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In 2021, 285 farmers in cities within McLeod County received a total of $5.7 million in 552 farm subsidies, a 55.1% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $12.8 million in 1,137 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 McLeod County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benson Dairy, Inc. | $290,345 | $260,473 | -10.3% |
| Jeffrey A. Kosek | $232,607 | $163,718 | -29.6% |
| Nathan L. Ide | $90,401 | $157,456 | 74.2% |
| Kraig R. Krienke | $497,467 | $144,839 | -70.9% |
| Shawn Streich | $103,873 | $143,984 | 38.6% |
| Larry D. Ide | $35,630 | $126,060 | 253.8% |
| David A. Brelje | $37,233 | $125,701 | 237.6% |
| Sibley, LLC | $225,736 | $123,720 | -45.2% |
| Patrick G. Waller | $194,002 | $113,263 | -41.6% |
| Wayne Rennecke | $87,405 | $111,290 | 27.3% |
| Stuedemann Bros | $135,217 | $104,764 | -22.5% |
| Chad E Duehn | $132,155 | $99,849 | -24.4% |
| Kalenberg Farms, Inc. | $98,535 | $86,892 | -11.8% |
| Christopher R. Bauer | $101,001 | $81,630 | -19.2% |
| Rick K. Jeurissen | $113,163 | $80,988 | -28.4% |
| Larry W. Trettin | $71,647 | $77,280 | 7.9% |
| Loncorich Family Farms, LLC | $248,985 | $76,865 | -69.1% |
| Nicholas Ludowese | $271,622 | $76,021 | -72% |
| Ludowese a E, Inc. | $347,010 | $73,909 | -78.7% |
| David T. Ludowese | $272,365 | $72,897 | -73.2% |
| Michael L. Kurth | $135,890 | $67,289 | -50.5% |
| Austin Joseph Ludowese | $218,994 | $63,748 | -70.9% |
| Evan Andrew Ludowese | $218,992 | $63,748 | -70.9% |
| Jonathon I. Posusta | $106,883 | $62,248 | -41.8% |
| Sanken Farms, LLC | $236,473 | $61,090 | -74.2% |
| Donald Ralph Albrecht | $48,701 | $58,457 | 20% |
| Doering Farms | $238,466 | $57,632 | -75.8% |
| Kurt Kalenberg | $64,882 | $57,009 | -12.1% |
| Jon E. Dammann | $147,392 | $56,515 | -61.7% |
| Mackenthun Farms, Inc. | $204,574 | $54,658 | -73.3% |
| Kevin J. Selchow | $23,289 | $54,620 | 134.5% |
| Brent H. Wendlandt | $91,914 | $54,582 | -40.6% |
| Richard J. Heuer | $98,107 | $53,081 | -45.9% |
| Steven Loncorich | $34,596 | $52,857 | 52.8% |
| Otto Farm Operations, Inc. | $202,431 | $52,847 | -73.9% |
| Jess Kokesch | $192,847 | $51,875 | -73.1% |
| Matthew D. Rettmann | $20,314 | $49,855 | 145.4% |
| Michael A. Koenig | $172,064 | $47,051 | -72.7% |
| James E. Schulze | $45,655 | $45,655 | 0% |
| Engelsmeier Farms, Inc. | $98,972 | $45,143 | -54.4% |
| Kokesch Family Farms, LLC | $134,140 | $42,383 | -68.4% |
| Kevin Miller | $116,292 | $42,097 | -63.8% |
| Donn G. Bemis | $124,288 | $41,911 | -66.3% |
| Kevin Lindeman | $372,467 | $39,513 | -89.4% |
| Mr Mark Maiers Rev Living Trust T Maiers | $168,666 | $38,306 | -77.3% |
| Arvid Redmann | $113,144 | $38,164 | -66.3% |
| Thalmann Seeds, Inc. | $177,743 | $37,068 | -79.1% |
| Dammann Sales, LLC | $126,158 | $35,562 | -71.8% |
| Linell Loncorich | $23,065 | $35,238 | 52.8% |
| Korson Farms, LLC | $12,910 | $34,947 | 170.7% |
| Curt Burns | $101,036 | $34,088 | -66.3% |
