Farms throughout cities in Sumter County received $3.6 million less in subsidies in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to the year before.
In 2021, 178 farmers in cities within Sumter County received a total of $700,378 in 194 farm subsidies, an 83.8% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.3 million in 453 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 Sumter County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| K & H Dairy, Inc. | $591,168 | $127,173 | -78.5% |
| Sumter Sod Farms, LLC | $0 | $113,629 | — |
| Marvin Lamar Parker | $75,207 | $46,584 | -38.1% |
| Eldon K Lenth Revocable Trust Dated Sept 29, 2009 | $40,714 | $42,378 | 4.1% |
| Sarah T. Hensley | $63,097 | $20,376 | -67.7% |
| Revels Farm Service, Inc. | $15,389 | $16,461 | 7% |
| Wells Family Enterprise, LLLP | $51,946 | $15,759 | -69.7% |
| Bobby Whigham Jr. | $31,828 | $14,424 | -54.7% |
| John Froberg | $36,813 | $12,343 | -66.5% |
| Jamie L. Graham | $56,013 | $12,082 | -78.4% |
| Danny Maddox | $23,075 | $10,095 | -56.3% |
| Harry Bob D. Reinier | $8,749 | $8,749 | 0% |
| Mazak Ranch, LLC | $37,226 | $7,721 | -79.3% |
| H&M Cattle Company and Investments, LLC | $36,196 | $7,457 | -79.4% |
| Andrea M. Revels | $20,372 | $7,387 | -63.7% |
| Lou M. Sanchez | $27,082 | $6,452 | -76.2% |
| Gary W. Long | $17,345 | $6,152 | -64.5% |
| Ronnie K. Hamilton | $45,047 | $6,047 | -86.6% |
| Gerald Philip Maddox | $35,107 | $6,029 | -82.8% |
| Linda K. Tillman | $18,178 | $5,573 | -69.3% |
| R. M. Wade | $27,247 | $5,505 | -79.8% |
| James Clay Bexley | $27,385 | $5,414 | -80.2% |
| Dixon Island Cattle, LLC | $8,946 | $5,408 | -39.5% |
| J Bar J Cattle, LLC | $20,229 | $5,244 | -74.1% |
| Timothy H. Boyett | $10,340 | $5,105 | -50.6% |
| Gerald Davis | $24,338 | $4,742 | -80.5% |
| Jamie D. Sanders | $20,207 | $4,647 | -77% |
| Robert Sanchez | $20,779 | $4,623 | -77.8% |
| Robert Sanchez | $20,779 | $4,623 | -77.8% |
| Jerry E. Dobson | $4,494 | $4,606 | 2.5% |
| Savage Oaks Cattle, LLC | $34,978 | $3,963 | -88.7% |
| Ventura Ranch, LLC | $17,171 | $3,886 | -77.4% |
| Mary A. Bigham | $14,983 | $3,813 | -74.6% |
| Derek Hall | $15,112 | $3,290 | -78.2% |
| Bindraban Sarjoo | $21,135 | $3,180 | -85% |
| Joseph H. Odell | $15,091 | $3,112 | -79.4% |
| Jody R. Walton | $14,122 | $3,024 | -78.6% |
| Judith Ann Burk | $14,373 | $2,973 | -79.3% |
| Valentine Ranch, Inc. | $10,417 | $2,911 | -72.1% |
| Gordon Tillman | $3,436 | $2,846 | -17.2% |
| David Lord | $13,013 | $2,771 | -78.7% |
| David O. Williams | $9,163 | $2,685 | -70.7% |
| Juan C. Chavez | $11,498 | $2,488 | -78.4% |
| Lazy S Cattle Ranch, L.L.C. | $7,143 | $2,409 | -66.3% |
| Joseph B. Hooten | $24,433 | $2,376 | -90.3% |
| Billie H. Hamilton | $8,547 | $2,312 | -72.9% |
| Casey L. Ferguson | $10,150 | $2,301 | -77.3% |
| George B. Hall | $12,397 | $2,276 | -81.6% |
| Jessica Davis | $7,942 | $2,225 | -72% |
| Grady Family Joint Venture | $3,173 | $2,107 | -33.6% |
| Frank Mills | $4,120 | $2,062 | -50% |
| Charles L. Roesel | $6,178 | $2,043 | -66.9% |
| Michael J. Eastburn | $0 | $1,980 | — |
| Judith Lovett | $11,146 | $1,966 | -82.4% |
| Donald H. Simmons | $9,196 | $1,962 | -78.7% |
| Bobby E. Hunt | $9,172 | $1,886 | -79.4% |
| Derek Joseph Baker | $7,356 | $1,841 | -75% |
| Cypress Knoll Cattle, LLC | $8,173 | $1,838 | -77.5% |
| Debra A. Sanders | $7,887 | $1,793 | -77.3% |
| Clear Blue Enterprises, LLC | $7,531 | $1,719 | -77.2% |
