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In 2021, 30 farmers in cities within New London County received a total of $540,589 in 41 farm subsidies, a 32.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $796,691 in 70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spielman Farm, LLC | $514,576 | $139,401 | -72.9% |
| Driftwood Fisheries, Inc. | $0 | $86,383 | -- |
| Reginald Preston | $0 | $50,848 | -- |
| Scotts Yankee Farmer, LLC | $0 | $47,953 | -- |
| Aeros Cultured Oyster Company, LLC | $0 | $44,298 | -- |
| Seacoast Mushrooms, LLC | $0 | $40,243 | -- |
| Stanley Wildowsky JR & Randy Wildowsky | $0 | $18,909 | -- |
| Blair Knutson | $0 | $17,704 | -- |
| Brooks Knutson | $0 | $17,704 | -- |
| White Wave, LLC | $0 | $12,031 | -- |
| Stephen Johndreau | $6,792 | $11,915 | 75.4% |
| Linda E. Houser | $0 | $11,626 | -- |
| Santana Fishing, LLC | $0 | $10,903 | -- |
| Stonington Farms Shellfish, Inc. | $0 | $8,236 | -- |
| Louvre Alexander Estate | $3,765 | $3,765 | 0% |
| Chris Farms, LLC | $7,330 | $3,332 | -54.5% |
| Goose Island Fisheries, LLC | $0 | $3,026 | -- |
| Capt'n Bait Fisheries, LLC | $0 | $2,614 | -- |
| Cato Corner Farm, LLC | $15,469 | $2,234 | -85.6% |
| White Gate Farm | $0 | $1,700 | -- |
| Labrador Properties, LLC | $3,341 | $1,305 | -60.9% |
| Andrea Tornquist | $825 | $1,002 | 21.5% |
| Kathleen Busse | $1,078 | $815 | -24.4% |
| Lisa Clare | $1,503 | $546 | -63.7% |
| Gary Peacock | $1,010 | $505 | -50% |
| Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation | $0 | $480 | -- |
| Janice A. Orsini | $832 | $475 | -42.9% |
| Judith E. Hyland | $701 | $223 | -68.2% |
| Susan L. Davis | $6,717 | $221 | -96.7% |
| Michael J. Little | $192 | $192 | 0% |
| Darren Cugno | $2,722 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason Rogers | $788 | $0 | -100% |
| Joesph S. Anderson Jr. | $569 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Kalal | $1,428 | $0 | -100% |
| John Whittaker | $2,076 | $0 | -100% |
| Ridge Acre Farm, LLC | $1,483 | $0 | -100% |
| Amber L. Kelley | $1,951 | $0 | -100% |
| James J. Moran IV | $7,644 | $0 | -100% |
| Melvin Overmoyer - Melvin Overmoyer Revocable Trust | $3,859 | $0 | -100% |
| Rivercenter Marine, LLC | $85,181 | $0 | -100% |
| Niantic Bay Shellfish Farm, LLC | $19,586 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerry B. Bessire | $1,812 | $0 | -100% |
| Elizabeth B Newsom Estate | $3,360 | $0 | -100% |
| Jennie Rustici | $8,019 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen J. Plant | $17,040 | $0 | -100% |
| Burnett's Country Gardens, LLC | $22,602 | $0 | -100% |
| Donna Lesczczynski | $2,981 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary Herbert Alligood | $385 | $0 | -100% |
| James Cunningham | $148 | $0 | -100% |
| John C. Huhn | $651 | $0 | -100% |
| Provider Farm | $23,237 | $0 | -100% |
| A Secchiaroli & Sons, Inc. | $21,143 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael W. Theiler | $3,352 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert F. Russell | $543 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $796,691 | $540,589 | -32.1% |
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