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In 2021, 174 farmers in cities within Niobrara County received a total of $3.2 million in 374 farm subsidies, a 46.2% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $6 million in 514 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 Niobrara County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon B. Bruegger | $142,247 | $162,377 | 14.2% |
| Darcy J Leistritz | $0 | $161,484 | -- |
| Jack Pfister Ranch | $89,331 | $134,516 | 50.6% |
| Thomas R. Dixon | $169,819 | $123,596 | -27.2% |
| Bootheel Seven Livestock | $227,503 | $110,699 | -51.3% |
| Rod A. Nelson | $123,318 | $97,894 | -20.6% |
| X Lazy Three, Inc. | $65,457 | $93,118 | 42.3% |
| Bryan Bruch | $195,083 | $74,397 | -61.9% |
| T Bench Land & Livestock, LLC | $91,990 | $69,986 | -23.9% |
| Kruse Livestock, LLC | $67,108 | $69,747 | 3.9% |
| Jason Zumbrunnen | $167,132 | $68,491 | -59% |
| Blackmore Ranch Company | $61,862 | $63,370 | 2.4% |
| Jason Z. Miller | $0 | $55,028 | -- |
| Jacob E. Reed | $173,203 | $53,288 | -69.2% |
| Tschacher Farms, Inc. | $67,847 | $52,941 | -22% |
| TRH Ranch, Inc. | $50,665 | $50,365 | -0.6% |
| Bar C F Livestock, LLC | $31,573 | $44,223 | 40.1% |
| Heil Hat Creek Ranch | $65,452 | $42,997 | -34.3% |
| Magoon Ranch, LLC | $68,139 | $42,517 | -37.6% |
| Hat Creek Livestock, Inc. | $31,174 | $42,281 | 35.6% |
| Henry Rand Kraft | $12,705 | $41,660 | 227.9% |
| Andrew Wasserburger | $27,841 | $39,246 | 41% |
| Bar J L Livestock | $67,019 | $39,080 | -41.7% |
| Buck Creek Land & Livestock, Inc. | $30,520 | $38,089 | 24.8% |
| Gregory B. Starck | $71,395 | $38,002 | -46.8% |
| Joel D. Wasserburger | $25,850 | $36,906 | 42.8% |
| Kremers Land and Livestock, LLC | $15,901 | $36,606 | 130.2% |
| Robert & Sharon Cardwell Revocable Family Trust | $0 | $35,831 | -- |
| Kenneth R. Dixon | $97,801 | $33,035 | -66.2% |
| Barry B. Baldwin | $12,252 | $31,928 | 160.6% |
| Traci A. Bruegger | $43,583 | $31,774 | -27.1% |
| Nancy G. Harsy | $58,980 | $31,313 | -46.9% |
| Degering Livestock, Inc. | $170,265 | $30,601 | -82% |
| Brit Moen | $91,939 | $30,245 | -67.1% |
| Edwin L. Perry | $44,863 | $29,742 | -33.7% |
| James J. Wasserburger | $54,833 | $28,917 | -47.3% |
| Kevin H. Baars | $28,783 | $28,027 | -2.6% |
| Justen P. Miller | $71,318 | $26,022 | -63.5% |
| Cody Kremers | $23,826 | $24,199 | 1.6% |
| Louis Hammer | $24,428 | $23,826 | -2.5% |
| Daniel Goddard | $30,769 | $23,494 | -23.6% |
| Lee Lamb | $17,864 | $23,391 | 30.9% |
| Van Tassell Ranch, Corp. | $103,416 | $23,071 | -77.7% |
| James B. Meng | $25,960 | $22,949 | -11.6% |
| Beverly J. Miller | $29,788 | $22,799 | -23.5% |
| Boe Kottwitz | $26,950 | $22,240 | -17.5% |
| Theodore Holman | $41,419 | $21,854 | -47.2% |
| Benchmark Cattle Company, Inc. | $0 | $21,728 | -- |
| Kathleen Jackson | $82,299 | $21,631 | -73.7% |
| Tom Dooper | $45,540 | $21,400 | -53% |
| Bruce M. Kilmer | $65,385 | $21,181 | -67.6% |
| Roger L. Peterson | $19,216 | $20,523 | 6.8% |
| Arleen Jackson York | $104,281 | $20,357 | -80.5% |
| Christopher Pzinski | $20,675 | $19,961 | -3.5% |
| Hammer Bros, LLC | $10,929 | $19,276 | 76.4% |
| Percy R. Reed | $95,811 | $18,779 | -80.4% |