| Rebecca J. Lovett | $8,327 | $1,717 | -79.4% |
| Elizabeth R. Ruano | $10,055 | $1,712 | -83% |
| George Arthur Studley | $14,152 | $1,699 | -88% |
| Phillip Dale Watts Sr. | $1,662 | $1,662 | 0% |
| Anthony Frank Alagna | $4,257 | $1,620 | -61.9% |
| Patricia M. Wells | $6,972 | $1,558 | -77.7% |
| Delca Ranch, Inc. | $19,941 | $1,557 | -92.2% |
| Rogelio A. Hernandez | $5,665 | $1,552 | -72.6% |
| Landria Adams | $5,444 | $1,489 | -72.6% |
| Marion L. Evans | $4,992 | $1,487 | -70.2% |
| Rita Van Nostran | $5,148 | $1,484 | -71.2% |
| Linda Venable | $7,497 | $1,453 | -80.6% |
| Rodolfo H. Calderon | $10,705 | $1,390 | -87% |
| Sally Fudge | $0 | $1,375 | — |
| Jerl D Merritt | $5,375 | $1,357 | -74.8% |
| Lydia C. Toms | $6,105 | $1,315 | -78.5% |
| Mary Anne Bowers | $3,718 | $1,242 | -66.6% |
| Gary Walton Bennett | $4,653 | $1,166 | -74.9% |
| James W. Sutton | $4,532 | $1,142 | -74.8% |
| Justin Moffitt | $6,758 | $1,119 | -83.4% |
| Greg N. Seay | $3,351 | $1,094 | -67.4% |
| R. F. Farms, LLC | $4,952 | $1,084 | -78.1% |
| Brent Hamilton | $9,464 | $1,072 | -88.7% |
| Joseph a Sremba | $5,030 | $1,072 | -78.7% |
| Karter J. Kagel | $3,784 | $1,052 | -72.2% |
| Randall Pfettscher | $8,913 | $1,044 | -88.3% |
| Barbara L. Boone | $6,121 | $1,024 | -83.3% |
| Osmani Banos-Diaz | $0 | $1,006 | — |
| Mazak Cattle, LLC | $19,483 | $998 | -94.9% |
| Mary L. Watson | $0 | $989 | — |
| Timothy M. Watson | $0 | $989 | — |
| S & J Boyett Cattle, LLC | $1,980 | $987 | -50.2% |
| Alfred D. Barnes | $4,862 | $954 | -80.4% |
| Amy M. Bryant | $2,398 | $916 | -61.8% |
| Robert Jay Aldridge | $10,314 | $913 | -91.1% |
| Joshua L. Powell | $4,488 | $897 | -80% |
| Duane R. Lamb | $2,079 | $892 | -57.1% |
| Emory R. Guess | $4,669 | $885 | -81% |
| Ruiz Rodriguez Celestino | $3,388 | $882 | -74% |
| Vicki W. Wynns | $2,783 | $878 | -68.5% |
| Patricia A. Davisson | $0 | $867 | — |
| John W. McElveen III | $3,934 | $862 | -78.1% |
| Taylor-Cade Trees, Inc. | $312,548 | $860 | -99.7% |
| Taylor-Cade Trees, Inc. | $312,548 | $860 | -99.7% |
| Heather M. Lowery | $1,956 | $854 | -56.3% |
| Edwin F. Grosky | $3,615 | $803 | -77.8% |
| Lee Lovett | $3,520 | $779 | -77.9% |
| Melissa L. Maund | $3,080 | $750 | -75.6% |
| Gary K. Hogans | $2,904 | $738 | -74.6% |
| Paula K. Wall | $6,615 | $729 | -89% |
| Gregory Prevatt | $3,234 | $709 | -78.1% |
| Sharron D. Thornton | $2,986 | $707 | -76.3% |
| Laura L. Hester | $1,672 | $702 | -58% |
| Kenneth F. Hensley | $3,815 | $683 | -82.1% |
| Debra L. Mintzer | $2,514 | $670 | -73.3% |
| Richard W. Stephens | $4,096 | $658 | -83.9% |
| Deric Lamar Parker | $2,535 | $628 | -75.2% |
| Gregory Furlong | $2,398 | $621 | -74.1% |
| Byron D. Grant | $2,442 | $618 | -74.7% |
| Howard L. Mealer | $2,215 | $584 | -73.6% |
| Timothy Dean Parker | $1,445 | $584 | -59.6% |
| Patricia W. Rickles | $1,386 | $578 | -58.3% |
| Michael Heine | $4,020 | $574 | -85.7% |
| Paul M. Akins | $1,925 | $551 | -71.4% |
| T X Two, LLC | $0 | $500 | — |
| Christopher G. Bowers | $0 | $491 | — |
| Frances F. Foster | $3,198 | $484 | -84.9% |
| Leroy Smith | $3,241 | $479 | -85.2% |
| Clinton R. Hayes | $2,148 | $471 | -78.1% |
| Gilbert A. Crenshaw | $3,016 | $467 | -84.5% |
| Alvin M. Wilson | $1,661 | $466 | -71.9% |
| Isaac D. Hogans | $2,887 | $448 | -84.5% |
| Reecy D Akins | $1,892 | $448 | -76.3% |
| John W. Kagel | $2,849 | $443 | -84.5% |
| David V. Summerlin | $2,201 | $442 | -79.9% |
| Charles L. Story | $2,057 | $433 | -78.9% |
