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In 2021, 74 farmers in cities within Amador County received a total of $1.1 million in 113 farm subsidies, a 36.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $1.8 million in 144 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duane Martin Livestock | $549,947 | $235,745 | -57.1% |
| Dan Fogg | $0 | $211,296 | -- |
| John K Joses | $117,898 | $115,466 | -2.1% |
| Daniel Kuiken | $78,597 | $81,466 | 3.7% |
| Betty Harvey | $9,633 | $36,239 | 276.2% |
| Suzanne Fox | $0 | $34,002 | -- |
| Amy M Waters-White | $36,619 | $24,879 | -32.1% |
| Norman D. Borth | $32,184 | $22,322 | -30.6% |
| Circle Ranch, LLC | $54,074 | $21,406 | -60.4% |
| Patrick F. Rohan | $0 | $21,403 | -- |
| Gilbert a Gianandrea | $34,694 | $20,702 | -40.3% |
| Steven Todd Garcia | $19,846 | $20,281 | 2.2% |
| John P Arditto | $41,800 | $20,039 | -52.1% |
| Richard Keith Rose | $4,158 | $14,833 | 256.7% |
| Deaver Ranch, Inc. | $94,492 | $14,262 | -84.9% |
| Karlie N. Yarbrough | $38,446 | $13,834 | -64% |
| Clinton Brownlie | $33,550 | $12,315 | -63.3% |
| Lloyd Oneto | $48,766 | $11,722 | -76% |
| J & J Goldsmith's, Inc. | $17,161 | $11,531 | -32.8% |
| John Brownlie | $14,808 | $11,490 | -22.4% |
| Teresa Fine-Mondani | $27,376 | $9,461 | -65.4% |
| David Bassett | $9,020 | $9,248 | 2.5% |
| Anthony Loretelli | $0 | $8,523 | -- |
| John Kirkpatrick & Sons | $9,886 | $7,466 | -24.5% |
| Jess Ranch Management, LLC | $28,422 | $7,235 | -74.5% |
| Daniel W Port | $0 | $6,655 | -- |
| Bamert Vineyard | $0 | $6,586 | -- |
| Jon Questo | $29,785 | $6,212 | -79.1% |
| John Oneto | $24,398 | $5,905 | -75.8% |
| Brian D. Oneto | $25,358 | $5,468 | -78.4% |
| Cheryl Lynn Clark | $29,249 | $5,372 | -81.6% |
| Karen Dickerson | $13,742 | $5,340 | -61.1% |
| PT Ranch, LLC | $0 | $5,007 | -- |
| Villegas Family Trust Dated March 2001 | $9,499 | $4,664 | -50.9% |
| Frank Busi Jr. | $24,221 | $4,546 | -81.2% |
| Jessica Clarice Arditto | $0 | $3,772 | -- |
| Harlee Burtschi | $11,198 | $3,643 | -67.5% |
| Fred Waters | $6,452 | $3,486 | -46% |
| Susan J. Kohler-Anderson | $4,259 | $3,301 | -22.5% |
| Elgin R. Bowers | $13,459 | $3,088 | -77.1% |
| John Baggett III-John & Pat Baggett Family Trust | $3,017 | $3,017 | 0% |
| John A. Miles | $0 | $2,763 | -- |
| John A. Miles | $0 | $2,763 | -- |
| F & J Oneto Ranch LP | $8,679 | $2,753 | -68.3% |
| John C. Applegate | $14,654 | $2,704 | -81.5% |
| Paul Biehle | $0 | $2,562 | -- |
| Lyman Vineyards, Inc. | $62,993 | $2,530 | -96% |
| Marianne T. Pantle | $0 | $2,507 | -- |
| Karey Schmidt | $1,576 | $2,140 | 35.8% |
| Katherine Vandermeulen | $0 | $2,120 | -- |
| Bobbi Coughlin | $3,597 | $1,904 | -47.1% |
| Donald J. Swett | $2,805 | $1,773 | -36.8% |
| Richard Hutchison | $0 | $1,265 | -- |
| Craig Evans Subtrust of the Evans Trusts | $94 | $1,243 | 1,222.3% |
| Matthew Laverone | $0 | $1,213 | -- |
| Dominique J. Woods | $0 | $1,168 | -- |
| Paul David Gianandrea | $3,366 | $1,078 | -68% |
| Mark Lopes | $2,673 | $1,038 | -61.2% |
| William Penrose Bassett | $1,452 | $947 | -34.8% |
| David Rhea Steele SR & Gwendolynne Virginia Stonesifer Steel | $3,066 | $941 | -69.3% |
| Paul Wibbenmeyer | $0 | $908 | -- |
| Patrick J. Littlefield | $3,788 | $856 | -77.4% |
| Janice Taylor Howard | $4,842 | $812 | -83.2% |
| Leisel Finley | $0 | $726 | -- |
| Kenneth Henry Deaver | $312 | $654 | 109.6% |
| Carolyn Fregulia | $2,801 | $630 | -77.5% |
| Susan Zaffarano | $1,300 | $610 | -53.1% |
| Patricia Smith | $124 | $590 | 375.8% |
| Joseph J. Jess | $0 | $469 | -- |
| Karen Munson | $996 | $435 | -56.3% |
| Karen E. Becker | $1,279 | $262 | -79.5% |
| Cleave Dal Porto | $143 | $258 | 80.4% |
| Virginia Costa | $792 | $49 | -93.8% |
| Field/Mischer Trust | $0 | $28 | -- |
| Leon Misamore | $220 | $0 | -100% |
| Rubidoux Ridge Vineyard, LLC | $3,439 | $0 | -100% |
| Lewis C. Yager | $4,290 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeff Craig | $2,522 | $0 | -100% |
| Carol Anne Sleeper | $21,797 | $0 | -100% |
| I. E. Partners, LLC | $2,676 | $0 | -100% |
| LA Mesa Vineyards, LLC | $3,625 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary J. Deaver | $19,450 | $0 | -100% |
| Patrick L. Brown | $8,122 | $0 | -100% |
| Terri Harvey | $4,839 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas Dillian | $7,666 | $0 | -100% |
| Victoria Marie Delpart | $7,651 | $0 | -100% |
| Tony M Cavagnaro 2011 Trust | $52,494 | $0 | -100% |
| Jay W. Maki | $404 | $0 | -100% |
| Meagan Marie Monaghan | $1,257 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $1,757,798 | $1,115,927 | -36.5% |
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