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In 2021, 112 farmers in cities within Santa Cruz County received a total of $5.9 million in 140 farm subsidies, a 69.7% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $19.3 million in 338 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 Santa Cruz County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willoughby Farms, Inc. | $0 | $1,257,500 | -- |
| Reiter Berry Farms, Inc. | $0 | $500,000 | -- |
| LA Selva Farms, LLC | $0 | $350,000 | -- |
| California Strawberry Commission | $392,537 | $281,163 | -28.4% |
| Fujii Bros, GP | $0 | $274,378 | -- |
| Fitz Fresh, Inc. | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Hydra-Point Plant Growers, Inc. | $0 | $250,000 | -- |
| Enrique Melgoza | $7,563 | $250,000 | 3,205.6% |
| Abelardo Amador Garcia | $21,654 | $224,373 | 936.2% |
| Cowles Berry Farm, Inc. | $0 | $212,056 | -- |
| M Rodoni & Company, GP | $0 | $144,625 | -- |
| Olallieberry Farms, Inc. | $295,166 | $124,438 | -57.8% |
| Willoughby Brothers, LLC | $0 | $121,250 | -- |
| Cal Poly Corporation | $0 | $120,160 | -- |
| Ramon Suarez | $0 | $115,010 | -- |
| Third Gen Berry Farms, LLC | $0 | $100,000 | -- |
| Melgoza Bejar Farms General Partnership | $0 | $96,427 | -- |
| River Valley Farms, LLC | $101,998 | $87,790 | -13.9% |
| Jay M. Cutler | $19,780 | $82,269 | 315.9% |
| Epifanio Murillo | $0 | $72,369 | -- |
| Almadelia Fernandez | $37,822 | $69,364 | 83.4% |
| Raul Llamas | $0 | $68,137 | -- |
| Dean S Sakae | $176,661 | $59,244 | -66.5% |
| Pacific Firewood & Lumber, Inc. | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Ruth Naomi Rabinowitz Trust | $47,942 | $49,843 | 4% |
| Francisco Flores Rodriguez | $0 | $49,382 | -- |
| Vasquez Lopez Farms, LLC | $0 | $48,696 | -- |
| Charles Bella & Sons Orchard, GP | $0 | $43,204 | -- |
| John Stephen Thorley | $0 | $40,329 | -- |
| New Horizon Farms, Inc. | $0 | $37,840 | -- |
| Vanessa Brenda Mendoza | $0 | $37,761 | -- |
| David Robles Torres | $0 | $30,400 | -- |
| California Table Grape Export Association | $0 | $25,100 | -- |
| Rancho Las Palmas, GP | $0 | $24,845 | -- |
| Ramaekers Family Farm, Inc. | $33,232 | $23,380 | -29.6% |
| Fehr Revocable Trust | $22,169 | $22,169 | 0% |
| Ramon Hernandez | $0 | $18,600 | -- |
| Duane H. Berndt | $18,454 | $18,454 | 0% |
| Orland Ranch, LLC | $0 | $16,880 | -- |
| Paul K. Tao | $74,238 | $15,152 | -79.6% |
| Jose Rangel | $0 | $11,980 | -- |
| Carol Bjorn | $15,741 | $11,407 | -27.5% |
| Jonathan Nunez Esquivel | $0 | $10,938 | -- |
| Klamath L & C, Inc. | $10,064 | $10,060 | -0% |
| Miguel Angel Melgoza-Rocha | $59,613 | $9,036 | -84.8% |
| Zachary Robert Estrada | $8,371 | $8,897 | 6.3% |
| Tom Hart | $0 | $8,719 | -- |
| Jose Juan Pulido Garcia | $0 | $7,280 | -- |
| Andrea Sonnabend | $0 | $7,015 | -- |
| Efrain Alanis | $0 | $6,576 | -- |
| Kenneth George Miller | $0 | $6,296 | -- |
| Dustin L. Nelson | $0 | $5,741 | -- |
| Joanne B. Campbell | $5,399 | $5,399 | 0% |
