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In 2021, 274 farmers in cities within Clay County received a total of $3 million in 522 farm subsidies, a 71.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $10.3 million in 1,179 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 Clay County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heine Partnership | $484,768 | $107,336 | -77.9% |
| Bottolfson Brothers | $297,035 | $74,736 | -74.8% |
| John Steven Donnelly | $143,387 | $59,279 | -58.7% |
| Jeffrey James Olson | $146,350 | $55,540 | -62% |
| X9, Inc. | $0 | $55,346 | -- |
| Corey Clark Lewison | $151,607 | $52,260 | -65.5% |
| Bruce Arnold Mockler | $214,839 | $50,758 | -76.4% |
| Samuel T. Fischer | $67,637 | $50,076 | -26% |
| Michael Dennis Manning | $129,992 | $47,951 | -63.1% |
| Sheldon Dustin Johnson | $135,940 | $47,753 | -64.9% |
| Thomas Merrigan | $144,973 | $46,796 | -67.7% |
| Wagner Limited Partnership | $52,374 | $46,604 | -11% |
| Charles Herbert Peterson | $123,836 | $46,027 | -62.8% |
| Sorensen Family Farm, LLC | $228,146 | $44,354 | -80.6% |
| Mark Leonard Girard | $163,840 | $42,148 | -74.3% |
| Hemminger Family Trust | $38,606 | $38,556 | -0.1% |
| Ricky Allen Wolfswinkel | $87,280 | $38,363 | -56% |
| Nicholas John Merrigan | $124,785 | $38,143 | -69.4% |
| Richard Dustin Johnson | $139,001 | $36,733 | -73.6% |
| Charles Johnson III | $57,686 | $36,392 | -36.9% |
| Craig Daryl Johnson | $151,888 | $35,683 | -76.5% |
| Jerome Allen Schmitz | $40,805 | $35,309 | -13.5% |
| Mark David Nelson | $149,338 | $35,156 | -76.5% |
| Michael Todd Huth | $160,245 | $34,704 | -78.3% |
| Mark C. Wetmore | $39,153 | $32,246 | -17.6% |
| Joseph Lawrence Hubert | $103,754 | $31,108 | -70% |
| Holm Farms Partnership | $127,638 | $29,947 | -76.5% |
| James Morrison | $118,636 | $28,624 | -75.9% |
| David Fallan | $148,946 | $28,357 | -81% |
| Brian Jon Huth | $110,577 | $27,767 | -74.9% |
| Timothy S. Gregoire | $89,420 | $27,074 | -69.7% |
| Patrick John Manning | $112,611 | $26,645 | -76.3% |
| Richard Gene Orr | $110,905 | $25,867 | -76.7% |
| Richard Gregoire | $111,785 | $25,626 | -77.1% |
| Douglas Gene Bye | $44,806 | $24,838 | -44.6% |
| Brook Douglas Bye | $107,023 | $23,614 | -77.9% |
| Randy G. Jensen | $68,133 | $23,522 | -65.5% |
| Daniel Joseph Manning | $98,909 | $22,674 | -77.1% |
| James R. Orr | $48,938 | $22,610 | -53.8% |
| John R. Bernard | $22,543 | $22,543 | 0% |
| Lars G. Aga | $45,356 | $22,112 | -51.2% |
| Stevan Herbert Peterson | $71,583 | $21,958 | -69.3% |
| Max Andersen | $30,513 | $21,494 | -29.6% |
| Donnie Gene Peterson | $64,528 | $21,171 | -67.2% |
| Michael Ray Nelson | $70,307 | $20,995 | -70.1% |
| Donna Gross | $20,960 | $20,960 | 0% |
| Johnathan Stevan Peterson | $0 | $20,943 | -- |
| James Edward Nelson | $50,435 | $20,762 | -58.8% |
| Michael Roche | $20,367 | $20,367 | 0% |
| Kinney Farms Partnership | $73,538 | $19,789 | -73.1% |
| Marty Carl Gilbertson | $59,817 | $19,715 | -67% |
| Lawrence Joseph O'Connor | $38,245 | $19,007 | -50.3% |
| Kurt Thomas Amundson | $69,934 | $18,793 | -73.1% |
| Hub City Farms, LLC | $67,535 | $18,655 | -72.4% |
| Adam Michael Nelson | $73,860 | $17,818 | -75.9% |