| M & M Cattle, LLC | $48,366 | $18,722 | -61.3% |
| John Thurston | $61,075 | $18,546 | -69.6% |
| Stan Rennard | $0 | $18,079 | -- |
| Harold Miller | $60,285 | $18,034 | -70.1% |
| Jack Miskimins | $19,641 | $16,959 | -13.7% |
| Brian Zerbe | $35,837 | $16,618 | -53.6% |
| Paul Dean Hicks | $14,310 | $15,870 | 10.9% |
| Monty L. Finley | $66,208 | $14,906 | -77.5% |
| Matthew W. Dockery | $75,198 | $14,474 | -80.8% |
| Loren Heth | $66,657 | $13,648 | -79.5% |
| Marilyn Nelson | $36,212 | $13,604 | -62.4% |
| Colby Miller Thurston | $14,749 | $13,601 | -7.8% |
| Bradyn James Bruegger | $13,024 | $12,933 | -0.7% |
| Andrew W. Greer | $201 | $12,827 | 6,281.6% |
| Hanson Trust - Jeb E | $64,367 | $12,239 | -81% |
| Mark Sturman | $73,336 | $11,979 | -83.7% |
| Trevor Barner | $92,267 | $11,832 | -87.2% |
| Dorothy Jo Reilly | $10,026 | $11,588 | 15.6% |
| Jason M. Hubbard | $13,800 | $11,280 | -18.3% |
| Maryevelyn J Krejci | $6,930 | $10,767 | 55.4% |
| Gene F. Lenz | $34,088 | $10,690 | -68.6% |
| Dusty S. Correll | $30,305 | $10,403 | -65.7% |
| Clark Land Company, LLC | $51,194 | $9,721 | -81% |
| Amy Applegarth | $9,643 | $9,694 | 0.5% |
| David a Caspers Trust | $9,617 | $9,617 | 0% |
| William L. McCleerey | $42,174 | $9,570 | -77.3% |
| Stanley O. Swanson | $90,407 | $9,188 | -89.8% |
| Logan Heth | $53,876 | $9,182 | -83% |
| Thomas A. Marshik | $12,772 | $9,175 | -28.2% |
| Heidi Cardwell | $10,241 | $8,382 | -18.2% |
| John Richard Sampers | $18,315 | $8,120 | -55.7% |
| Ronald Shoults | $61,853 | $8,058 | -87% |
| Kruse Cattle, LLC | $79,590 | $7,759 | -90.3% |
| Bryan L. Brost | $9,196 | $7,659 | -16.7% |
| Samuel Tye Reed | $9,642 | $7,552 | -21.7% |
| T. J. Hodge | $18,498 | $7,515 | -59.4% |
| Marvin Hammer | $6,710 | $7,231 | 7.8% |
| Harry L. Krejci | $4,620 | $7,179 | 55.4% |
| John V. Brennan | $35,070 | $6,793 | -80.6% |
| Travis Bruegger - Travis Bruegger Living Trust | $0 | $6,442 | -- |
| Cheryl Lund | $51,090 | $6,432 | -87.4% |
| Clyde J. Peterson | $40,666 | $6,173 | -84.8% |
| Tommy Stephens | $6,910 | $6,088 | -11.9% |
| David Dennis Vetter | $38,005 | $5,898 | -84.5% |
| Dennis E. Isakson | $17,596 | $5,861 | -66.7% |
| Corky Fosher | $58,292 | $5,695 | -90.2% |
| Willis James Stallman | $0 | $5,695 | -- |
| Justin W. Kremers | $40,582 | $5,627 | -86.1% |
| Wurdeman Brothers, LLC | $3,905 | $5,413 | 38.6% |
| Paul G. Luker | $25,895 | $5,326 | -79.4% |
| Quarter Circle 0 Ranch, Inc. | $13,695 | $5,160 | -62.3% |
| Rusty Martin | $22,379 | $4,892 | -78.1% |
| Brian Peterson | $21,153 | $4,819 | -77.2% |
| Ronald P. Smith | $21,197 | $4,548 | -78.5% |
| Larry R. Bone | $16,356 | $4,539 | -72.2% |
| Dakota Nate Forkner | $28,142 | $4,274 | -84.8% |
| Barbara H. York | $20,064 | $4,110 | -79.5% |
| Taussig Ranch, Inc. | $18,227 | $3,786 | -79.2% |
| Wyoco Livestock, LLC | $23,571 | $3,676 | -84.4% |
| Hill Top Ranch, Inc. | $23,422 | $3,647 | -84.4% |
| Edgar J. Boner | $4,699 | $3,235 | -31.2% |
| Bryce Sturman | $15,939 | $3,202 | -79.9% |
| Chris Jensen | $3,465 | $3,073 | -11.3% |
| Tollman Ranch, LLC | $3,223 | $3,022 | -6.2% |
| Traylin Bruegger | $3,872 | $2,813 | -27.4% |
| Edward P. Eitel | $2,753 | $2,781 | 1% |
