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In 2021, 234 farmers in cities within Rusk County received a total of $4 million in 468 farm subsidies, a 41.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $6.8 million in 1,070 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 Rusk County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| WM Van Doorn & Sons, Inc. | $537,710 | $306,079 | -43.1% |
| Larry A. Fortuna | $99,013 | $151,379 | 52.9% |
| Stutzman Family Farms, LLC | $335,442 | $151,069 | -55% |
| Rusk Rose Holsteins, Inc. | $358,599 | $147,591 | -58.8% |
| Jacobs Farms, LLC | $245,364 | $129,299 | -47.3% |
| Plahuta Farms, Inc. | $135,245 | $127,662 | -5.6% |
| R & Z Farms, Inc. | $151,594 | $121,067 | -20.1% |
| Paul M. Augustine Jr. | $542,461 | $113,078 | -79.2% |
| Raymond Malisheski | $118,310 | $105,436 | -10.9% |
| Edward A. Stanger | $156,333 | $95,889 | -38.7% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity Credit Corporation | $0 | $92,903 | -- |
| Michael J. Raese | $105,559 | $85,718 | -18.8% |
| Shoulder Creek Farm, LLP | $114,256 | $63,422 | -44.5% |
| Merlin D. Martin | $108,087 | $60,863 | -43.7% |
| Aaron E. Nicholson | $76,468 | $59,979 | -21.6% |
| Andres Farms | $107,036 | $58,859 | -45% |
| Andrew L. Martin | $123,129 | $53,793 | -56.3% |
| Scott A. Lybert | $33,330 | $53,384 | 60.2% |
| Darin Duncan Logging, LLC | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Roger Hoyt | $0 | $52,875 | -- |
| Robert H. Hecker | $61,543 | $49,646 | -19.3% |
| Timothy P. Schweigert | $74,686 | $48,238 | -35.4% |
| David A. Trott | $53,512 | $46,444 | -13.2% |
| J & J Logging Enterprises, LLC | $0 | $43,425 | -- |
| Bogdonovich Trucking & Logging | $0 | $42,056 | -- |
| Sieja Farms, Inc. | $71,880 | $39,634 | -44.9% |
| David L Meisegeier | $53,218 | $39,482 | -25.8% |
| Duane J. Dachel | $27,647 | $39,166 | 41.7% |
| Jamie J Thorgerson | $32,092 | $38,920 | 21.3% |
| Allen J. Swoboda | $53,683 | $37,471 | -30.2% |
| Bruce J. Burch | $50,202 | $34,530 | -31.2% |
| Gary G. van Doorn | $35,188 | $34,429 | -2.2% |
| Todd K. Schott | $39,998 | $33,718 | -15.7% |
| Sharon Z. Reiff | $34,266 | $31,792 | -7.2% |
| Bernard M Madlon | $40,640 | $31,697 | -22% |
| Donald T. Beebe | $35,052 | $31,578 | -9.9% |
| Anthony G. Baer | $43,042 | $31,247 | -27.4% |
| James F. Farber | $41,522 | $30,702 | -26.1% |
| Jody J Lebal | $38,249 | $28,733 | -24.9% |
| Emily K. Williams | $16,081 | $28,485 | 77.1% |
| Brian K. Olesiak | $37,164 | $27,800 | -25.2% |
| Big Red Customs, LLC | $45,794 | $27,678 | -39.6% |
| Heath Dairy, Inc. | $43,222 | $27,571 | -36.2% |
| Cordell J. Mateski | $21,937 | $26,901 | 22.6% |
| Scott J. Mateski | $33,320 | $25,926 | -22.2% |
| Marlene O. Weaver | $31,058 | $25,169 | -19% |
| William D. Miller | $12,705 | $24,711 | 94.5% |
| Jerome A. Timp | $14,903 | $22,963 | 54.1% |
