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In 2021, 69 farmers in cities within Edwards County received a total of $1.4 million in 180 farm subsidies, a 13.7% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.6 million in 213 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam & Paula Epperson | $214,979 | $196,290 | -8.7% |
| Phillips Hough Graham Ranches | $73,734 | $76,726 | 4.1% |
| James E. Epperson Jr. | $39,981 | $71,221 | 78.1% |
| W-C Livestock LP | $48,850 | $60,650 | 24.2% |
| Roy W Baker JR, LLC | $41,409 | $52,213 | 26.1% |
| William Epperson | $61,983 | $50,599 | -18.4% |
| Clark Hankins | $60,853 | $49,477 | -18.7% |
| James L. Greer III | $30,536 | $48,597 | 59.1% |
| Mary Lou Marshall | $32,342 | $48,007 | 48.4% |
| HSD Ranch Company, LLC | $23,778 | $28,354 | 19.2% |
| Andy W. Dunbar | $38,708 | $28,280 | -26.9% |
| Sam Shanklin | $36,523 | $26,977 | -26.1% |
| Mary Jane Greer | $17,869 | $26,687 | 49.3% |
| Bonnie Baker-Goodwin | $19,068 | $25,899 | 35.8% |
| Hyde Lazy H Ranch Family LP | $62,052 | $25,824 | -58.4% |
| Souli a Shanklin | $73,714 | $25,749 | -65.1% |
| Carol Cottle & Sons | $16,669 | $24,974 | 49.8% |
| Whittle Ranch | $14,662 | $24,833 | 69.4% |
| Will Allison | $25,263 | $24,419 | -3.3% |
| Lazy D Ranch | $50,249 | $24,240 | -51.8% |
| TSOCB | $7,029 | $22,685 | 222.7% |
| T Brown Ranch, LLC | $37,028 | $21,097 | -43% |
| Allen Stieler | $25,563 | $20,278 | -20.7% |
| Stephen T. Haynes | $10,238 | $19,638 | 91.8% |
| Karen Stieler | $24,686 | $19,463 | -21.2% |
| Rheba Wall Massey | $16,679 | $18,604 | 11.5% |
| Jake R. Shanklin | $35,323 | $16,865 | -52.3% |
| Chantz Greene | $24,180 | $16,655 | -31.1% |
| Troy Brown | $20,451 | $16,173 | -20.9% |
| Shanklin Brothers Operations, LLC | $31,588 | $15,828 | -49.9% |
| James A. Rudasill Jr. | $9,313 | $13,833 | 48.5% |
| Alma I. Smart | $5,748 | $13,171 | 129.1% |
| Neville G. Smart III | $5,826 | $12,888 | 121.2% |
| Katy Shanklin | $18,104 | $12,831 | -29.1% |
| Gretchen Birck | $15,559 | $12,663 | -18.6% |
| Lorelei Hankins | $31,247 | $10,999 | -64.8% |
| Mike Craddock | $18,755 | $10,035 | -46.5% |
| Edward and Joan Rudasill | $18,374 | $9,846 | -46.4% |
| R a Herschap | $7,887 | $9,683 | 22.8% |
| Dennis Mitchell Ranch, LLC | $23,878 | $9,648 | -59.6% |
| E-C Livestock, LLC | $4,160 | $9,382 | 125.5% |
| Walter Carl Peterson | $30,008 | $9,335 | -68.9% |
| Whitworth Ranch, Ltd. | $8,060 | $9,284 | 15.2% |
| Billy E. Seale | $9,519 | $9,282 | -2.5% |
| Rafter Seven Ranch | $7,224 | $7,666 | 6.1% |
| Billy Cude | $5,372 | $6,861 | 27.7% |
| Jesse Evans | $9,326 | $6,268 | -32.8% |
| Carolyn L. Cottle | $6,405 | $5,920 | -7.6% |
| John M. Sweeten | $4,320 | $5,574 | 29% |
| Carolyn Anderson | $4,000 | $5,512 | 37.8% |
| Rick Hendley | $446 | $5,350 | 1,099.6% |
| Denman L. Cloudt III | $11,297 | $4,804 | -57.5% |
| William Trahan | $11,674 | $3,632 | -68.9% |
| James M. Prescott | $13,112 | $3,410 | -74% |
| Norman James Ridgway | $7,843 | $3,326 | -57.6% |
| William Mitchell Jr. | $2,323 | $3,244 | 39.6% |
| Ryan Shanklin | $12,210 | $2,732 | -77.6% |
| Grady Douglass | $3,260 | $2,236 | -31.4% |
| Joe B. Carpenter | $31,850 | $2,036 | -93.6% |
| Joy Irvin | $332 | $800 | 141% |
| Marsha C. Smith | $678 | $746 | 10% |
| Lukas Fry | $2,024 | $553 | -72.7% |
| Matt Fry | $2,024 | $553 | -72.7% |
| Wardens Eagles Nest Ranch, LLC | $0 | $341 | -- |
| Jack Harris | $891 | $332 | -62.7% |
| Edward Dunbar | $1,446 | $309 | -78.6% |
| Padraic T Kirk | $450 | $123 | -72.7% |
| Mary C. Simone | $287 | $96 | -66.6% |
| Kenneth Reed | $729 | $89 | -87.8% |
| Joanna E. Smith | $522 | $0 | -100% |
| Susie R. Moore | $4,246 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,566,716 | $1,352,695 | -13.7% |
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