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In 2021, 81 farmers in cities within Montgomery County received a total of $1.4 million in 115 farm subsidies, a 23.4% increase from 2020, when the total was $1.1 million in 185 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Williamson Farm | $536,206 | $205,652 | -61.6% |
| Pee Dee Pigs | $0 | $91,612 | -- |
| George T. Williamson | $109,834 | $77,818 | -29.1% |
| Keith D. Chriscoe | $12,910 | $77,175 | 497.8% |
| Geo T Williamson & R F Williamson Stanback Farm Poultry | $0 | $74,794 | -- |
| Meng Kong | $0 | $69,513 | -- |
| Byrd & Son, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Mclendon Logging, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Chris Jordan Hauling, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Shepherd Family Logging, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Ricky Wayne McBride | $0 | $52,766 | -- |
| Select Harvesting, LLC | $0 | $52,086 | -- |
| Mill Creek Poultry Farm, LLC | $0 | $51,101 | -- |
| Amanda P. Williamson | $91,053 | $48,723 | -46.5% |
| Boyle Family Farm, LLC | $0 | $40,827 | -- |
| Boy Place Farm, Inc. | $0 | $35,868 | -- |
| Gary J. Haywood | $0 | $33,066 | -- |
| Maurice D. Haywood | $0 | $23,001 | -- |
| James A. Freeman | $5,214 | $19,862 | 280.9% |
| George Thomas Williamson Warner Farm Poultry | $0 | $19,044 | -- |
| Sedberry Farms, LLC | $11,920 | $18,493 | 55.1% |
| Tysinger Logging, Inc. | $0 | $18,378 | -- |
| William Darrell Greene | $0 | $17,354 | -- |
| Joseph Hoover | $0 | $15,714 | -- |
| Grant F. Andrews | $19,790 | $14,882 | -24.8% |
| George T Williamson & Bobby Williamson Pinoka Poultry | $0 | $11,537 | -- |
| Jeramy Cranford Freeman | $0 | $11,510 | -- |
| Hilltop Angus Farm, LLC | $25,716 | $11,209 | -56.4% |
| Randy Chappell Logging | $0 | $7,651 | -- |
| Shelia R. McInnis | $3,597 | $5,271 | 46.5% |
| Jonathan D. Sedberry | $17,046 | $5,255 | -69.2% |
| Sara M. Atkins | $20,937 | $4,818 | -77% |
| J W Mcneill Trucking | $0 | $4,552 | -- |
| Terry W. Freeman | $26,596 | $4,246 | -84% |
| Sandy Ridge Chicken Farm, LLC | $0 | $3,178 | -- |
| George T Williamson & R F Williamson Pee Dee Poultry | $0 | $2,923 | -- |
| Jeremy Dale Haywood | $1,482 | $2,855 | 92.6% |
| Bruce E. Hudson | $8,855 | $2,774 | -68.7% |
| Donald F. Hurley | $15,475 | $2,768 | -82.1% |
| James S. Roberts Jr. | $9,779 | $2,686 | -72.5% |
| Franklin W Byrd | $14,118 | $2,522 | -82.1% |
| Gene Sides | $3,148 | $1,474 | -53.2% |
| Archie F. Smith | $5,545 | $1,471 | -73.5% |
| Chou Ly | $3,960 | $1,455 | -63.3% |
| Kimberly Renee Barringer | $30,453 | $1,392 | -95.4% |
| Allen Haywood and Sons, Inc. | $5,852 | $1,357 | -76.8% |
| James H. Harris | $7,225 | $1,335 | -81.5% |
| Tyler Rush | $6,417 | $1,329 | -79.3% |
| Joshua Howard Callicutt | $6,584 | $1,316 | -80% |
| Jack Fairly Callicutt Jr. | $7,745 | $1,308 | -83.1% |
| Mcrae Enterprises, Inc. | $1,214 | $1,225 | 0.9% |
| Samuel Eugene Hurley Jr. | $7,526 | $1,104 | -85.3% |
| Jim Chandler | $2,229 | $1,023 | -54.1% |
| Michael Vance Saunders | $3,124 | $980 | -68.6% |
| John David Shepard | $4,348 | $971 | -77.7% |
| James W. Morris | $4,166 | $822 | -80.3% |
| Ricky Howell | $1,128 | $796 | -29.4% |
| Phillip Hurley | $3,588 | $757 | -78.9% |
| Circle M Livestock, LLC | $6,000 | $742 | -87.6% |
| Randy Wayne Morgan | $3,518 | $681 | -80.6% |
| Lucas Brothers and Others Farm | $2,699 | $653 | -75.8% |
| Doyle M. Atkins | $2,574 | $630 | -75.5% |
| Danny M. Dennis | $3,138 | $622 | -80.2% |
| James Lewis Ingold Sr. | $484 | $605 | 25% |
| David G. Grigg | $553 | $553 | 0% |
| Johnathan F. Boyle | $2,024 | $546 | -73% |
| Leur Yang | $1,176 | $520 | -55.8% |
| James David Haywood | $3,014 | $450 | -85.1% |
| Lacy Ray Thompson | $2,042 | $429 | -79% |
| Freddy Wayne Callicutt | $660 | $422 | -36.1% |
| Vance E. Caudill | $2,173 | $408 | -81.2% |
| Franklin Stokes Hare | $4,007 | $381 | -90.5% |
| Zella L. Hassell | $732 | $372 | -49.2% |
| John Matheson | $99 | $345 | 248.5% |
| Brandon Lewis Callicutt | $2,743 | $335 | -87.8% |
| Phillip Auman Saunders | $1,068 | $298 | -72.1% |
| Betty S. Matheson | $1,796 | $253 | -85.9% |
| Dean F. Sides | $1,003 | $250 | -75.1% |
| Donald A. Thompson | $2,008 | $240 | -88% |
| Matthew Gene Lucas | $1,197 | $176 | -85.3% |
| Patricia Ann Dial | $1 | $14 | 1,300% |
| B & B Farms | $5,774 | $0 | -100% |
| Dwight E. Blake | $2,640 | $0 | -100% |
| John W. McInnis | $2,725 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth M. Chappell | $21,888 | $0 | -100% |
| Marilyn J. Fitzgerald | $203 | $0 | -100% |
| Pearl a Thompson | $380 | $0 | -100% |
| Woody H. Maness | $183 | $0 | -100% |
| Emily Britt Dunn | $825 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas G. Baumberger | $7,049 | $0 | -100% |
| Edward T. Huneycutt | $1,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Jane I. Smith | $122 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,122,278 | $1,385,024 | 23.4% |
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