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In 2021, 178 farmers in cities within Schuylkill County received a total of $2.1 million in 266 farm subsidies, a 35.8% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $3.3 million in 562 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 Schuylkill County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewistown Valley Enterprises | $0 | $510,850 | -- |
| Heisler EGG Farm, Inc. | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Pinecrest Tree Farms | $0 | $166,000 | -- |
| James D. Dunn | $132,406 | $58,676 | -55.7% |
| Peaceful Valley Tree Farm, LLC | $0 | $57,075 | -- |
| R Galen & Randy S Leatherman | $84,336 | $52,318 | -38% |
| Brooke E. Heisler | $52,846 | $51,863 | -1.9% |
| Halabura Farms | $278,826 | $48,749 | -82.5% |
| Haas Farms, LLC | $56,015 | $46,565 | -16.9% |
| Jeremy Yeakley | $0 | $37,168 | -- |
| Richard A. Fryer | $46,639 | $35,323 | -24.3% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $33,240 | -- |
| Edward Careyva | $84,681 | $24,765 | -70.8% |
| Brian C. Fetterolf | $52,485 | $22,495 | -57.1% |
| Fidler Farms | $9,821 | $21,215 | 116% |
| Scott a Careyva | $79,824 | $20,079 | -74.8% |
| Glenn R. Hetherington | $34,467 | $19,657 | -43% |
| Steve M. Paul | $71,124 | $18,917 | -73.4% |
| Koch Farm Service, Inc. | $46,516 | $18,794 | -59.6% |
| Kenneth Strohecker | $41,888 | $17,837 | -57.4% |
| Madeline Ruch | $37,788 | $17,477 | -53.7% |
| Adam D. Zeigler | $5,719 | $17,394 | 204.1% |
| Jason a Stumhofer | $71,286 | $17,284 | -75.8% |
| Nancy L. Masser | $16,117 | $16,117 | 0% |
| Wide Open Farms | $32,035 | $15,589 | -51.3% |
| Lil-Rus Farms Carl T. Miller PTR | $21,763 | $15,544 | -28.6% |
| Jeffrey Allan Herring | $30,004 | $15,166 | -49.5% |
| David B. Stoltzfus | $231 | $13,822 | 5,883.5% |
| Thomas M Trycieki | $24,172 | $12,804 | -47% |
| Kenneth J. Smith | $25,969 | $12,447 | -52.1% |
| Ronald & Daniel Troxell | $23,062 | $12,400 | -46.2% |
| Amos Stoltzfus | $0 | $11,571 | -- |
| Rodney M. Heisey | $13,376 | $11,381 | -14.9% |
| Carl M. Teter | $3,726 | $10,934 | 193.5% |
| Gary Carl Anderson II | $30,718 | $10,488 | -65.9% |
| David L. Kistler | $24,045 | $10,282 | -57.2% |
| Arlene Kreager | $11,127 | $10,218 | -8.2% |
| Harold JR, Harold R Wehry III, & Ralph Wehry H. H. | $0 | $9,678 | -- |
| Glenn A. Snyder | $8,521 | $8,521 | 0% |
| Lemoyne Eckroth | $22,845 | $8,415 | -63.2% |
| J & L Shafer Farms | $47,457 | $8,362 | -82.4% |
| David W. Morgan | $8,159 | $8,159 | 0% |
| Dennis J Marbarger | $20,320 | $8,073 | -60.3% |
| B & R Farms | $26,291 | $8,029 | -69.5% |
| Williams Valley Farms, LLC | $40,994 | $7,860 | -80.8% |
| Stanleys Farm Service Stanley Kreywiski & F Kreywi | $0 | $7,857 | -- |
| Hart Farms | $22,146 | $7,747 | -65% |
| Dennis Rebuck | $20,427 | $7,638 | -62.6% |
| David R. Wolfinger | $11,316 | $7,163 | -36.7% |
| Schwalm Farms, Inc. | $43,219 | $7,143 | -83.5% |
| Linda Meckley Estate | $6,934 | $6,934 | 0% |
| Ralph Bley JR | $13,527 | $6,340 | -53.1% |
| John R. Lippert | $6,253 | $6,253 | 0% |
| Jacqueline Krammes | $6,212 | $6,212 | 0% |
| Terry Bachert | $15,545 | $5,670 | -63.5% |
| Owen D. Koch | $14,785 | $5,549 | -62.5% |
| Kyle Brown | $14,779 | $5,397 | -63.5% |
| Diane F. Wolfgang | $5,381 | $5,328 | -1% |
| James W. Boyer | $5,002 | $5,002 | 0% |
| Mush Dahl Farms, LLC | $4,585 | $4,873 | 6.3% |
| Jeffrey C. Masser | $8,553 | $4,857 | -43.2% |
| Ann M. Schadler | $4,779 | $4,779 | 0% |
| John J. Shannon Jr. | $9,408 | $4,722 | -49.8% |
| Edward J. Litzenberger | $16,282 | $4,654 | -71.4% |
| Chester Schwartz | $4,538 | $4,538 | 0% |
| Scott L. Bressler | $4,438 | $4,438 | 0% |
