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In 2021, 151 farmers in cities within Bamberg County received a total of $2.7 million in 285 farm subsidies, a 48.3% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $5.2 million in 461 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 Bamberg County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Bank of School | $587,314 | $498,746 | -15.1% |
| Crider Farms | $367,333 | $276,548 | -24.7% |
| New Dawn Dairy, LLC | $118,527 | $131,718 | 11.1% |
| Double B. Farms | $254,656 | $111,459 | -56.2% |
| Bennie K. Hughes | $278,632 | $108,530 | -61% |
| Old Salem Dairy, LLC | $321,950 | $103,451 | -67.9% |
| Jason Still Farms, LLC | $72,620 | $100,326 | 38.2% |
| Brubaker Farms, Inc. | $124,950 | $99,726 | -20.2% |
| Riddle Dairy Holdings, LLC | $133,841 | $90,101 | -32.7% |
| Glenn Cappelmann | $0 | $89,968 | -- |
| Triple R Farms of Ehrhardt, LLC | $321,690 | $85,720 | -73.4% |
| Henry H. Herndon | $174,741 | $84,133 | -51.9% |
| James Collins | $178,713 | $84,021 | -53% |
| Jade Collins Farms, LLC | $232,014 | $73,298 | -68.4% |
| Ayer Logging, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Cypress Dairy | $80,261 | $46,984 | -41.5% |
| Barnburg Farms, LLC | $8,547 | $45,839 | 436.3% |
| Aden J. Diem | $12,131 | $45,115 | 271.9% |
| Delmar Diem | $11,179 | $41,578 | 271.9% |
| Diem Family Farm | $131,344 | $36,834 | -72% |
| Daniel Bessinger | $32,307 | $30,123 | -6.8% |
| Patricia J. Chassereau | $74,134 | $26,675 | -64% |
| C and H Farms | $40,646 | $24,733 | -39.2% |
| Cecil L. Waltz | $7,543 | $24,238 | 221.3% |
| Madison Reid Harrington | $11,123 | $21,638 | 94.5% |
| Joe W. England | $36,054 | $19,243 | -46.6% |
| Brent Hege | $118,478 | $15,591 | -86.8% |
| Frank C. Rizer | $14,676 | $14,841 | 1.1% |
| John D. Turner | $31,028 | $14,801 | -52.3% |
| Charles Jeffery Spires | $49,259 | $14,697 | -70.2% |
| J. W. Barnes Jr. | $22,626 | $9,920 | -56.2% |
| Mark D. Sease | $18,456 | $9,827 | -46.8% |
| Riverby Farms, LLC | $62,576 | $8,958 | -85.7% |
| William Carroll Hiers | $11,236 | $8,927 | -20.6% |
| John W. Williamson III | $8,977 | $8,364 | -6.8% |
| Johney L Haralson | $13,565 | $7,873 | -42% |
| Wesley J. Crider III | $31,618 | $7,654 | -75.8% |
| Esther R. McMillan | $18,045 | $7,305 | -59.5% |
| Shaun H. Brandt | $14,873 | $6,734 | -54.7% |
| Maxie Welch | $6,588 | $6,588 | 0% |
| Ted Brandt Family Limited Partnership | $0 | $6,146 | -- |
| Andrew M. Carter II | $10,011 | $5,868 | -41.4% |
| Clifford J. Ray Jr. | $8,477 | $5,706 | -32.7% |
| Alvin J. Hiers | $6,147 | $5,512 | -10.3% |
| Barbara M. Hiers | $5,040 | $5,429 | 7.7% |
| Landis A. Hiers | $5,256 | $5,256 | 0% |
| Ben Brook McMillan | $5,939 | $5,170 | -12.9% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $5,064 | -- |
| T C Guess Trust FBO Eleanor T. Guess Tua | $0 | $4,783 | -- |
| Heatwole Farm, Inc. | $18,426 | $4,738 | -74.3% |
| Steven Nicholas Martin | $3,235 | $4,726 | 46.1% |
| Hallman E. Sease | $7,770 | $4,375 | -43.7% |
| Horace D Free Family Trust | $4,350 | $4,350 | 0% |
| Lynn Free Revocable Trust | $4,379 | $4,349 | -0.7% |
| James W. Barnes III | $23,852 | $4,145 | -82.6% |