| Jerome A. Karpowicz | $37,736 | $22,482 | -40.4% |
| James J Nitek SR | $0 | $22,453 | -- |
| Brock A. Dachel | $25,445 | $21,525 | -15.4% |
| Weaver Forest Products, LLC | $0 | $21,302 | -- |
| Kirby J Lebal | $0 | $19,047 | -- |
| Gene D. Derfus | $16,299 | $18,991 | 16.5% |
| Hopeless Dairy, Inc. | $344,383 | $18,883 | -94.5% |
| Kelly Kirn | $27,031 | $18,655 | -31% |
| Mark A. Hoesly | $22,108 | $18,521 | -16.2% |
| Gregory Lucas | $23,645 | $18,159 | -23.2% |
| Philip T. Mast | $51,422 | $17,807 | -65.4% |
| Dean E. Harris | $5,030 | $17,782 | 253.5% |
| Deanna M. Lybert | $7,530 | $17,220 | 128.7% |
| Reagan L. Hulbert | $14,881 | $17,014 | 14.3% |
| Michael F Zajec | $23,887 | $16,859 | -29.4% |
| Loe Moo Farms, LLC | $23,976 | $15,796 | -34.1% |
| Robert L. Jacobs | $30,961 | $15,687 | -49.3% |
| Paul Jensen | $14,973 | $15,382 | 2.7% |
| Lawrence C Dukerschein | $30,539 | $15,378 | -49.6% |
| Paul D. Tremaine | $19,639 | $15,326 | -22% |
| Timothy Ewer | $0 | $15,140 | -- |
| Edward E. Nichols Jr. | $16,688 | $15,064 | -9.7% |
| Jerry L. Detlaff | $25,760 | $14,747 | -42.8% |
| Daniel W. Strey Sr. | $10,609 | $13,541 | 27.6% |
| Jody A. Stewart | $17,387 | $13,527 | -22.2% |
| Frederick W. Nenneman | $2,661 | $13,527 | 408.3% |
| Ted L. Alberson | $33,658 | $13,464 | -60% |
| MDQ Farm, Ltd. | $18,402 | $12,366 | -32.8% |
| Paul E. Hetke | $11,488 | $12,008 | 4.5% |
| Thomas A. Revier Jr. | $8,202 | $11,839 | 44.3% |
| Elizabeth M Dusell | $8,959 | $11,351 | 26.7% |
| Michael D. McGuire | $11,685 | $11,258 | -3.7% |
| Lionel Klein | $0 | $11,035 | -- |
| Jason M. Wester | $32,189 | $10,961 | -65.9% |
| Gary D. Beadles | $6,547 | $10,633 | 62.4% |
| Annie E Hulle | $47,266 | $10,489 | -77.8% |
| Michael J. Czekalski | $8,140 | $10,450 | 28.4% |
| Dusza Farms, Inc. | $29,595 | $10,344 | -65% |
| Heath Farms, Ltd. | $29,786 | $10,321 | -65.3% |
| James P. Zuck | $49,903 | $9,085 | -81.8% |
| Craig A. Raese | $18,699 | $9,079 | -51.4% |
| Kim A. Ziegler | $11,737 | $8,973 | -23.5% |
| Kevin E. Shult | $12,022 | $8,943 | -25.6% |
| William J. Holt | $31,625 | $8,768 | -72.3% |
| Robert W. Rinehart | $14,076 | $8,550 | -39.3% |
| Red Heaven Dairy, LLC | $63,579 | $8,386 | -86.8% |
| Donald D. Sprague | $7,330 | $8,333 | 13.7% |
| Paul J Lindegren | $7,174 | $7,471 | 4.1% |
| Helen Stumpf | $0 | $6,938 | -- |
| HDA Farm, LLC | $18,575 | $6,905 | -62.8% |
| Brett A. Bechtel | $18,413 | $6,777 | -63.2% |
| Mark P Vacho | $5,222 | $6,561 | 25.6% |
| Steven R. Josi | $4,345 | $6,494 | 49.5% |
| James L. Penoyer | $11,236 | $6,169 | -45.1% |
| Czekalskis Maple Leaf Dairy Farm, Inc. | $0 | $6,080 | -- |
| Mark J. Heintz | $13,111 | $5,986 | -54.3% |
| Phillip A. van Doorn | $11,467 | $5,662 | -50.6% |
| Michael J. Mataczynski Jr. | $1,134 | $5,571 | 391.3% |
| Leon K. Weaver | $21,175 | $5,483 | -74.1% |
