | $0 | -100% |
| The Edwin J Kamp Trust | $7,087 | $0 | -100% |
| Geniece W Williams | $516 | $0 | -100% |
| Brantley Dairy Farm, Inc. | $81,056 | $0 | -100% |
| Chris A. Johnson | $1,631 | $0 | -100% |
| Donald F. Hagen | $158 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary Holscher | $1,615 | $0 | -100% |
| Gregory S. Hansen | $561 | $0 | -100% |
| Jack D Dowdall Living Trustee of Betha | $6,998 | $0 | -100% |
| James J Armstrong Trust | $7,424 | $0 | -100% |
| Kay Camp, LLC | $5,446 | $0 | -100% |
| Laurie Maxwell | $2,927 | $0 | -100% |
| Little Fisch Farms, LLC | $226,084 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn M. Switzer | $85 | $0 | -100% |
| Sallie Guth | $481 | $0 | -100% |
| Christopher Vonderheide | $420 | $0 | -100% |
| Ivanna Heymann | $235 | $0 | -100% |
| Sean Gleason Landscaping, LLC | $40,005 | $0 | -100% |
| Barbara B. Thorne | $16 | $0 | -100% |
| Ever After Farms, LLC | $18,457 | $0 | -100% |
| John Buck | $2,559 | $0 | -100% |
| Ralph C. Cahoon | $1,375 | $0 | -100% |
| Rockin JTC Cattle & Ranch, LLC | $4,235 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott Minnick Investments 401K Trust | $12,570 | $0 | -100% |
| Aqua Blue Cichlids, LLC | $57,740 | $0 | -100% |
| Gloria Parton | $2,399 | $0 | -100% |
| Rebekah Ann Mann | $192 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard Kostner | $160 | $0 | -100% |
| Robbie Jo Eckert | $46 | $0 | -100% |
| Rory J. Smith | $17,064 | $0 | -100% |
| Beverly A. McCorquodale | $4,423 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary L. Hannan Voluntary Trust | $535 | $0 | -100% |
| Wenefride Ward | $19 | $0 | -100% |
| Janet-Jan S Tobia Revocable Livin | $802 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry L & Donna M Olson Trust | $16,077 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary Tutt | $245 | $0 | -100% |
| Janet L. Simons | $31,756 | $0 | -100% |
| Lee Ann Davis | $663 | $0 | -100% |
| Myra L. Scott | $104 | $0 | -100% |
| Wanda Munroe | $114 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,948,190 | $2,403,183 | -51.4% |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
City of Indian Harbour Beach• Town of Melbourne Beach• City of Satellite Beach• Merritt Island• City of Rockledge• City of Melbourne• Mims• City of Titusville• Micco• City of Cocoa• Town of Malabar• Grant-Valkaria• City of West Melbourne• City Of Palm Bay• Town Of Indialantic• City Of Cocoa Beach• City Of Cape Canaveral
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