Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock
In 2021, 186 farmers in cities within Van Buren County received a total of $2.9 million in 317 farm subsidies, an 82% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $15.9 million in 732 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 Van Buren County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy View Farm General Partnership | $126,588 | $534,105 | 321.9% |
| Sloothaak Farms, LLC | $1,140,234 | $297,874 | -73.9% |
| Petro Farms | $831,435 | $165,851 | -80.1% |
| Ransler Farms, LLC | $509,805 | $155,638 | -69.5% |
| Timothy C. Hood | $464,946 | $148,886 | -68% |
| Meachum Family Farms, LLC | $682,903 | $116,820 | -82.9% |
| High Quality Farms Partnership | $348,949 | $116,450 | -66.6% |
| Koeman Farms | $155,460 | $110,835 | -28.7% |
| PFI Grains | $206,469 | $101,234 | -51% |
| Phillip C. Curtis Jr. | $68,307 | $62,617 | -8.3% |
| David S. Buss | $134,345 | $49,485 | -63.2% |
| Kolberg Farms, LLC | $120,317 | $44,163 | -63.3% |
| Kenneth N. Beach | $65,360 | $40,988 | -37.3% |
| Sandyview Farm, LLC | $172,566 | $32,264 | -81.3% |
| Rajzer Farms, LLC | $166,217 | $30,970 | -81.4% |
| MA's Blueberries, LLC | $0 | $29,343 | -- |
| Tod a Kubiszak | $10,791 | $28,306 | 162.3% |
| Gregg A. Balder | $77,941 | $26,048 | -66.6% |
| Robert A. Ross | $2,574 | $24,646 | 857.5% |
| Ann M. Nesbitt | $14,755 | $24,328 | 64.9% |
| Wahmhoff Farms, LLC | $295,122 | $19,664 | -93.3% |
| Lubbers Hog Enterprises | $144,405 | $17,776 | -87.7% |
| Kevin Dahms | $44,089 | $17,397 | -60.5% |
| George Christopher Cropsey | $57,197 | $16,028 | -72% |
| Berens Brothers Farms, LLC | $75,361 | $15,808 | -79% |
| Victoria Lynn Locke | $37,865 | $15,634 | -58.7% |
| Fred D. Boothby | $53,398 | $15,248 | -71.4% |
| Duane T. White | $71,006 | $14,599 | -79.4% |
| Grant Kusmack | $26,009 | $14,230 | -45.3% |
| Vassar Farms, LLC | $31,437 | $14,059 | -55.3% |
| Michael J. Owsiany | $36,072 | $13,752 | -61.9% |
| Arendsen Farms | $54,114 | $13,706 | -74.7% |
| Valley View Grains, LLC | $52,544 | $13,533 | -74.2% |
| Ethan Justen Kubiszak | $9,686 | $13,209 | 36.4% |
| Double K Farms, LLC | $31,748 | $12,730 | -59.9% |
| Kaleb Kolberg | $53,978 | $12,142 | -77.5% |
| LJK Farms, LLC | $34,725 | $11,944 | -65.6% |
| Triple Creek Bottoms, LLC | $13,410 | $11,248 | -16.1% |
| Thomas A. Lefor | $34,647 | $10,729 | -69% |
| Thomas C. Field | $3,235 | $10,325 | 219.2% |
| Willmarc Corporation | $0 | $10,266 | -- |
| Oxley Bros Farm, LLC | $118,109 | $9,982 | -91.5% |
| George W Kusmack | $40,073 | $9,853 | -75.4% |
| Keith Richard Nesbitt | $34,306 | $9,832 | -71.3% |
| Gary Russell Locke | $26,118 | $9,687 | -62.9% |
| Robert W. Canfield | $3,433 | $9,536 | 177.8% |
| Robin C. Mohney | $37,486 | $8,656 | -76.9% |
| Druskovich Farms, LLC | $29,962 | $8,282 | -72.4% |
| Ronald F. Richter | $275,397 | $8,268 | -97% |
| Michael J Schlieter | $0 | $7,751 | -- |
| Maple Lane Agent, LLC | $216,460 | $7,527 | -96.5% |
| Stull Grain Farms, LLC | $741 | $7,226 | 875.2% |
| Roland V. Johnson | $7,076 | $7,076 | 0% |
| Maria Delsocorro Vigil | $0 | $6,794 | -- |
| Gene N. Sahr | $18,547 | $6,639 | -64.2% |
| Edward Wayne Lewis | $12,166 | $6,602 | -45.7% |
| Lee S. Beach | $21,871 | $6,491 | -70.3% |
| Brookside Farms, LLC | $615,385 | $6,364 | -99% |
| Ber-Nell Farm, Inc. | $6,116 | $6,116 | 0% |
| Calvin L Hemmeke | $19,422 | $5,998 | -69.1% |
| Cady Family Farms, LLC | $20,562 | $5,870 | -71.5% |