| Robert J. Prokop | $16,328 | $5,366 | -67.1% |
| Matthew J. Sieja | $7,441 | $5,241 | -29.6% |
| William Lucas | $23,119 | $5,218 | -77.4% |
| Stiernagle Farms, LLC | $289 | $4,954 | 1,614.2% |
| Christopher T. Beebe | $21,376 | $4,895 | -77.1% |
| Byron D. Sergent | $3,150 | $4,695 | 49% |
| Lucas Zwaschka | $6,371 | $4,634 | -27.3% |
| Douglas E Kinstetter | $20,716 | $4,506 | -78.2% |
| BP Farms & Repair, LLC | $6,825 | $4,504 | -34% |
| Corey D. Nelson | $6,965 | $4,500 | -35.4% |
| Steven E. Styczynski | $9,447 | $4,484 | -52.5% |
| Robert a Hindal | $1,541 | $4,420 | 186.8% |
| Michael K. Lehman | $1,247 | $4,419 | 254.4% |
| Neil D. Worden | $9,782 | $4,329 | -55.7% |
| Arlen L. Schulz | $3,274 | $4,247 | 29.7% |
| Larry R. Ringer | $17,705 | $4,175 | -76.4% |
| Christopher J. Schmitz | $36,908 | $4,114 | -88.9% |
| Frederick J. Gregorich | $16,214 | $3,969 | -75.5% |
| Michael J Artac | $9,141 | $3,821 | -58.2% |
| Adam R. Richter | $0 | $3,767 | -- |
| David L. Severson | $13,678 | $3,733 | -72.7% |
| Mary Anne McElroy | $4,809 | $3,686 | -23.4% |
| Kenneth T. Horn | $8,073 | $3,551 | -56% |
| Richard J. Winchel | $9,464 | $3,536 | -62.6% |
| Sandra L Zajec | $28,638 | $3,527 | -87.7% |
| Marilyn May Heiden | $5,433 | $3,520 | -35.2% |
| Thomas W. Brooks | $4,150 | $3,502 | -15.6% |
| Eddie M. Paddock | $26,393 | $3,194 | -87.9% |
| Jeffrey R. Jacobs | $28,046 | $3,143 | -88.8% |
| John H. Weinert | $30,071 | $3,083 | -89.7% |
| Steven E. Stanger | $14,134 | $3,066 | -78.3% |
| Kyle P. Quinnell | $8,357 | $3,022 | -63.8% |
| David S. Kuchta | $5,628 | $2,921 | -48.1% |
| Nolan W. Geiser | $19,640 | $2,805 | -85.7% |
| Thomas P. Wymore | $3,213 | $2,737 | -14.8% |
| Robert A. Wimer | $0 | $2,660 | -- |
| Michael A. Galetka | $6,883 | $2,429 | -64.7% |
| Kevin E. Paul | $12,031 | $2,427 | -79.8% |
| Adam M. Williams | $25,594 | $2,344 | -90.8% |
| Larry Monson | $313 | $2,310 | 638% |
| Teresa Day | $313 | $2,310 | 638% |
| Kyle L. Craker | $0 | $2,299 | -- |
| Lindy B. Siemek | $9,455 | $2,234 | -76.4% |
| Anton B. Srp | $10,006 | $2,176 | -78.3% |
| Steven L. Alberson | $139 | $2,151 | 1,447.5% |
| Blake P. Bocek | $12,269 | $2,045 | -83.3% |
| Brian A. Brockman | $0 | $2,035 | -- |
| Robert K. Drier | $9,256 | $1,934 | -79.1% |
| John W. Shearer | $156 | $1,872 | 1,100% |
| Daniel W. Geisler | $17,867 | $1,723 | -90.4% |
| Daniel J. Ewings | $1,687 | $1,687 | 0% |
| Terry G Dusell | $2,181 | $1,673 | -23.3% |
| Gregory E. Herrick | $11,339 | $1,671 | -85.3% |
| Lucille J Groothousen | $18,196 | $1,648 | -90.9% |
| Craig J. Smith | $4,212 | $1,633 | -61.2% |
| Robert S. Schultz Jr. | $2,860 | $1,608 | -43.8% |
| Francis S. Cooper | $6,025 | $1,545 | -74.4% |
| Bruce V. Nelson | $4,243 | $1,517 | -64.2% |
| Carolyn H. Nosser | $2,120 | $1,507 | -28.9% |
| Linus S. Nolt | $41,933 | $1,502 | -96.4% |
| Philip A. Ostrowski | $2,359 | $1,435 | -39.2% |