| Thomas J. Gallop | $3,653 | $3,910 | 7% |
| Meadow View Cattle | $25,031 | $3,690 | -85.3% |
| Fletcher S. Brabham | $5,837 | $3,651 | -37.5% |
| Gerry R. Hiers | $6,611 | $3,487 | -47.3% |
| George E. Kearse | $4,307 | $3,486 | -19.1% |
| Laurie W. Copeland III | $8,142 | $3,201 | -60.7% |
| Sandra M. Sease | $17,116 | $3,027 | -82.3% |
| Josiah David Brubaker | $18,365 | $2,841 | -84.5% |
| Dean A. Ayer | $5,166 | $2,609 | -49.5% |
| Jana Hughes Chassereau | $3,338 | $2,453 | -26.5% |
| Johnny Ulmer | $1,485 | $2,448 | 64.8% |
| Audry Stephenson Fail | $7,185 | $2,410 | -66.5% |
| James V. Sease Jr. | $8,305 | $2,405 | -71% |
| Brooke W. Bess | $2,401 | $2,401 | 0% |
| Hayden M. Bess | $2,401 | $2,401 | 0% |
| Cole J. Bess | $2,400 | $2,400 | 0% |
| Luther O. Tyler | $2,146 | $2,376 | 10.7% |
| Marion J. Hiers Jr. | $2,325 | $2,325 | 0% |
| Colby Ayer | $1,383 | $1,929 | 39.5% |
| David Neal Lankford | $5,563 | $1,877 | -66.3% |
| Donald Bessinger | $10,583 | $1,789 | -83.1% |
| Merle Ray Diem Sr. | $9,033 | $1,742 | -80.7% |
| Dana Spires | $5,273 | $1,739 | -67% |
| Charles W. Crider | $20,566 | $1,720 | -91.6% |
| Donald Brandt | $1,699 | $1,699 | 0% |
| John C. Russell Jr. | $2,449 | $1,691 | -31% |
| Thomas Craddock, LLC | $0 | $1,590 | -- |
| Agsouth Farm Credit Aca | $24,110 | $1,486 | -93.8% |
| Varn Properties, LLC | $1,408 | $1,408 | 0% |
| Watson Carter Farm, LLC | $1,400 | $1,400 | 0% |
| Fannie Lorine Tarrant | $1,290 | $1,290 | 0% |
| Henry Oneal Crider | $4,145 | $1,275 | -69.2% |
| Patrick W. Copeland Jr. | $2,718 | $1,230 | -54.7% |
| Lubertha Brabham | $1,404 | $1,212 | -13.7% |
| Alan Guess | $1,210 | $1,210 | 0% |
| Mark S. Kinard | $5,898 | $1,139 | -80.7% |
| Donna K. Hutto | $0 | $993 | -- |
| Trust B Uw of James M Hiers SR | $8,226 | $980 | -88.1% |
| Karen B. Rentz | $935 | $935 | 0% |
| Jeremy Bessinger | $4,461 | $880 | -80.3% |
| Tracy H. Denby | $800 | $800 | 0% |
| Anne W. Zorn | $2,144 | $730 | -66% |
| Jay K. Stabler | $0 | $714 | -- |
| Willie Cam Nimmons | $699 | $699 | 0% |
| Wilton Cook | $686 | $686 | 0% |
| Pearlie Jean Allen | $4,335 | $680 | -84.3% |
| Terry Wilson | $668 | $668 | 0% |
| Dustin S. Carroll | $1,320 | $668 | -49.4% |
| Josh W. Carroll | $0 | $660 | -- |
| Kimberely J Welch-Trantham | $3,448 | $652 | -81.1% |
| Dean Price | $1,416 | $627 | -55.7% |
| Robert Kevin Sease | $2,433 | $622 | -74.4% |
| Johnnie Legree | $3,813 | $607 | -84.1% |
| Alfred W. Matheny | $1,116 | $606 | -45.7% |
| Johnny W. Nobles | $1,639 | $542 | -66.9% |
| Mary E. Guess | $3,529 | $523 | -85.2% |
| Agsouth Farm Credit, Aca | $0 | $461 | -- |
| Joshua O. Barnes | $740 | $454 | -38.6% |
| William H. Dennis | $0 | $381 | -- |
| Bruce B. Bishop | $3,980 | $377 | -90.5% |
| Tobias Tyler | $913 | $372 | -59.3% |
| Wayne Fail | $1,473 | $356 | -75.8% |
| Jim S. Wooley | $1,650 | $337 | -79.6% |
| Louise M. McCain | $970 | $330 | -66% |
| Thomas B. Hay IV | $328 | $328 | 0% |
| Gwendolyn J. Folk | $501 | $312 | -37.7% |
| Carole C. Eubanks | $409 | $303 | -25.9% |
| Martin L. Thompson | $1,518 | $290 | -80.9% |
| Phebe C. Fee | $1,904 | $289 | -84.8% |
| Jonathan Croft | $1,298 | $250 | -80.7% |