| Richard J. Abild | $25,676 | $17,687 | -31.1% |
| Mark Francis Peterson | $62,052 | $17,551 | -71.7% |
| Randall Mollet | $63,266 | $17,118 | -72.9% |
| Dale Ellwyn Nelson | $77,514 | $16,765 | -78.4% |
| Nicholas W. Olson | $33,173 | $16,739 | -49.5% |
| Shaun Klemme | $63,470 | $16,334 | -74.3% |
| Matthew Erl Olson | $71,281 | $16,279 | -77.2% |
| Daryl William Henriksen | $55,053 | $16,112 | -70.7% |
| Rian Merrigan | $43,056 | $16,022 | -62.8% |
| Robert T. Heine | $30,316 | $15,431 | -49.1% |
| Todd Christensen | $15,423 | $15,424 | 0% |
| Nissen Farms, Inc. | $40,811 | $15,419 | -62.2% |
| Jonathan M Manning Irrevocable Family Legacy Trust | $0 | $15,146 | -- |
| Holoch Properties, LLP | $32,443 | $15,113 | -53.4% |
| Timothy Hanson | $0 | $14,994 | -- |
| Chad A. Naber | $56,870 | $14,884 | -73.8% |
| Thomas Jay Ostrem | $90,382 | $14,746 | -83.7% |
| Donald Harold Lyso | $57,423 | $14,682 | -74.4% |
| Douglas J. Donnelly | $57,542 | $14,495 | -74.8% |
| Michael Ardell Lovejoy | $35,459 | $14,334 | -59.6% |
| Barry Richard Peterson | $68,564 | $13,827 | -79.8% |
| Michael Leonard Bottolfson | $45,216 | $13,540 | -70.1% |
| Duane Allan Johnson | $32,489 | $13,469 | -58.5% |
| Gregory C. Hesla | $29,059 | $13,274 | -54.3% |
| Matthew R. Sorensen | $27,219 | $13,050 | -52.1% |
| Evelyn J Geu | $0 | $13,022 | -- |
| Kirk Chris Sorensen | $47,649 | $12,297 | -74.2% |
| Joseph R. Sokolowski | $12,967 | $11,883 | -8.4% |
| KT & T Farms, LLC | $46,188 | $11,283 | -75.6% |
| Robert L. Ganschow | $33,065 | $10,984 | -66.8% |
| James Russell Williams | $12,872 | $10,809 | -16% |
| Roger Merle Gilbertson | $32,031 | $10,671 | -66.7% |
| Danny S. Johnson | $28,505 | $10,623 | -62.7% |
| Richard Allen Peterson | $42,210 | $10,451 | -75.2% |
| Cody J. Merrigan | $36,348 | $10,183 | -72% |
| Craig Curtis Jensen | $39,175 | $10,153 | -74.1% |
| James H. Sorensen | $37,338 | $9,961 | -73.3% |
| Thelma Rose Lind | $48,756 | $9,902 | -79.7% |
| Jeffrey Michael Donnelly | $48,206 | $9,884 | -79.5% |
| Southeast South Dakota Pheasant Association, Inc. | $0 | $9,622 | -- |
| Robert J. Hansen | $9,492 | $9,283 | -2.2% |
| John H. Haver | $33,953 | $9,157 | -73% |
| Karl Leikvold | $24,149 | $8,998 | -62.7% |
| Paul Alan Bremer | $55,371 | $8,943 | -83.8% |
| Wesley Eric Stockland | $37,441 | $8,881 | -76.3% |
| Joseph Allen Manning | $30,881 | $8,852 | -71.3% |
| Mary L. Bottolfson | $0 | $8,734 | -- |
| Murray Burdette Lindblom | $51,790 | $8,716 | -83.2% |
| Thomas Dean Larsen | $21,773 | $8,699 | -60% |
| Evan C. Peterson | $28,319 | $8,692 | -69.3% |
| Tyler Johnson | $28,361 | $8,530 | -69.9% |
| Pat J. Donahue | $16,757 | $8,480 | -49.4% |
| Brad Stange | $66,159 | $8,262 | -87.5% |
| Timothy A. Sorensen | $30,719 | $8,108 | -73.6% |
| Jason J. Schmitz | $7,820 | $7,820 | 0% |
| Ethan Michael Manning | $4,136 | $7,785 | 88.2% |
| Farron Pratt | $7,897 | $7,717 | -2.3% |
| Daniel Beutler | $4,373 | $7,490 | 71.3% |
| Tom Manning | $5,650 | $7,433 | 31.6% |
| Callie Beach | $4,867 | $7,271 | 49.4% |
| Micheal Patrick Manning | $30,708 | $7,163 | -76.7% |
| Riley T. Armstrong | $27,739 | $7,143 | -74.2% |
| Sharon Rae Hanson Irrevocable Trust | $0 | $7,029 | -- |
| Jerry R. Prentice | $7,945 | $6,863 | -13.6% |