| Charles T. Dorr Jr. | $15,959 | $5,747 | -64% |
| Steven Lee Lankheet | $20,320 | $5,652 | -72.2% |
| Joann Csapos | $4,559 | $5,583 | 22.5% |
| Gary Welburn | $5,183 | $5,183 | 0% |
| Kenneth C. Barnes | $5,147 | $5,147 | 0% |
| Richard Buss | $17,357 | $5,086 | -70.7% |
| Saxam Farms | $5,029 | $5,029 | 0% |
| Nicholas Siskaninetz | $25,007 | $4,948 | -80.2% |
| J and B Dick Orchards | $0 | $4,935 | -- |
| Louis E Buiskool | $16,232 | $4,861 | -70.1% |
| Cody Allan Shannon | $20,450 | $4,803 | -76.5% |
| Dean M. Jipping | $11,188 | $4,795 | -57.1% |
| Lawrence R. Glista | $20,641 | $4,761 | -76.9% |
| Charles Beeching Jr. | $16,602 | $4,697 | -71.7% |
| Mr Stephen John Polomcak Estate | $29,898 | $4,682 | -84.3% |
| Donald E. McLeese | $0 | $4,565 | -- |
| Larry Klingenberg | $19,648 | $4,556 | -76.8% |
| Ziemer Farms, LLC | $39,967 | $4,515 | -88.7% |
| Kuehnle Farms, LLC | $295,861 | $4,478 | -98.5% |
| Linda J. Dorr | $11,776 | $4,425 | -62.4% |
| Natalie Dale | $4,341 | $4,341 | 0% |
| Schultz's Fruitridge Farms, Inc. | $45,372 | $4,253 | -90.6% |
| Richard T. Rumbaugh | $4,024 | $4,024 | 0% |
| Brent Boersen | $11,333 | $3,983 | -64.9% |
| George Ruzick & Sons | $8,068 | $3,662 | -54.6% |
| Double Z Farms, LLC | $4,713 | $3,510 | -25.5% |
| Mark Wielinga | $3,602 | $3,491 | -3.1% |
| Todd Klokkert | $11,935 | $3,477 | -70.9% |
| E Janice Pollock Trust | $8,456 | $3,425 | -59.5% |
| Westran R Marko | $6,513 | $3,383 | -48.1% |
| William L. Lawson Jr. | $8,089 | $3,321 | -58.9% |
| Anthony Patrick Pica Jr. | $4,820 | $3,243 | -32.7% |
| Robert J. Dick | $0 | $3,242 | -- |
| Leland R. Billings | $1,234 | $3,240 | 162.6% |
| Tylor a Kubiszak | $4,050 | $3,188 | -21.3% |
| Daniel B Rajzer | $8,949 | $3,182 | -64.4% |
| Dale L. Zimmerle | $15,167 | $3,152 | -79.2% |
| Craig J. Jerz | $10,986 | $3,132 | -71.5% |
| Larry E. Warkentien | $3,198 | $3,102 | -3% |
| Duane Lerdal | $5,031 | $3,095 | -38.5% |
| Dorothy Lockwood Irrevocable Trust | $0 | $3,042 | -- |
| Stephen Curtis Holden | $27,142 | $3,034 | -88.8% |
| John Negley | $8,033 | $3,022 | -62.4% |
| Thomas Pursley | $7,301 | $2,805 | -61.6% |
| Adam Unrath | $12,919 | $2,561 | -80.2% |
| Thomas Glynn | $2,329 | $2,545 | 9.3% |
| Timothy Compagner | $2,519 | $2,519 | 0% |
| Marie J. Thomas | $0 | $2,464 | -- |
| Charles F. Felcyn | $19,206 | $2,437 | -87.3% |
| Cynthia W Rittase | $952 | $2,432 | 155.5% |
| Arlyn G. Klaasen | $8,065 | $2,384 | -70.4% |
| Norman Russell Carlson | $36,752 | $2,349 | -93.6% |
| Paul J Rood JR Estate | $5,286 | $2,337 | -55.8% |
| Nordbrock Farms, LLC | $6,688 | $2,303 | -65.6% |
| Samantha Reidenbach | $2,214 | $2,214 | 0% |
| Dennis J. Romeo | $0 | $2,177 | -- |
| Mike Pop | $0 | $2,145 | -- |
| Robert Colgren | $9,265 | $1,981 | -78.6% |
| Laryn S Compagner | $10,102 | $1,944 | -80.8% |
| William R Multhaupt | $1,678 | $1,924 | 14.7% |
| Lawrence Lee Glidden | $6,053 | $1,827 | -69.8% |
| Ross Schreur | $3,756 | $1,694 | -54.9% |
| Michael Alaga | $16,153 | $1,688 | -89.5% |
| Steven Charles Sells | $4,867 | $1,627 | -66.6% |
| Robert Hosbein | $6,135 | $1,614 | -73.7% |
| Charles M Muvrin JR Estate | $7,503 | $1,505 | -79.9% |
| Dale E. Frank | $1,086 | $1,449 | 33.4% |
| Seth A. Ponstein | $2,782 | $1,432 | -48.5% |
| Earl F. Mortimore | $479 | $1,413 | 195% |
| Jody Boyles | $1,378 | $1,378 | 0% |
| Compagner Farms, LLC | $3,494 | $1,377 | -60.6% |
| David R. Wait | $2,440 | $1,355 | -44.5% |