| Alan W. Fuse | $217 | $1,410 | 549.8% |
| Jim Meyer, Inc. | $8,945 | $1,407 | -84.3% |
| Jerry J. Geisler | $18,737 | $1,318 | -93% |
| Jerome H. Mateski | $0 | $1,318 | -- |
| Daystar Farms, Inc. | $5,221 | $1,215 | -76.7% |
| Eric A. Koens | $4,488 | $1,208 | -73.1% |
| David J. Sepanski | $7,049 | $1,138 | -83.9% |
| Brian J. Olson | $8,996 | $1,104 | -87.7% |
| James R. Williams Sr. | $4,912 | $1,037 | -78.9% |
| Thomas Meisner | $1,033 | $1,033 | 0% |
| Timothy J Bandli | $13,455 | $1,005 | -92.5% |
| Kelley Farms | $0 | $990 | -- |
| Marian A. Mallo | $308 | $990 | 221.4% |
| Carl F. Formanek | $4,209 | $986 | -76.6% |
| C & K Acres, Inc. | $3,020 | $983 | -67.5% |
| Zane M Mahun | $5,197 | $979 | -81.2% |
| Richard C. Snyder | $5,083 | $882 | -82.6% |
| Susan Forsberg | $0 | $873 | -- |
| James E. Lord | $9,290 | $841 | -90.9% |
| Dean H Skabroud | $3,108 | $834 | -73.2% |
| Bradley C. Evjen | $5,078 | $776 | -84.7% |
| Dale L MC Kittrick | $2,420 | $728 | -69.9% |
| Randy Mitchell | $3,685 | $719 | -80.5% |
| Christopher J. Gilbert | $1,079 | $703 | -34.8% |
| Patricia Galetka | $3,146 | $682 | -78.3% |
| Lynne L. Lund | $9,127 | $670 | -92.7% |
| Martin F. Host | $3,209 | $669 | -79.2% |
| Edward A. Gauthier | $0 | $660 | -- |
| Richard T. Luebke | $1,141 | $640 | -43.9% |
| Howard Schreiber | $3,025 | $623 | -79.4% |
| Elizabeth M. Schmidt | $2,519 | $564 | -77.6% |
| Joanne K. Olesiak | $260 | $554 | 113.1% |
| Lynnette K. Brown | $3,773 | $546 | -85.5% |
| Philip J. Rouse | $0 | $518 | -- |
| Brian J Michielson | $6,656 | $516 | -92.2% |
| R and T Acres, Inc. | $1,186 | $505 | -57.4% |
| Herbert M. Stone | $0 | $495 | -- |
| Stephen M. Pfalzgraf | $1,887 | $459 | -75.7% |
| Barbara Lucas | $35,252 | $455 | -98.7% |
| David B. Johnson | $2,803 | $432 | -84.6% |
| Troy F. Lybert | $3,064 | $414 | -86.5% |
| Michael R. Borek | $172 | $385 | 123.8% |
| Clyde R. Cardoso | $2,138 | $378 | -82.3% |
| Gary Fedyn | $798 | $376 | -52.9% |
| James a Styczinski | $6,996 | $375 | -94.6% |
| Craig J Voldberg | $160 | $361 | 125.6% |
| Peter J Groothousen | $5,547 | $361 | -93.5% |
| Michael E Fedyn | $798 | $330 | -58.6% |
| Sherri C. Goss | $2,003 | $313 | -84.4% |
| Bruce N. Burmeister | $5,159 | $296 | -94.3% |
| Kenneth A. Severson | $4,887 | $292 | -94% |
| Dennis W. Lelm | $2,096 | $288 | -86.3% |
| Ralph Heuschele Revocable Trust | $257 | $257 | 0% |
| Potato Creek Agriculture, LLC | $410 | $241 | -41.2% |
| Douglas E. Dicus | $1,142 | $241 | -78.9% |
| Jeffery B. Fritz | $0 | $220 | -- |
| Eric Dietsche | $1,056 | $218 | -79.4% |
| Rodney Bogdonovich | $1,565 | $218 | -86.1% |
| Jason Ludvigsen | $13,847 | $188 | -98.6% |
| David M. Galetka | $5,866 | $164 | -97.2% |
| Erness M Heiden | $0 | $110 | -- |
| Kenneth K. Shirk | $27,831 | $44 | -99.8% |
| David W Kopras | $145 | $36 | -75.2% |