| B & C Farms, LLP | $136,722 | $33,796 | -75.3% |
| Leslie Mellies Farms, Inc. | $107,562 | $32,633 | -69.7% |
| Vernon Mellies | $96,353 | $32,588 | -66.2% |
| Jared W. Ellig | $22,237 | $32,209 | 44.8% |
| Husske Farms, Inc. | $107,677 | $32,125 | -70.2% |
| Christopher Jilek | $17,671 | $31,936 | 80.7% |
| David L. Anderson | $34,351 | $31,766 | -7.5% |
| Burgstahler's, Inc. | $143,267 | $31,621 | -77.9% |
| Mark Runke | $0 | $31,541 | -- |
| Roger Schuth | $28,763 | $30,776 | 7% |
| Jonathan T. Maiers | $104,655 | $30,321 | -71% |
| Gregory Kuttner | $140,622 | $28,442 | -79.8% |
| Kenneth Schaufler | $27,790 | $27,790 | 0% |
| Douglas J. Kuttner | $140,940 | $27,677 | -80.4% |
| Jeffrey Zimmerman | $27,163 | $27,163 | 0% |
| Schramm Farms, Inc. | $99,490 | $26,655 | -73.2% |
| Benjamin D. Rettmann | $63,738 | $26,384 | -58.6% |
| Roderick Duesterhoeft | $34,777 | $26,375 | -24.2% |
| Brian H. Becker | $30,650 | $26,324 | -14.1% |
| Ryan R. Kurth | $126,115 | $26,220 | -79.2% |
| Gerald M Harbarth | $34,130 | $25,936 | -24% |
| Robert Kuttner | $83,310 | $25,520 | -69.4% |
| Stanley Westphal | $24,607 | $25,488 | 3.6% |
| Mark Ahlbrecht | $98,110 | $24,595 | -74.9% |
| Donald James Miller | $56,156 | $23,940 | -57.4% |
| Ronald A. Schuth | $28,651 | $23,861 | -16.7% |
| Robert Doerr | $22,035 | $22,035 | 0% |
| Robert A. Vasko | $18,996 | $21,777 | 14.6% |
| Grant Schuette | $199,358 | $21,703 | -89.1% |
| Dean M Loncorich | $28,565 | $19,611 | -31.3% |
| Lynae J. Burgstahler | $119,694 | $19,517 | -83.7% |
| Reed Burgstahler | $119,691 | $19,517 | -83.7% |
| Griebie Farm, LLC | $98,813 | $19,193 | -80.6% |
| Mitchel Jon Dammann | $13,357 | $19,166 | 43.5% |
| Donald Scott Jr. | $16,269 | $19,010 | 16.8% |
| Mark H. Johnson | $71,259 | $18,689 | -73.8% |
| David Lipke | $18,478 | $18,478 | 0% |
| Eric J. Lipke | $18,478 | $18,478 | 0% |
| Chad Kokesch | $20,340 | $18,418 | -9.4% |
| Robert James Lindeman | $64,391 | $17,958 | -72.1% |
| James R. Ludowese | $9,347 | $17,049 | 82.4% |
| Randy Kurth | $25,748 | $16,765 | -34.9% |
| Danny Wendlandt | $118,333 | $16,456 | -86.1% |
| Scott Streich | $55,225 | $15,843 | -71.3% |
| Scott D. Wagner | $62,184 | $15,375 | -75.3% |
| Michael Leonard Loncorich | $14,982 | $14,982 | 0% |
| Elmer Weinmann | $11,105 | $14,333 | 29.1% |
| Thomas Henke | $51,150 | $14,301 | -72% |
| Roger Martin | $14,219 | $14,175 | -0.3% |
| Brian D. Crown | $15,622 | $14,044 | -10.1% |
| Paul H. Bleck | $60,636 | $13,740 | -77.3% |
| Duwayne Tessmer | $12,328 | $13,381 | 8.5% |
| Alex Michael Bleck | $57,743 | $13,171 | -77.2% |
| Ronald William Bauer | $12,539 | $13,085 | 4.4% |
| Matthew A. Schwarze | $76,600 | $13,006 | -83% |
| Jonathan Paul Bleck | $57,775 | $12,851 | -77.8% |
| Charles H. Schiller | $9,429 | $12,754 | 35.3% |
| Joel Griebie | $8,979 | $12,748 | 42% |
| Duwayne Paehlke | $12,739 | $12,739 | 0% |
| Logan Miller | $16,965 | $12,706 | -25.1% |
| David Snegosky | $11,182 | $12,570 | 12.4% |
| Dean Lloyd Zimmerman | $61,658 | $12,230 | -80.2% |