| Richard Thomas Orr | $25,045 | $6,794 | -72.9% |
| Dan K. Huth | $22,322 | $6,744 | -69.8% |
| Melissa Renee O'Connor | $27,211 | $6,680 | -75.5% |
| Michael F. Hauck | $23,425 | $6,667 | -71.5% |
| Francis Heine | $257,074 | $6,554 | -97.5% |
| PJT Farms, LLC | $10,426 | $6,399 | -38.6% |
| Judith Sharples | $6,410 | $6,230 | -2.8% |
| Raymond L. O'Connor | $16,779 | $6,104 | -63.6% |
| Ryan O'Connor | $16,799 | $6,104 | -63.7% |
| Thomas J. Jacobsen | $21,032 | $6,094 | -71% |
| James Milton Danielson | $6,338 | $5,977 | -5.7% |
| Brett Bye | $17,305 | $5,940 | -65.7% |
| Stacy Caroline Peterson | $12,609 | $5,885 | -53.3% |
| Erlin Ellison | $29,881 | $5,863 | -80.4% |
| Marion L Kryger Rvoc Liv Trust | $13,213 | $5,674 | -57.1% |
| Bennett Van Osdel JR | $22,171 | $5,546 | -75% |
| Robert Gregoire | $39,293 | $5,476 | -86.1% |
| Roger Stockland | $11,908 | $5,447 | -54.3% |
| Harry L. Scholten | $12,441 | $5,397 | -56.6% |
| James Eldon Olson | $5,006 | $5,216 | 4.2% |
| Carol Annette Knutson | $6,595 | $4,790 | -27.4% |
| Duane Nicholas Holoch | $13,512 | $4,765 | -64.7% |
| Dwight R. Bottorff | $32,075 | $4,717 | -85.3% |
| Kathy Merrigan Manning | $5,610 | $4,704 | -16.1% |
| Dennis Olson | $6,057 | $4,701 | -22.4% |
| Eldon W. Johnson | $13,083 | $4,650 | -64.5% |
| Lucas Mark Girard | $12,908 | $4,451 | -65.5% |
| Allen Charles Holoch | $11,002 | $4,344 | -60.5% |
| Ostlund-Devany Legacy Land Trust | $6,700 | $4,127 | -38.4% |
| Philip B. Johnson | $11,054 | $3,980 | -64% |
| Mark Allen Hubert | $13,453 | $3,935 | -70.8% |
| Joshua Anglin | $11,097 | $3,913 | -64.7% |
| Kevin J. Solberg | $1,314 | $3,795 | 188.8% |
| Jeffrey Roger Gilbertson | $0 | $3,720 | -- |
| John L Shefl | $10,787 | $3,693 | -65.8% |
| Arden Abild | $18,577 | $3,642 | -80.4% |
| Louise Larsen | $8,038 | $3,322 | -58.7% |
| Curtis Alan Johnson | $11,155 | $3,300 | -70.4% |
| Kathleen M. Nissen | $5,188 | $3,281 | -36.8% |
| D Cynthia Chaney Revocable Trust | $3,262 | $3,262 | 0% |
| Douglas Jay Hessman | $3,244 | $3,244 | 0% |
| Marge Hemminger Trust | $0 | $3,239 | -- |
| Judy Robinson | $3,133 | $3,195 | 2% |
| Dana Kay Hansen | $10,433 | $3,147 | -69.8% |
| Dennis a Johnson Revocable Farm Trust | $3,104 | $3,112 | 0.3% |
| Gordon Jensen | $10,210 | $3,089 | -69.7% |
| B & H Farms | $8,628 | $2,987 | -65.4% |
| Donald Lee Frier | $5,901 | $2,928 | -50.4% |
| Lenora A. Johnson | $11,260 | $2,914 | -74.1% |
| Norma K. Aitken | $10,353 | $2,854 | -72.4% |
| Mary Beaty Edelen | $6,713 | $2,796 | -58.3% |
| Douglas T. Knutson | $7,894 | $2,791 | -64.6% |
| Leonard Francis Girard | $9,549 | $2,703 | -71.7% |
| Richard Retzlaff | $7,209 | $2,614 | -63.7% |
| Austin Chicoine | $0 | $2,573 | -- |
| Robert George Fallan | $5,570 | $2,538 | -54.4% |
| Clark Christensen | $2,269 | $2,473 | 9% |
| Lawrensen Properties, LLC | $6,958 | $2,456 | -64.7% |
| Jana G. McDonald | $0 | $2,433 | -- |
| Brent Anthony Frier | $12,250 | $2,426 | -80.2% |
| Gary Small | $2,327 | $2,327 | 0% |
| Erlan Millard Olson | $0 | $2,320 | -- |
| Dustin Carter | $5,694 | $2,304 | -59.5% |
| Zachary L Holoch | $7,782 | $2,303 | -70.4% |
| Thomas E Geu | $1,746 | $2,172 | 24.4% |