| Jeff Sproule | $4,041 | $4,041 | 0% |
| Michael S Comisac SR | $4,027 | $4,027 | 0% |
| Molly J. Otto | $4,016 | $4,016 | 0% |
| Dwight Manbeck | $7,516 | $3,808 | -49.3% |
| Fair Acres Farms | $2,952 | $3,690 | 25% |
| Thomas F. Haldeman | $5,962 | $3,621 | -39.3% |
| Matthew A. Lucas | $7,854 | $3,482 | -55.7% |
| Richard Savidge | $3,463 | $3,463 | 0% |
| Judy W. Weinreich | $3,454 | $3,454 | 0% |
| Spicher Farms, LLC | $6,987 | $3,394 | -51.4% |
| Guy Lesher | $3,248 | $3,248 | 0% |
| Burdell Snyder | $3,234 | $3,234 | 0% |
| Gimbel Farms, LLC | $0 | $3,224 | -- |
| Gene D. Reiner | $9,628 | $3,202 | -66.7% |
| Gary Steigerwalt | $3,197 | $3,197 | 0% |
| Barbara S. Dehaven | $3,177 | $3,177 | 0% |
| Mark Sattizahn | $4,016 | $3,162 | -21.3% |
| Darrell R. Kunkel | $3,128 | $3,128 | 0% |
| George Sidella | $3,103 | $3,103 | 0% |
| Francis Deeter | $6,599 | $2,992 | -54.7% |
| Henry J. Reiner | $8,354 | $2,987 | -64.2% |
| Debra Marchetti | $2,852 | $2,852 | 0% |
| Pine Valley Sportsmens Club, Inc. | $2,809 | $2,809 | 0% |
| Andrew D. Rothermel | $6,304 | $2,790 | -55.7% |
| Louis J Temprovich SR | $2,752 | $2,752 | 0% |
| Mary Temprovich | $2,752 | $2,752 | 0% |
| Kent L. Miller | $4,136 | $2,610 | -36.9% |
| Open Gate Farm, Inc. | $5,769 | $2,567 | -55.5% |
| Gerald R. Carter | $2,501 | $2,501 | 0% |
| Todd Heisler | $0 | $2,491 | -- |
| David Bensinger | $5,248 | $2,478 | -52.8% |
| Mary Anczarski | $2,336 | $2,336 | 0% |
| David Cook | $2,318 | $2,318 | 0% |
| Lamar Lex | $4,310 | $2,217 | -48.6% |
| James W. Hallowell | $31,190 | $2,215 | -92.9% |
| Daniel Grow Jr. | $2,215 | $2,215 | 0% |
| Robert R. Beck | $2,161 | $2,161 | 0% |
| Ronald W. Dietz | $5,209 | $2,039 | -60.9% |
| Anne Careyva | $3,070 | $1,948 | -36.5% |
| Dennis M. Fetterolf | $3,887 | $1,927 | -50.4% |
| Miller Charm Farm, LLC | $5,690 | $1,887 | -66.8% |
| Aaron T Bivighouse | $0 | $1,870 | -- |
| Eric D. Klinger | $5,177 | $1,856 | -64.1% |
| Lou Anne Bachert | $4,896 | $1,814 | -62.9% |
| J C Hill Tree Farm, Inc. | $219,388 | $1,809 | -99.2% |
| Jeffrey C. Schaeffer | $4,202 | $1,703 | -59.5% |
| G & a Bixler Farm, LLC | $1,851 | $1,701 | -8.1% |
| Jeffrey L. Schwartz | $2,413 | $1,694 | -29.8% |
| Joseph & Peter Fleck | $0 | $1,543 | -- |
| Kenneth W. Albitz | $1,520 | $1,520 | 0% |
| Thomas A. Miller | $1,937 | $1,451 | -25.1% |
| Brian G Bahnck | $2,139 | $1,434 | -33% |
| Zukovich Farms, LLC | $18,776 | $1,427 | -92.4% |
| David Wayne Bair | $2,749 | $1,420 | -48.3% |
| Kenneth R. Herstine | $3,763 | $1,298 | -65.5% |
| Steven Delp | $1,233 | $1,233 | 0% |
| Randy S. Miller | $11,326 | $1,220 | -89.2% |
| Clair J. Zimmerman | $1,214 | $1,214 | 0% |
| Brian Leibold | $1,170 | $1,170 | 0% |
| Russell C. Deibert | $4,850 | $1,160 | -76.1% |
| Ronald C. Fetterman | $4,769 | $1,138 | -76.1% |
| Kenneth J. Wetzel | $1,108 | $1,108 | 0% |
| Craig Luckenbill | $1,030 | $1,030 | 0% |
| Russell D. Deibert | $219 | $1,001 | 357.1% |
| Open View Acres, LLC | $7,000 | $982 | -86% |
| James Garringer | $770 | $978 | 27% |
| Allen C. Adams | $2,408 | $924 | -61.6% |
| Ronald Lindner | $907 | $907 | 0% |
| Angela Meck | $907 | $907 | 0% |
| Wendy Campbell | $906 | $906 | 0% |
| Gale Sterner | $731 | $731 | 0% |
| Daniel R. Carl | $704 | $704 | 0% |
| Andrew B. Reber | $0 | $657 | -- |
| Luke A. Reber | $0 | $657 | -- |
| David K. Koch | $1,662 | $650 | -60.9% |
| Nelson Wilbert Moyer | $2,721 | $639 | -76.5% |
| Lee Bixler | $305 | $635 | 108.2% |
| Paul J. Blasko Jr. | $751 | $630 | -16.1% |
| Larry L. Reber | $1,925 | $612 | -68.2% |
| Tallman Family Farms, LLC | $1,071 | $598 | -44.2% |
| Richard E. Schaeffer | $1,285 | $567 | -55.9% |