| Mcleod West Farms, LLC | $42,667 | $11,882 | -72.2% |
| Jay Reiner | $9,126 | $11,875 | 30.1% |
| David Sanken | $38,558 | $11,861 | -69.2% |
| RFR, LLC | $21,788 | $11,376 | -47.8% |
| Jonathan Reed Burgstahler | $12,356 | $11,248 | -9% |
| Frederick Runke | $26,788 | $10,568 | -60.5% |
| Gayln S Runke | $24,856 | $10,568 | -57.5% |
| James Jay Hausladen | $17,123 | $10,548 | -38.4% |
| Joel Herman Tucholke | $7,324 | $9,987 | 36.4% |
| Bradley Schuch | $98,758 | $9,953 | -89.9% |
| Lucas J. Burgstahler | $45,153 | $9,861 | -78.2% |
| Arlen A. Bielke | $10,305 | $9,763 | -5.3% |
| Michael David Ide | $22,123 | $9,517 | -57% |
| Earl Schuth | $9,343 | $9,343 | 0% |
| Dwight Wiechman | $8,387 | $8,387 | 0% |
| Vine Valley Farms, Inc. | $200,330 | $8,139 | -95.9% |
| Nicholas D. Brelje | $11,421 | $8,109 | -29% |
| George Stoller | $12,000 | $7,948 | -33.8% |
| Thomas A. Jones | $6,578 | $7,631 | 16% |
| Curtis Allen Marks | $22,282 | $7,414 | -66.7% |
| Charles Driver | $7,404 | $7,404 | 0% |
| Stuart A. Selchow | $32,265 | $7,235 | -77.6% |
| Bradley L. Sicheneder | $0 | $7,050 | -- |
| James Edward Steinbach | $18,818 | $6,982 | -62.9% |
| Daniel Brasch | $0 | $6,930 | -- |
| William F. Schwarze | $6,207 | $6,796 | 9.5% |
| Jerald Zaske | $4,845 | $6,789 | 40.1% |
| Glen C. Lohse | $6,639 | $6,639 | 0% |
| Lonnie L. Lindeman | $6,263 | $6,263 | 0% |
| Julie Kurth | $6,192 | $6,192 | 0% |
| Kevin R. Schlueter | $12,998 | $6,113 | -53% |
| Joseph A. Wuethrich | $10,155 | $6,053 | -40.4% |
| Paul Seefeldt | $14,576 | $6,033 | -58.6% |
| Keith Olaus Tongen | $20,200 | $6,007 | -70.3% |
| G & J Hahn, Inc. | $26,143 | $5,956 | -77.2% |
| John Bebo | $26,289 | $5,918 | -77.5% |
| Justin A. Wisch | $27,416 | $5,818 | -78.8% |
| Steven Jerabek | $5,684 | $5,684 | 0% |
| Warren Klammer | $5,465 | $5,465 | 0% |
| Roger Schmidt | $3,037 | $5,393 | 77.6% |
| Dorothy Grack | $4,471 | $5,373 | 20.2% |
| Frederick G. Pawelk | $5,244 | $5,244 | 0% |
| Donovan - Donovan D. Alsleben Living Trustee Alsleben | $4,390 | $5,182 | 18% |
| Phillip Ide | $5,089 | $5,144 | 1.1% |
| Corey Henke | $2,917 | $5,141 | 76.2% |
| Michael Becker | $18,951 | $5,093 | -73.1% |
| Orville C. Foust | $4,885 | $4,848 | -0.8% |
| Dale Dennis Todnem | $3,065 | $4,629 | 51% |
| Sheridan Petersen | $15,779 | $4,444 | -71.8% |
| Phil Crown | $4,194 | $4,194 | 0% |
| Dustin Lamott | $25,235 | $4,191 | -83.4% |
| Richard Prellwitz | $21,768 | $4,182 | -80.8% |
| Tony Kurth | $14,438 | $4,043 | -72% |
| Alan Francis Bebo | $8,803 | $4,009 | -54.5% |
| Gary L. Zipf | $14,795 | $3,996 | -73% |
| Joel S. Hansch | $6,512 | $3,965 | -39.1% |
| Lucille L. Rickert | $3,140 | $3,911 | 24.6% |
| Linda M. Kerber | $4,175 | $3,906 | -6.4% |
| Scott W Loncorich | $16,985 | $3,808 | -77.6% |
| Marilyn MacKenthun | $3,792 | $3,792 | 0% |
| Larry MacKedanz | $3,681 | $3,681 | 0% |
| Rodney MacKenthun | $14,244 | $3,663 | -74.3% |
| Hildegard E. Wagner | $11,357 | $3,569 | -68.6% |
| Leonard M Ardolf | $3,493 | $3,493 | 0% |