| Gene Robert Nelsen | $2,169 | $2,169 | 0% |
| Heidi Schoellerman | $2,159 | $2,159 | 0% |
| Gloria Louise Henriksen | $2,984 | $2,154 | -27.8% |
| Gerald Nygaard | $0 | $2,126 | -- |
| A Team Acres, LLC | $5,342 | $2,125 | -60.2% |
| Sam R. Heikes | $1,547 | $2,110 | 36.4% |
| Lucas James Manning | $8,304 | $2,023 | -75.6% |
| Jeremiah Johnson | $7,973 | $1,951 | -75.5% |
| Kevin Daryl Henriksen | $2,183 | $1,948 | -10.8% |
| Lane Douglas van Hull | $27,865 | $1,917 | -93.1% |
| Patrick Gross | $1,861 | $1,861 | 0% |
| Michael Crist | $12,013 | $1,861 | -84.5% |
| Douglas Dale Riediger | $5,982 | $1,859 | -68.9% |
| Karen S Kaeberle | $741 | $1,760 | 137.5% |
| Daniel Larson | $4,489 | $1,676 | -62.7% |
| Shirley Schuh | $1,635 | $1,635 | 0% |
| Colleen Mae Riediger | $5,609 | $1,622 | -71.1% |
| Robert C Brunner Farm Trust | $3,874 | $1,579 | -59.2% |
| Gary Lee Koble | $1,563 | $1,563 | 0% |
| Cynthia Struckman Johnson | $1,484 | $1,521 | 2.5% |
| Margaret Aileen Donnelly | $1,467 | $1,467 | 0% |
| Kodie Lee Lovejoy | $1,064 | $1,419 | 33.4% |
| Mark J. Schulte | $2,938 | $1,401 | -52.3% |
| Roger Turner | $1,458 | $1,401 | -3.9% |
| Paul Clifford Schulz | $1,326 | $1,396 | 5.3% |
| Warren Myron | $3,141 | $1,387 | -55.8% |
| Sorensen Cottonwood Farms, LLC | $1,367 | $1,367 | 0% |
| Myron Riediger | $3,327 | $1,283 | -61.4% |
| Carol Jean Mayer | $8,321 | $1,260 | -84.9% |
| Ronald Kenneth Rederick | $1,253 | $1,253 | 0% |
| Burton Lawrensen | $4,449 | $1,225 | -72.5% |
| Daryl Johnson | $3,233 | $1,197 | -63% |
| Faith Freese | $1,232 | $1,179 | -4.3% |
| Beverly J. Johnson | $6,261 | $1,177 | -81.2% |
| Paul David Jensen | $2,529 | $1,172 | -53.7% |
| Sally Joann Schmitz | $1,055 | $1,125 | 6.6% |
| Angela K. Jackson | $136 | $1,107 | 714% |
| Jo Ann Ganschow | $1,105 | $1,105 | 0% |
| Lois A. Halverson | $1,104 | $1,102 | -0.2% |
| Joseph Edelen Jr. | $3,490 | $1,048 | -70% |
| Paul Hansen | $3,725 | $1,037 | -72.2% |
| John Young | $602 | $1,020 | 69.4% |
| Anthony P. Hubert | $2,612 | $1,018 | -61% |
| Alex C. Collins | $1,180 | $1,001 | -15.2% |
| Kimberly A. Nissen | $1,180 | $1,001 | -15.2% |
| Harlan Brue | $952 | $952 | 0% |
| Thelma Raines Trust | $1,127 | $928 | -17.7% |
| Laura a Zumhofe - Miille & Sons, LLC | $0 | $903 | -- |
| Thomas Arden Amundson | $0 | $890 | -- |
| Jessie K. Fischer | $1,847 | $879 | -52.4% |
| Joyce Zimmerman | $1,538 | $866 | -43.7% |
| Ticknor Family | $2,257 | $815 | -63.9% |
| Ellis Nelson | $0 | $768 | -- |
| Duane Mehlhaf D C | $2,088 | $746 | -64.3% |
| Harlan John Knutson | $2,839 | $746 | -73.7% |
| Patricia A. Girard | $266 | $716 | 169.2% |
| James V. White | $2,541 | $703 | -72.3% |
| Nielsen Family Enterprises, Inc. | $169,103 | $693 | -99.6% |
| Douglas Ellison Estate | $0 | $684 | -- |
| David S. Day | $0 | $666 | -- |
| Larry A. Schuh | $2,248 | $652 | -71% |
| Craig Myron | $1,134 | $599 | -47.2% |
| Kevin Millage | $589 | $589 | 0% |
| Andrea L. Collins | $1,613 | $568 | -64.8% |
| Lowell L. Collins | $1,613 | $568 | -64.8% |
| Shirley Brunick Trust | $1,966 | $561 | -71.5% |
| Philip Wiebelhaus | $6,833 | $551 | -91.9% |
| Ray Henry Schulz | $541 | $541 | 0% |
| Steven B. Waller | $1,713 | $526 | -69.3% |