| Clarence Kevin Shawn Rosier | $1,760 | $425 | -75.9% |
| Rebecca Wing Alexander | $3,244 | $416 | -87.2% |
| Lori L. Anderson | $0 | $414 | — |
| Roy Lee Hawkins | $1,306 | $397 | -69.6% |
| Connie L. Lewis | $0 | $385 | — |
| Kay A. Adkins | $0 | $385 | — |
| Jean W. King | $0 | $385 | — |
| Patricia Dickerson | $1,507 | $383 | -74.6% |
| Terry D. Carter | $2,518 | $380 | -84.9% |
| Andy Rutzebeck | $1,747 | $343 | -80.4% |
| Charles F Vorobok | $0 | $330 | — |
| Henry Thompson | $328 | $328 | 0% |
| William R. Richardson | $858 | $315 | -63.3% |
| Johnny R. Davis | $1,144 | $305 | -73.3% |
| Michael Williams Jr. | $11,855 | $292 | -97.5% |
| Kenneth Zachary | $1,220 | $290 | -76.2% |
| Betty H. Shepard | $656 | $281 | -57.2% |
| Michael Todd Brady | $1,794 | $278 | -84.5% |
| Mark Leonhart | $0 | $275 | — |
| Pansy M. Craine | $0 | $275 | — |
| Susie A. Leonhart | $0 | $275 | — |
| Rodney Lipps | $1,320 | $253 | -80.8% |
| Chad D. Brady | $1,704 | $239 | -86% |
| Guy Edward Maddox | $810 | $236 | -70.9% |
| Sean Borders | $1,440 | $230 | -84% |
| Robert Wayne Brown | $1,249 | $218 | -82.5% |
| John C. Wilson | $2,062 | $204 | -90.1% |
| Sheri B. Evans | $1,123 | $172 | -84.7% |
| Marcia J Long-Taylor | $1,140 | $169 | -85.2% |
| Junior Elwood Carroll | $605 | $162 | -73.2% |
| Raymond T. Wallace | $10,079 | $156 | -98.5% |
| Robert J. Adams | $455 | $136 | -70.1% |
| Thomas Bryan | $605 | $132 | -78.2% |
| Dennis R. Dickerson | $660 | $132 | -80% |
| Casey L. Jones | $165 | $132 | -20% |
| Linda H. Brooks | $605 | $132 | -78.2% |
| Cathy V. Connery | $297 | $114 | -61.6% |
| Tina L. Cash | $594 | $107 | -82% |
| Nicholas P. Conley | $468 | $105 | -77.6% |
| Kathleen Wornicki | $132 | $48 | -63.6% |
| Mike R. Nelson | $1,392 | $34 | -97.6% |
| Steven G. Jackson | $472 | $19 | -96% |
| Annette M. Roesch | $440 | $0 | -100% |
| Carol a Lenth Revocable Trust Dat | $11,084 | $0 | -100% |
| Cheyenne Marie Rowell | $7,222 | $0 | -100% |
| Dale Deger | $1,527 | $0 | -100% |
| Eldon K Lenth Revocable Trust Dat | $11,084 | $0 | -100% |
| Ernesta Rinaldi | $1,045 | $0 | -100% |
| Fairless Rushing Sr. | $825 | $0 | -100% |
| Gideons Nursery, Inc. | $47,162 | $0 | -100% |
| John L Oudshoff JR | $880 | $0 | -100% |
| Lone Oak Nursery, Inc. | $89,709 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark Adams Tree Farm, Inc. | $52,846 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin C. Fussell Jr. | $13,044 | $0 | -100% |
| Mathew C. Turner | $57,404 | $0 | -100% |
| Meghan Knapp | $904 | $0 | -100% |
| U & W Enterprises LP | $1,763 | $0 | -100% |
| Doug Lancaster Farms, Inc. | $441,581 | $0 | -100% |
| Florida Fish Farms, Inc. | $39,440 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Lawrence Cochran Sr. | $825 | $0 | -100% |
| Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, LLC | $182,573 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald Hunt | $2,145 | $0 | -100% |
| Darlene Lanham | $1,299 | $0 | -100% |
| Hibernia Enterprises, LLC | $129,190 | $0 | -100% |
| Hibernia, LLC | $120,810 | $0 | -100% |
| John M. Fussell | $19,144 | $0 | -100% |
| Laurence F. Green | $4,732 | $0 | -100% |
| Leven J. Everett | $1,020 | $0 | -100% |
| Martin W. Schroeder | $1,155 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin Lancaster | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Orchid Cultivators, LLC | $322,700 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,322,429 | $700,378 | -83.8% |