| Luann Weber | $3,379 | $3,379 | 0% |
| Loren R. Johnson | $3,046 | $3,339 | 9.6% |
| Marjorie Stockman | $3,250 | $3,250 | 0% |
| Schmalz Farms, LLC | $19,175 | $3,246 | -83.1% |
| James J. Kulinski | $10,139 | $3,187 | -68.6% |
| James A. Sondergaard | $3,123 | $3,145 | 0.7% |
| Ellsworth A. Hahn | $0 | $3,120 | -- |
| Gary Halvorson | $1,733 | $3,081 | 77.8% |
| Wesley Fransen | $3,046 | $3,046 | 0% |
| Maurice Tonn | $8,316 | $3,025 | -63.6% |
| Faye Miller | $2,605 | $3,009 | 15.5% |
| David Schwarze | $146 | $2,991 | 1,948.6% |
| Westphal Farms, LLC | $7,800 | $2,933 | -62.4% |
| Janice Goebel | $2,911 | $2,911 | 0% |
| Ross Doerr | $7,882 | $2,824 | -64.2% |
| Russell A. Korson | $0 | $2,786 | -- |
| Kerry Rickert | $6,710 | $2,735 | -59.2% |
| JJMC, Inc. | $5,355 | $2,709 | -49.4% |
| Paul Merkins | $7,500 | $2,698 | -64% |
| Larry Tongen | $2,194 | $2,692 | 22.7% |
| Randall Scott Krippner | $5,676 | $2,680 | -52.8% |
| Joseph Ehrke | $2,631 | $2,631 | 0% |
| Huebert Farms | $2,542 | $2,542 | 0% |
| Shane Husske | $11,442 | $2,460 | -78.5% |
| Jordan S. Black | $21,181 | $2,348 | -88.9% |
| Brad Woller | $2,313 | $2,313 | 0% |
| Richard Kurth | $170,790 | $2,282 | -98.7% |
| James Arthur Mellies | $6,597 | $2,223 | -66.3% |
| Randall Wagner | $6,833 | $2,216 | -67.6% |
| Paul Jerome Christensen | $2,173 | $2,173 | 0% |
| Ben Shimanski | $7,847 | $2,165 | -72.4% |
| Daniel Jay Stuedemann | $2,039 | $2,062 | 1.1% |
| Kenneth G Kuttner Revocable Trust | $4,106 | $2,053 | -50% |
| Norman Heldt | $5,275 | $2,052 | -61.1% |
| Ryan D. MacKenthun | $1,923 | $1,923 | 0% |
| Candace Hlavka | $1,918 | $1,918 | 0% |
| Otto Bros | $11,614 | $1,883 | -83.8% |
| John Bayerl | $8,161 | $1,880 | -77% |
| Daniel Andrew Newberg | $1,932 | $1,870 | -3.2% |
| Ronald Sommerdorf | $6,395 | $1,864 | -70.9% |
| Clinton Rettig | $5,406 | $1,840 | -66% |
| Arlen Orel Zieman | $3,344 | $1,808 | -45.9% |
| Brad Robinson | $0 | $1,808 | -- |
| Cheryl Kauffmann | $1,716 | $1,716 | 0% |
| Louis Dammann | $2,115 | $1,692 | -20% |
| Loren L. Mielke | $5,005 | $1,676 | -66.5% |
| Wayne Severson | $1,648 | $1,648 | 0% |
| James L. Dammann | $1,437 | $1,571 | 9.3% |
| Gale A. Schlueter | $5,308 | $1,560 | -70.6% |
| Kevin Dennis Konerza | $1,168 | $1,557 | 33.3% |
| David J Duehn | $1,126 | $1,501 | 33.3% |
| Pernel Hentges | $1,421 | $1,421 | 0% |
| Donald G Husske | $1,402 | $1,402 | 0% |
| Trent Benson | $6,600 | $1,402 | -78.8% |
| Brian Lee Schlueter | $2,958 | $1,393 | -52.9% |
| Alvin W. Otto | $2,064 | $1,303 | -36.9% |
| Lillie Lindeman | $1,301 | $1,301 | 0% |
| Kile John Howe | $4,065 | $1,282 | -68.5% |
| Justin Henke | $0 | $1,264 | -- |
| Mathias & Donata Debruyckere Trust | $1,262 | $1,262 | 0% |
| Andrew Hoeft | $2,485 | $1,256 | -49.5% |
| Jay Heil | $1,006 | $1,250 | 24.3% |
| Karl A. Nesse | $885 | $1,194 | 34.9% |
| Peters Family Partnership | $1,129 | $1,129 | 0% |
| Woodland Farm Properties, LLP | $2,580 | $1,082 | -58.1% |
| Dennis E. Dittmer | $2,144 | $1,074 | -49.9% |