| Chip Christie | $2,658 | $1,344 | -49.4% |
| Susan Eileen Crouse | $1,285 | $1,285 | 0% |
| Daniel Smith | $1,272 | $1,272 | 0% |
| Todd Klaasen | $23,009 | $1,246 | -94.6% |
| Hogquest Farms, LLC | $276,911 | $1,209 | -99.6% |
| Michael H. Mroczek | $6,484 | $1,167 | -82% |
| Donald P. Stermer | $3,127 | $1,114 | -64.4% |
| Tom Flokstra | $3,972 | $1,051 | -73.5% |
| Kenneth J. McLeese | $0 | $1,045 | -- |
| Warren C. Smith | $1,415 | $1,035 | -26.9% |
| Michael C. Beaupre Jr. | $998 | $998 | 0% |
| Bret Osbon | $2,900 | $994 | -65.7% |
| William F. Beeching | $0 | $979 | -- |
| William M. Selkirk III | $2,017 | $954 | -52.7% |
| Steven Oscar Turner | $2,583 | $951 | -63.2% |
| C&J Country Gardens, LLC | $10,123 | $923 | -90.9% |
| Samuel C. Knighton | $3,158 | $909 | -71.2% |
| Robert J. Smola | $832 | $832 | 0% |
| Nathan Vanderzwaag | $791 | $791 | 0% |
| Lanny Lindemann | $2,289 | $777 | -66.1% |
| Joseph M Muvrin | $13,645 | $744 | -94.5% |
| James Arthur Haas | $2,046 | $743 | -63.7% |
| Donald A. Stull | $1,353 | $700 | -48.3% |
| Robert Lutz Sr. | $2,989 | $673 | -77.5% |
| Craig A. Jipping | $291,056 | $659 | -99.8% |
| Robert Angle | $3,672 | $596 | -83.8% |
| Marc Scott Balder | $1,127 | $572 | -49.2% |
| Brian J. Cady | $1,508 | $529 | -64.9% |
| Missy Harvey | $0 | $513 | -- |
| Jason J. Craig | $1,480 | $510 | -65.5% |
| William A. Adams | $0 | $497 | -- |
| Robert J. Hess | $1,940 | $486 | -74.9% |
| Carole S. Bacon | $1,447 | $421 | -70.9% |
| Steven M. Mroczek | $6,066 | $391 | -93.6% |
| Michael K. McLeese | $415 | $330 | -20.5% |
| James Aaron Haas | $922 | $328 | -64.4% |
| Darwin L. Boerman | $5,656 | $306 | -94.6% |
| Harvey Allen Jipping | $258 | $258 | 0% |
| Paul Jolicoeur | $0 | $254 | -- |
| Samuel R. Babb | $0 | $239 | -- |
| Lon Koops | $237 | $237 | 0% |
| Oxley Vineyards, LLC | $93,053 | $205 | -99.8% |
| Daniel L. Bosch | $11,126 | $201 | -98.2% |
| West Farm B, LLC | $632 | $161 | -74.5% |
| John E. Stermer | $6,543 | $138 | -97.9% |
| Timothy J. Zwagerman | $1,088 | $130 | -88.1% |
| Dykhuis Farms Incorporated | $1,500,000 | $111 | -100% |
| John P Vancalbergh | $207 | $107 | -48.3% |
| David J Vanderbilt | $60 | $80 | 33.3% |
| Wayne Keegstra | $78 | $78 | 0% |
| Double R Farms, LLC | $4,629 | $70 | -98.5% |
| Herman K. Kiewiet | $177 | $45 | -74.6% |
| Nobel Family Dairy, LLC | $518,780 | $43 | -100% |
| Azulera Farms, LLC | $281,580 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason R. Hartmann | $108,063 | $0 | -100% |
| Ranjit Batth | $1,961 | $0 | -100% |
| Steve MacKey | $6,092 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrea K. MacKellar | $953 | $0 | -100% |
| Deyoung Celery Farms, Inc. | $122,219 | $0 | -100% |
| Frances Smith | $3,162 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael A. Motycka | $2,508 | $0 | -100% |
| Nathan E. MacKellar | $953 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert N. Stover | $216 | $0 | -100% |
| Samantha Clare Craig | $5,091 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen E. Petersen | $1,932 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas A. Brubaker | $1,568 | $0 | -100% |
| Willbrandt Enterprises, Inc. | $152,819 | $0 | -100% |
| Glenn F. Nordbrock | $853 | $0 | -100% |
| Herman P. Phillips | $2,130 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey A. Cramer | $185 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark L. Cramer | $185 | $0 | -100% |
| Pine Grove Greenhouse, LLC | $15,593 | $0 | -100% |