| Leon E. Mattingley | $4,759 | $4,759 | 0% |
| Deanna Foster | $4,742 | $4,742 | 0% |
| Jose Luis Ramirez | $5,479 | $4,307 | -21.4% |
| Adelbert John Elliott | $5,498 | $3,862 | -29.8% |
| Sunset Bay Farms, LLC | $128,737 | $3,737 | -97.1% |
| Scott Bruce | $0 | $3,566 | -- |
| Hebeler Farms North, LLC | $3,441 | $3,441 | 0% |
| Juan Vergara | $0 | $3,260 | -- |
| Glenda C. Harrington | $4,457 | $2,986 | -33% |
| Peterson Living Trust | $11,256 | $2,938 | -73.9% |
| Natalino Moules | $5,049 | $2,410 | -52.3% |
| Steven C. Smith | $7,192 | $2,386 | -66.8% |
| Cheryl Stromstad-Snyder | $2,315 | $2,315 | 0% |
| Paul Babb | $2,280 | $2,280 | 0% |
| Jose Ignacio Romero | $0 | $2,247 | -- |
| Lela C Carney, LLC | $7,034 | $2,166 | -69.2% |
| Steven J. Webb | $8,815 | $1,994 | -77.4% |
| Margaret Fitzsimmons | $4,272 | $1,856 | -56.6% |
| Joshua Cameron Larson | $0 | $1,680 | -- |
| Charles D. McLeod | $4,251 | $1,678 | -60.5% |
| N Bar a Ranch, LLC | $14,779 | $1,544 | -89.6% |
| Janice Edelmaier | $1,526 | $1,526 | 0% |
| Ray Edelmaier | $1,526 | $1,526 | 0% |
| Beltaine Trust | $1,404 | $1,404 | 0% |
| Ruth Eva Odenkirchen Trust for Grandchildren | $0 | $1,247 | -- |
| David P Kamoss | $1,212 | $1,212 | 0% |
| Patrice C. Edwards | $6,045 | $1,113 | -81.6% |
| Rod Composti | $6,045 | $1,113 | -81.6% |
| Sean K. Brown | $1,007 | $1,007 | 0% |
| Ruth A. Mitchell | $75 | $1,002 | 1,236% |
| Richard Kortum | $1,494 | $994 | -33.5% |
| Gunn Family Trust | $627 | $942 | 50.2% |
| Susan J Mobley Revocable Trust | $1,213 | $883 | -27.2% |
| Robert Baldacci | $0 | $848 | -- |
| Durst, Inc. | $832 | $832 | 0% |
| Alejandro Salazar Aldana | $0 | $807 | -- |
| Joanne Wright | $794 | $794 | 0% |
| Lorin Zanetti | $2,838 | $761 | -73.2% |
| Merrill Palmer Melin | $0 | $712 | -- |
| David Scott Hunter | $0 | $633 | -- |
| John Hunter | $0 | $633 | -- |
| Teresa Locatelli | $2,808 | $622 | -77.8% |
| John J Bower Trust | $1,055 | $580 | -45% |
| Melinda Packard Rolfe | $0 | $577 | -- |
| Sharyn K. Baldacci | $0 | $523 | -- |
| INN Foods, Inc. | $0 | $500 | -- |
| Daniel T Seamount Rvoc Trustee | $543 | $410 | -24.5% |
| Tanya M Datel | $481 | $408 | -15.2% |
| Laura a Cook Separate Property Trustee | $608 | $390 | -35.9% |
| John Diffenbaugh | $717 | $346 | -51.7% |
| Dennis John Webb | $858 | $326 | -62% |
| Mark A. Esposito | $462 | $290 | -37.2% |
| Monica Esposito | $462 | $290 | -37.2% |
| Susan Hawkins | $754 | $221 | -70.7% |
| Berk Brannon | $294 | $199 | -32.3% |
| Kevin Butler | $0 | $185 | -- |
| Laylah Nohrden | $0 | $126 | -- |
| Kenneth McFadden | $0 | $126 | -- |
| Carole McCown | $810 | $104 | -87.2% |
| Brockman Farming, Inc. | $545,740 | $0 | -100% |
| Glaum Egg Ranch Lp | $122,378 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth Kordik | $1,207 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary Helen Hein | $1,071 | $0 | -100% |
| Patricia Manning | $9,469 | $0 | -100% |
| RJ Spinelli Farming, LLC | $25,405 | $0 | -100% |
| Thorley Orchard | $36,129 | $0 | -100% |