| Daniel J Tadewald | $17,779 | $2,530 | -85.8% |
| Jerry Gruwell | $9,779 | $2,494 | -74.5% |
| William Cody Clark | $7,307 | $2,451 | -66.5% |
| Leroy Krejci | $19,644 | $2,450 | -87.5% |
| James P. Kruse | $19,369 | $2,280 | -88.2% |
| Moosters Meadows, Inc. | $7,649 | $2,208 | -71.1% |
| Wade Phipps | $8,195 | $2,169 | -73.5% |
| Ben J. Lamp | $13,752 | $2,055 | -85.1% |
| J Lazy P Ranch, LLC | $28,904 | $1,992 | -93.1% |
| Ryan Nelson | $8,349 | $1,878 | -77.5% |
| Sandra J. Ross | $4,587 | $1,783 | -61.1% |
| Matthew Jameson | $8,598 | $1,718 | -80% |
| Lee E. Tschacher | $7,865 | $1,671 | -78.8% |
| Coby White | $2,860 | $1,561 | -45.4% |
| Jerit Degering | $12,115 | $1,557 | -87.1% |
| Joseph J. Giemza | $6,794 | $1,469 | -78.4% |
| Dan Vetter | $11,247 | $1,440 | -87.2% |
| Bill J. Proctor | $1,541 | $1,427 | -7.4% |
| Jeremy Fahy | $6,490 | $1,318 | -79.7% |
| Wanda Hansen | $9,616 | $1,273 | -86.8% |
| Kristy Degering | $9,182 | $1,186 | -87.1% |
| Tom J. Lamp | $9,378 | $1,170 | -87.5% |
| Christy-Lea Fahy | $0 | $1,014 | -- |
| Sue A. Wilcox | $0 | $872 | -- |
| Odessa Mathias | $7,351 | $840 | -88.6% |
| John Charles Reilly | $5,079 | $836 | -83.5% |
| Jeremy Nelson | $4,081 | $828 | -79.7% |
| Greg Asche | $4,070 | $814 | -80% |
| Calla D. Canaday | $3,564 | $740 | -79.2% |
| Artie R. Johnson | $7,742 | $730 | -90.6% |
| Lacy I. Willey | $3,289 | $703 | -78.6% |
| Clayton K. Sides | $3,421 | $696 | -79.7% |
| Kenneth C. Sides | $2,750 | $633 | -77% |
| Jeb Ryan Tschacher | $1,089 | $572 | -47.5% |
| Robert L Giesse | $2,772 | $562 | -79.7% |
| Lexie Dockery | $2,651 | $550 | -79.3% |
| Skeeter Shoults | $2,541 | $509 | -80% |
| Leslie Bannan | $2,453 | $508 | -79.3% |
| Caleb Kremers | $2,189 | $446 | -79.6% |
| James Kremers Trust | $3,009 | $430 | -85.7% |
| Coffey Ranch, Inc. | $796 | $390 | -51% |
| Casey Kremers | $2,013 | $389 | -80.7% |
| Jean L. Zerbe | $858 | $344 | -59.9% |
| Dax Dockery | $1,881 | $343 | -81.8% |
| Selena Ross | $693 | $342 | -50.6% |
| Donna Dixon | $2,451 | $312 | -87.3% |
| Joni Petersen | $622 | $304 | -51.1% |
| Irene Story | $302 | $267 | -11.6% |
| Reed B. Smith | $0 | $233 | -- |
| C & W Land & Livestock Company, LLC | $0 | $214 | -- |
| Gary G. Lamb | $1,275 | $211 | -83.5% |
| Levi Mitchell Northway | $891 | $115 | -87.1% |
| Bill Krejci | $4,263 | $0 | -100% |
| Colby Thurston | $19,120 | $0 | -100% |
| Bradley Lang | $10,940 | $0 | -100% |
| C & W Land & Livestock Company LL | $435 | $0 | -100% |
| Carol L. Geisinger | $12,157 | $0 | -100% |
| Eitel Farms, LLC | $12,956 | $0 | -100% |
| Eumaeus Swine Finishing, LLC | $400 | $0 | -100% |
| Katherine McDaniel | $4,722 | $0 | -100% |
| Lee R. Denny | $4,026 | $0 | -100% |
| Lusk State Bank | $3,634 | $0 | -100% |
| Melvin C. Thayer | $38,096 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert & Sharon Cardwell Revocabl | $98,413 | $0 | -100% |
| Travis Bruegger - Travis Bruegger | $6,847 | $0 | -100% |
| William C. Clark | $4,261 | $0 | -100% |
| T. J. Hodge | $11,510 | $0 | -100% |
| Van Tassell Ranch, Corp. | $29,607 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $6,030,925 | $3,247,046 | -46.2% |
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