| Frances L Rasmussen - Rasmussen Trust | $0 | $516 | -- |
| Roberta Rude | $1,560 | $467 | -70.1% |
| Blaine Tyler Olson | $925 | $462 | -50.1% |
| Curtis Gregg | $1,914 | $446 | -76.7% |
| Michael Pollman | $424 | $437 | 3.1% |
| Grace L. Freeman | $0 | $396 | -- |
| Ronald Hesla | $3,631 | $381 | -89.5% |
| Elizabeth Groetken | $879 | $364 | -58.6% |
| Keith Brooks | $308 | $352 | 14.3% |
| Sue M. French | $1,281 | $346 | -73% |
| Gerald T. Evans | $1,084 | $335 | -69.1% |
| Laura J. Murphy | $165 | $245 | 48.5% |
| AMS Building Systems, LLC | $0 | $238 | -- |
| Robert H. Dykstra | $1,089 | $233 | -78.6% |
| Patricia L. Bancroft | $211 | $211 | 0% |
| Mary Milleret Ring | $373 | $207 | -44.5% |
| Curtis A. Fickbohm | $166 | $166 | 0% |
| Mary A. Mockler | $132 | $132 | 0% |
| Mike Mews | $3,381 | $128 | -96.2% |
| Thomas Davies | $244 | $82 | -66.4% |
| Suzanne Johnson | $133 | $42 | -68.4% |
| Alex Lee Ufford | $2,132 | $0 | -100% |
| Arnold Stevens | $623 | $0 | -100% |
| Cedar County FSA Office-Farm Loan | $2,071 | $0 | -100% |
| Cedar Pork, LLC | $424,960 | $0 | -100% |
| Clayton Bottorff Family Trust | $12,272 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel J. Wieseler | $394 | $0 | -100% |
| Daniel Joseph Heine | $3,123 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennison Family Trust | $550 | $0 | -100% |
| Ernest Schmidt | $5,857 | $0 | -100% |
| Estate of Ernest a Schmidt | $3,822 | $0 | -100% |
| Faythe Weber | $18 | $0 | -100% |
| Frances Rasmussen - L. T. Rasmussen | $2,033 | $0 | -100% |
| Franklin Fredrick Orr | $15,687 | $0 | -100% |
| Leonard G. Collins | $1,031 | $0 | -100% |
| Gloria Louise Henriksen | $4,730 | $0 | -100% |
| James R. Johnson | $456 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey R. Gilbertson | $9,313 | $0 | -100% |
| Jonathan M Manning Irrevocable Fa | $15,948 | $0 | -100% |
| Jonathan Michael Manning | $5,654 | $0 | -100% |
| Joseph Alan Kelley | $1,076 | $0 | -100% |
| Kelly Joseph O'Connor | $189,026 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Wastlund | $845 | $0 | -100% |
| Pork 888, LLC | $327,217 | $0 | -100% |
| Raymond Paul Hall | $21,697 | $0 | -100% |
| Roger W. Meinen | $19,481 | $0 | -100% |
| Samuel B. Hatton | $3,558 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Rae Hanson Irrevocable Trustee | $8,784 | $0 | -100% |
| Southeast South Dakota Pheasant a | $9,622 | $0 | -100% |
| Stanley Maier Irrevocable Trust | $948 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Knutson | $15,731 | $0 | -100% |
| Tom J. McCabe | $627 | $0 | -100% |
| Wayne Searcy | $155 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis I. Knudson | $23,824 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis John Ganschow | $374 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas J. Ellison | $13,971 | $0 | -100% |
| Johnathan S. Peterson | $69,717 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin Alcid Girard Estate | $681 | $0 | -100% |
| Marvin Girard | $485 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald D. Peterson | $637 | $0 | -100% |
| Wendy K. Thompson | $251 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $10,310,283 | $2,984,700 | -71.1% |
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