| Elaine M. Cave | $945 | $553 | -41.5% |
| John K. Heim | $1,205 | $532 | -55.9% |
| Ronald I. Emerich | $1,036 | $530 | -48.8% |
| Haas Farms | $209,749 | $483 | -99.8% |
| William Reed Jr. | $756 | $457 | -39.6% |
| Helen Leatherman | $177 | $430 | 142.9% |
| Roger Shoup | $828 | $400 | -51.7% |
| Sandra M. Miller | $395 | $395 | 0% |
| Tyler Berger | $586 | $385 | -34.3% |
| Susan L. Smith | $370 | $370 | 0% |
| Jason L. Bixler | $362 | $362 | 0% |
| Randy Stutzman | $351 | $351 | 0% |
| Allen Emerich | $335 | $335 | 0% |
| Donald L. Klinger | $1,462 | $328 | -77.6% |
| Adam Schwartz | $689 | $321 | -53.4% |
| Kevin C. Berger | $235 | $313 | 33.2% |
| Dale Miller | $289 | $289 | 0% |
| Richard E. Killian | $646 | $288 | -55.4% |
| Raymond W. Moyer | $288 | $288 | 0% |
| Beverly Gates | $861 | $259 | -69.9% |
| Robert L Mcaloose | $219 | $219 | 0% |
| Linda Stephens | $190 | $190 | 0% |
| Mark Stephens | $190 | $190 | 0% |
| Breiner Poultry Farm, LLC | $2,896 | $190 | -93.4% |
| Russel H. Miller | $276 | $184 | -33.3% |
| Brandon Baver | $224 | $164 | -26.8% |
| James J. Wolfgang | $1,320 | $128 | -90.3% |
| Joshua B. Stein | $12,845 | $120 | -99.1% |
| Linda J. Reading | $120 | $120 | 0% |
| Michael Canfield | $52 | $52 | 0% |
| Hope Hill Lavender Farm, LLC | $2,668 | $40 | -98.5% |
| Nathan A. Leiby | $20,869 | $0 | -100% |
| Harry Mausser | $460 | $0 | -100% |
| Susan D. Ludwig | $375 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles J. Fetterolf | $7,172 | $0 | -100% |
| David A. Rothermel | $294 | $0 | -100% |
| Harold JR, Harold R Wehry III | $62,238 | $0 | -100% |
| Louise M. Rothermel | $1,934 | $0 | -100% |
| Saltzman Brothers Farms, Inc. | $625 | $0 | -100% |
| Stanleys Farm Service Stanley KRE | $13,575 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven R. Dietz | $408 | $0 | -100% |
| Tracy R. Herb | $173 | $0 | -100% |
| Ty Strohecker | $41 | $0 | -100% |
| Van Hoekelen Greenhouses, Inc. | $351,183 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew B. Seroka | $595 | $0 | -100% |
| Curtis Bailey | $22 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary C. Kistler | $41 | $0 | -100% |
| Tyler David Zimmerman | $1,866 | $0 | -100% |
| Zachary David Zimmerman | $1,866 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin W. Teter | $1,164 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Darren Haich | $2,585 | $0 | -100% |
| Purely Farm, LLC | $8,827 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $34,974 | $0 | -100% |
| Alice E. Swartz | $87 | $0 | -100% |
| Glenn Gearhart | $272 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin T. Bond | $3,361 | $0 | -100% |
| Morgan L. H. Bond | $3,361 | $0 | -100% |
| Dwayne L. Newswanger | $118,469 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin Berger | $151 | $0 | -100% |
| Lewis R. Noecker | $453 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael a Moyer | $11,271 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce Leatherman | $385 | $0 | -100% |
| Byron A. Leiby | $53 | $0 | -100% |
| Carl E. Felty | $1,130 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Felty | $153 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric R. Leiby | $1,670 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael J Savlik II | $7,318 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul L. Kanaskie | $2,491 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven S. Miller | $69 | $0 | -100% |
| Terry Allen Wehr | $569 | $0 | -100% |
| William J Varano | $4,800 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $3,280,871 | $2,106,974 | -35.8% |
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