| Donald Engelmann | $1,057 | $1,057 | 0% |
| Mark S Sanken | $0 | $985 | -- |
| Whitney A. Nesse | $5,219 | $969 | -81.4% |
| Jonathan S. Wolter | $921 | $894 | -2.9% |
| Created Under ART 5 of Michael J Kokesch Rev Trustee AGR DTD 3112 | $1,752 | $876 | -50% |
| Darwin Frauendienst | $856 | $856 | 0% |
| Darwin Wagner | $924 | $833 | -9.8% |
| Brian Olson | $774 | $774 | 0% |
| Lamae Maiers | $686 | $749 | 9.2% |
| Thomas John Maiers | $4,793 | $749 | -84.4% |
| Wilbert Hahn | $742 | $742 | 0% |
| Bert Bauer | $733 | $733 | 0% |
| Jennifer Trettin | $0 | $698 | -- |
| Melvin Kohls | $693 | $693 | 0% |
| Russell F Exsted | $643 | $643 | 0% |
| Laray Runke | $5,641 | $641 | -88.6% |
| Ronald Lindeman | $1,252 | $626 | -50% |
| Patrick Feltmann | $626 | $626 | 0% |
| Bryce Lindeman | $3,267 | $613 | -81.2% |
| Nathan A. Zellmann | $561 | $561 | 0% |
| Merlin MacKenthun | $534 | $534 | 0% |
| Debbie Mathews | $530 | $530 | 0% |
| Luann Priebe | $530 | $530 | 0% |
| Elaine Pearson | $0 | $485 | -- |
| Brian Midtling | $0 | $483 | -- |
| David Hoernemann | $476 | $476 | 0% |
| Brian Draeger | $475 | $475 | 0% |
| Joann Wendlandt | $474 | $474 | 0% |
| Jillaine Mackenthun | $464 | $464 | 0% |
| Valeria Uecker | $463 | $463 | 0% |
| Kenneth Krzmarzick | $346 | $462 | 33.5% |
| Robert V. Anderson | $423 | $423 | 0% |
| Lyle Kuhlmann | $126 | $379 | 200.8% |
| Matthew Richard Ludowese | $1,829 | $344 | -81.2% |
| Aaron Sanken | $0 | $317 | -- |
| Kokesch Family, LLLP | $0 | $310 | -- |
| Gary D. Rettmann | $11,084 | $231 | -97.9% |
| Kim Krippner | $118 | $118 | 0% |
| Janet MacKenthun | $115 | $115 | 0% |
| Clyde Zieman | $1,448 | $56 | -96.1% |
| Craig Zieman | $1,448 | $56 | -96.1% |
| Keith Leonard Peterson | $900 | $12 | -98.7% |
| Brenda Ann Reed | $271 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles Sommerdorf | $211 | $0 | -100% |
| Diane Duehn | $2,432 | $0 | -100% |
| Jerome V. Karg | $28,732 | $0 | -100% |
| Leigh Wayne Pikal | $155 | $0 | -100% |
| Samuel John Sanken | $1,085 | $0 | -100% |
| Scott A. Schwarze | $15,907 | $0 | -100% |
| Virgil Schuette | $23 | $0 | -100% |
| Crow River Nursery, LLC | $4,945 | $0 | -100% |
| Hillard H. Klaustermeier | $7,506 | $0 | -100% |
| Joshua Foust | $37 | $0 | -100% |
| Larry Duane Michaletz | $8,667 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael Strei | $822 | $0 | -100% |
| Oria Albert Brinkmeier | $78 | $0 | -100% |
| Virginia Jerabek | $1,710 | $0 | -100% |
| David M. Sprengeler | $3,759 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeff Kohls | $611 | $0 | -100% |
| Lance Lewin | $854 | $0 | -100% |
| Lyle Vernon Engelmann | $7,646 | $0 | -100% |
| Bruce Kasal | $1,430 | $0 | -100% |
| Dean Stockmann | $463 | $0 | -100% |
| Gary Dettman | $4,881 | $0 | -100% |
| Myron Seifert | $4,706 | $0 | -100% |
| Thomas L. Pearson | $3,161 | $0 | -100% |
| Vacek Farms, Inc. | $6,460 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $12,789,476 | $5,746,662 | -55.1% |
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