| Ben Lomond Wine Company, LLC | $34,209 | $0 | -100% |
| Jim Baker Jr. | $2,436 | $0 | -100% |
| Cutshaw Family Survivor's Trustee | $6,194 | $0 | -100% |
| Marsalisi Farms, LLC | $30,327 | $0 | -100% |
| Astrid Willis | $9,984 | $0 | -100% |
| Henry Burnett | $1,140 | $0 | -100% |
| Khevin Rene Mellegers | $8,236 | $0 | -100% |
| Af Farms, LLC | $154,951 | $0 | -100% |
| Crescent Hill Nursery | $33,596 | $0 | -100% |
| Inocencio Renteria | $51,749 | $0 | -100% |
| Luis Ortiz | $209,672 | $0 | -100% |
| Maripa Ranch, LLC | $204,091 | $0 | -100% |
| Melgoza Rocha Farms, LLC | $100,038 | $0 | -100% |
| Miguel Ramos | $10,665 | $0 | -100% |
| Ortiz JR Farms, Inc. | $56,501 | $0 | -100% |
| Rosalio Rincon | $90,798 | $0 | -100% |
| Etcheverry Sisters | $30,410 | $0 | -100% |
| Albert Josh Sehorn | $3,518 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew Corr | $4,679 | $0 | -100% |
| Aqua Leo | $45,577 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian Anderson | $114 | $0 | -100% |
| Caroline Martin | $1,899 | $0 | -100% |
| Christian R. Zajac | $3,269 | $0 | -100% |
| Christiana Laughlin | $8,506 | $0 | -100% |
| Dirty Girl Produce, Inc. | $2,511 | $0 | -100% |
| Dorothy Tulane | $152 | $0 | -100% |
| Eric McKee | $19,540 | $0 | -100% |
| F-V ANNR, Inc. | $12,978 | $0 | -100% |
| Fogline Farm, LLC | $23,982 | $0 | -100% |
| Heather L. Claussen | $367 | $0 | -100% |
| James Moser | $2,470 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe S. Cardinale | $3,128 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe Tosta | $382 | $0 | -100% |
| Luisa Neves | $456 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynnlouise Jensen Moran | $18,953 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Zucker | $60,290 | $0 | -100% |
| Nando & Marcia Muzzi R Rossi Company | $208,760 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard W. Risso | $5,504 | $0 | -100% |
| Sharon Naraghi Farms, LLC | $632,057 | $0 | -100% |
| The Pomeroy CCB Family Trust | $19,949 | $0 | -100% |
| Eunice Van Der E. Linden | $236 | $0 | -100% |
| Flores Farms, LLC | $680,268 | $0 | -100% |
| Gerald L. Boyes | $406 | $0 | -100% |
| Greg Young | $1,728 | $0 | -100% |
| Dennis Beltram | $5,667 | $0 | -100% |
| Agustin Arredondo Urbina | $72,025 | $0 | -100% |
| Alta Vista Farms Lp | $261,390 | $0 | -100% |
| Anastacio Medrano | $46,611 | $0 | -100% |
| Ayoquezco Farms, Inc. | $161,565 | $0 | -100% |
| Bernabe Camacho Cruz | $49,271 | $0 | -100% |
| Blue River Farms, LLC | $747,811 | $0 | -100% |
| Brian Lapeyri | $112,009 | $0 | -100% |
| Cal Fresh Farms, LLC | $353,681 | $0 | -100% |
| Chapala Berry Farms, Inc. | $428,688 | $0 | -100% |
| Chula Vista Berries, LLC | $68,403 | $0 | -100% |
| Cirilo Anaya Bojorques | $82,501 | $0 | -100% |
| Clemente Ponce | $45,314 | $0 | -100% |
| Creekside Farms, Inc. | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Dobler & Sons, LLC | $1,450,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Edmund Nadolski | $1,863 | $0 | -100% |