| Daniel J. Ludvik | $0 | $17 | -- |
| Phyliss Lund | $132 | $12 | -90.9% |
| Gerald J. Battisti Jr. | $3,108 | $7 | -99.8% |
| Anita C Dearhamer | $360 | $0 | -100% |
| Frederick W. Nenneman | $4,222 | $0 | -100% |
| Jill M. Forster | $106 | $0 | -100% |
| Joann M. Huiras | $2,915 | $0 | -100% |
| Katheren S Gardner | $870 | $0 | -100% |
| Lawrence M. Krajewski | $195 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul R. Reinhardt | $2,703 | $0 | -100% |
| Ronald Pinnow | $1,210 | $0 | -100% |
| Susan M. Golat | $33 | $0 | -100% |
| Bernard F. Bechtel | $417 | $0 | -100% |
| Genevieve D. Dutter | $52 | $0 | -100% |
| James R. Betley | $120 | $0 | -100% |
| John T. Otto | $5,211 | $0 | -100% |
| Laura Dutter-Nelson | $1,705 | $0 | -100% |
| Lynn R. Farley | $5,431 | $0 | -100% |
| Mark J. Guns | $205 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles N Voldberg | $29 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert O. Johnson | $377 | $0 | -100% |
| Kent G. Swope | $4,504 | $0 | -100% |
| Branden J. Zuck | $3,575 | $0 | -100% |
| Charles J Gerthofer JR | $46 | $0 | -100% |
| Farm Service Agency/Commodity CRE | $38,529 | $0 | -100% |
| Georgiana M. Pearce | $207 | $0 | -100% |
| Janice E. Leonard | $176 | $0 | -100% |
| Kenneth J Proden | $35 | $0 | -100% |
| Martin A. Shimko | $290 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert D. Kuchta | $149 | $0 | -100% |
| Terry L. Ptacek | $532 | $0 | -100% |
| Carlie J. Olynick | $410 | $0 | -100% |
| Doreen A. Wright | $70 | $0 | -100% |
| Dorvin R Story | $172 | $0 | -100% |
| Francis Franzen | $6,825 | $0 | -100% |
| Fred G. Stendel | $112 | $0 | -100% |
| Gerald F. Ahlers | $758 | $0 | -100% |
| Harold J. Biller | $1,668 | $0 | -100% |
| Joe L Thorgerson | $23,027 | $0 | -100% |
| Johnson Brothers | $766 | $0 | -100% |
| M & B Jersey Farm, LLC | $594 | $0 | -100% |
| Mast Sugar Bush, LLC | $6,597 | $0 | -100% |
| Michael J. Cynor | $92 | $0 | -100% |
| Monty Shayne Hamann | $3,530 | $0 | -100% |
| Theodore A. Cynor | $1,279 | $0 | -100% |
| Wilma Ann Cynor | $359 | $0 | -100% |
| Antczaks Pleasant Ridge Farms, Inc. | $1,001 | $0 | -100% |
| Anthony E. Daniels | $152 | $0 | -100% |
| Carl J. Swaney | $50 | $0 | -100% |
| Czekalskis Maple Leaf Dairy Farm | $30,919 | $0 | -100% |
| Gregory J. Draus | $17,415 | $0 | -100% |
| Jeffrey L. Dahl | $2,131 | $0 | -100% |
| Louis Z. Krupa | $58 | $0 | -100% |
| Roman H. Antczak | $660 | $0 | -100% |
| Terry V. Bentley | $422 | $0 | -100% |
| Brandon Heck | $3,185 | $0 | -100% |
| Douglas Hansen | $105 | $0 | -100% |
| Eugene Saule | $311 | $0 | -100% |
| James Bogdonovich | $515 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven N. Reiff | $2,068 | $0 | -100% |
| Tracy J. Selk | $3,740 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $6,840,759 | $4,005,146 | -41.5% |
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