| John Marion Barnes | $2,566 | $250 | -90.3% |
| Larry Russell | $243 | $243 | 0% |
| Jay Walling | $247 | $235 | -4.9% |
| Elliott W. Joyner | $478 | $233 | -51.3% |
| Elizabeth B. Walker | $0 | $232 | -- |
| Charles Breland Jr. | $222 | $222 | 0% |
| Glenn F. Gustafson | $0 | $192 | -- |
| Mae J. Gillespie | $380 | $185 | -51.3% |
| James P. Beard | $363 | $169 | -53.4% |
| Christian S. Folk | $400 | $161 | -59.7% |
| Benny Lynn Nicholson | $0 | $156 | -- |
| Harold R. Brant | $293 | $143 | -51.2% |
| Dianne Brant | $133 | $133 | 0% |
| Helen B. Sease | $876 | $115 | -86.9% |
| Michael L. Brown | $158 | $111 | -29.7% |
| Henry J. Chassereau | $123 | $108 | -12.2% |
| Robert M. Kinard | $1,064 | $102 | -90.4% |
| James Ralph Bange | $697 | $93 | -86.7% |
| Candace B. Fralix | $674 | $75 | -88.9% |
| Herbert E. Fail | $0 | $33 | -- |
| Benny L. Nicholson | $131 | $24 | -81.7% |
| William Franklin Hiers | $127 | $24 | -81.1% |
| Mary A. Johnson | $196 | $18 | -90.8% |
| John W. Boyd | $0 | $15 | -- |
| Rodney Richardson | $0 | $13 | -- |
| Caroline E. Boyd | $0 | $1 | -- |
| Carolyn G. Black | $1,100 | $0 | -100% |
| Cockrell Associates, LLC | $4,240 | $0 | -100% |
| Daisy Kirkland | $5,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $5,654 | $0 | -100% |
| Faye S. Brown | $1,110 | $0 | -100% |
| Janet F. Biernacki | $744 | $0 | -100% |
| Jo Ann M. Montgomery | $212 | $0 | -100% |
| William Edward Sanders | $452 | $0 | -100% |
| AgSouth Farm Credit | $80,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Barbara P. Way | $92 | $0 | -100% |
| Enterprise Bank of School | $70,720 | $0 | -100% |
| Frank R. Platt Jr. | $14,390 | $0 | -100% |
| Henry Nicholson | $1,812 | $0 | -100% |
| JWBMS, LLC | $188 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin Hutto | $1,356 | $0 | -100% |
| Luther Tyler | $2,403 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia Rhodes Harvey | $2,358 | $0 | -100% |
| Paula B. Guess | $496 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard Freeman | $51,754 | $0 | -100% |
| T C Guess Trust FBO Eleanor T. GU | $4,783 | $0 | -100% |
| Wendell J. Platt | $428 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew Carter | $8,592 | $0 | -100% |
| Ellen H. Folk | $1,383 | $0 | -100% |
| Gordon H. Kearse | $681 | $0 | -100% |
| Herman D. Brown | $287 | $0 | -100% |
| Jacqueline M. Hiers | $1,594 | $0 | -100% |
| Laurie David Hiers | $1,510 | $0 | -100% |
| Mae W. Richardson | $475 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Hiers | $2,259 | $0 | -100% |
| Susan K. Clayton | $1,446 | $0 | -100% |
| Ted Brandt Family Limited Partner | $22,169 | $0 | -100% |
| AgSouth Farm Credit | $789 | $0 | -100% |
| Agsouth Farm Credit, Aca | $183 | $0 | -100% |
| Arthur Earl Ayer | $335 | $0 | -100% |
| Bayside Farm | $190,512 | $0 | -100% |
| Gayle B. Elkins | $965 | $0 | -100% |
| Henry E. Delk | $6,423 | $0 | -100% |
| Salkehatchie Farms, LLC | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Wendell Heatwole | $827 | $0 | -100% |
| William G. Collins | $348 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $5,170,698 | $2,672,662 | -48.3% |
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