| Eding Brothers Celery Farm, LLC | $138,850 | $0 | -100% |
| Harry Vanderkolk | $883 | $0 | -100% |
| Honey Blue Farms, LLC | $1,266 | $0 | -100% |
| Jipping Farms Grain, LLC | $89,804 | $0 | -100% |
| Josh Veen | $614 | $0 | -100% |
| Keith A. Lubbers | $1,080 | $0 | -100% |
| Lane A. Lohman | $9 | $0 | -100% |
| Lee Allen Lubbers | $1,375 | $0 | -100% |
| Martin Partners, LLC | $10,673 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael T. Peters | $1,103 | $0 | -100% |
| Poll Farms, Inc. | $1,296,517 | $0 | -100% |
| Ponderosa Nursery | $30,620 | $0 | -100% |
| Ryan Hale Vanderpoppen | $4,374 | $0 | -100% |
| Sherwin D. Brower | $300 | $0 | -100% |
| Timothy R. Driesenga | $5,782 | $0 | -100% |
| William R. Hoyer | $132 | $0 | -100% |
| Golden Plain Farms, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Hilltop Fruit Trees, LLC | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin R. Winkel | $130,399 | $0 | -100% |
| Kietzer Farms, Inc. | $274,497 | $0 | -100% |
| Krohne Plant Farms, Inc. | $50,153 | $0 | -100% |
| Phillips Sunshine Farms, Inc. | $8,804 | $0 | -100% |
| Tall Timbers Tree Farm, LLC | $29,341 | $0 | -100% |
| William A. Krohne | $25,577 | $0 | -100% |
| William D. Foster Jr. | $25,110 | $0 | -100% |
| Blaine Alan Nye | $318 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce A. MacKellar | $2,491 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce Willis | $373 | $0 | -100% |
| BW Farms, LLC | $9,713 | $0 | -100% |
| Carol F. Beach | $1,420 | $0 | -100% |
| Cronenwett Farms | $39,108 | $0 | -100% |
| Darrell Wilson | $533 | $0 | -100% |
| Ed Oxley Farms | $7,984 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary W. Sampsell | $331 | $0 | -100% |
| James A. Boven | $6,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason M. Beach | $7,355 | $0 | -100% |
| John A. Owsiany | $2,795 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa Helene Shelton | $2,022 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark Boven | $4,775 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark R. Stermer | $672 | $0 | -100% |
| Raymond Mroczek | $614 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert Elwyn Cornish Estate | $3,875 | $0 | -100% |
| Stephen Theodore Lietz | $3,141 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven M Spiech | $80,967 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven V. Cornish | $1,977 | $0 | -100% |
| William Stainton Cronenwett SR Estate | $6,953 | $0 | -100% |
| Francis P. Ryan | $8,692 | $0 | -100% |
| Kloosterman Greenhouses, LLC | $228,581 | $0 | -100% |
| Phyllis A. Derhammer | $2,536 | $0 | -100% |
| Ryan Blackburn | $245 | $0 | -100% |
| The Briar Patch, LLC | $34,330 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles E Madgyesi | $445 | $0 | -100% |
| David McConnell | $5,448 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis John Minarik | $476 | $0 | -100% |
| Drew T. Pursley | $1,930 | $0 | -100% |
| Frego Farms, Inc. | $5,713 | $0 | -100% |
| Helen Betty Sill | $6,123 | $0 | -100% |
| Jack Brown | $11,522 | $0 | -100% |
| Leduc Blueberries, LLC | $297,092 | $0 | -100% |
| Lisa Craig | $1,239 | $0 | -100% |
| Mandigo Farms, Inc. | $30,826 | $0 | -100% |
| Randy L Dylhoff | $2,522 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott Kistler | $27 | $0 | -100% |
| Sodus, LLC | $4,332 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $15,909,784 | $2,856,531 | -82% |
Alerts Sign-up