| Efrain Ponce Morales | $28,430 | $0 | -100% |
| Eliazar Tapia | $46,893 | $0 | -100% |
| Elite Agriculture, LLC | $94,250 | $0 | -100% |
| Fenellas Berries, LLC | $221,715 | $0 | -100% |
| Garroutte Farms, Inc. | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| George/Diaz Rancho Alitos, LLC | $525,454 | $0 | -100% |
| Gladys Mirella Mondragon | $22,548 | $0 | -100% |
| Glez Farms, Inc. | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Gustavo Sandoval Alanis | $67,251 | $0 | -100% |
| Heritage Ranch, LLC | $12,819 | $0 | -100% |
| Hikari Farms, LLC | $64,775 | $0 | -100% |
| Hillside Berries, LLC | $12,572 | $0 | -100% |
| Horizon Berry Farms, Inc. | $315,007 | $0 | -100% |
| J. E. Farms, Inc. | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Jorge L. Zaragoza | $39,502 | $0 | -100% |
| Jose Estrada Medrano | $51,151 | $0 | -100% |
| Jose Luis Melgoza Zamora | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Kevin Miller | $40,483 | $0 | -100% |
| Kitayama Bros, Inc. | $473,755 | $0 | -100% |
| Lapeyri, Inc. | $31,752 | $0 | -100% |
| Lassen Farms, LLC | $1,042,137 | $0 | -100% |
| Luis U. Padilla | $52,092 | $0 | -100% |
| Manuel Olivares | $40,694 | $0 | -100% |
| Mar Vista Berry Farms, Inc. | $540,576 | $0 | -100% |
| Maria A. Sanchez | $103,541 | $0 | -100% |
| Maria Concepcion Romero Alvarado | $26,580 | $0 | -100% |
| Maria Elena Huezo | $41,252 | $0 | -100% |
| Mariani-Stonebarger, LLC | $62,048 | $0 | -100% |
| Marjorie Rhinehart Way | $885 | $0 | -100% |
| Millers Honeybees | $63,609 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel I, LLC | $72,439 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel II, LLC | $8,847 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel III, LLC | $14,296 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel V, LLC | $506 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel VII, LLC | $35,292 | $0 | -100% |
| Ocean Angel VIII, LLC | $118,619 | $0 | -100% |
| Pacific Coast Berries, LLC | $158,272 | $0 | -100% |
| Pajaro Berry Farms, LLC | $192,005 | $0 | -100% |
| Pajaro Valley Farm, LLC | $74,825 | $0 | -100% |
| R Montanez Farms, LLC | $264,505 | $0 | -100% |
| Roberto Vazquez | $54,887 | $0 | -100% |
| Rocha Brothers Farms, LLC | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Rocha JR Berry Farms, LLC | $500,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Rodriguez Farms, Inc. | $177,778 | $0 | -100% |
| Ruth Eva Odenkirchen Trust for Group | $336 | $0 | -100% |
| Sakai Farms, LLC | $546,043 | $0 | -100% |
| Satsuma Farms, LLC | $250,000 | $0 | -100% |
| Scurich Berry Farms, Inc. | $258,491 | $0 | -100% |
| Shinta Kawahara Company, Inc. | $158,571 | $0 | -100% |
| Stacy Love | $481 | $0 | -100% |
| Sun Valley Berries, LLC | $321,912 | $0 | -100% |
| Sunbright Growers, LLC | $172,923 | $0 | -100% |
| Uyematsu, Inc. | $395,331 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $19,332,254 | $5,861,173 | -69.7% |
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