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In 2021, 60 farmers in cities within Taos County received a total of $343,169 in 122 farm subsidies, an 8.5% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $374,983 in 116 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.
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Howieson | $18,239 | $28,807 | 57.9% |
| Youngs Land & Cattle | $15,266 | $25,009 | 63.8% |
| Cisneros Family Cattle Company | $31,585 | $23,711 | -24.9% |
| Rudolph E. Pacheco | $38,106 | $21,296 | -44.1% |
| Clayton Johnson | $16,036 | $19,765 | 23.3% |
| Maureen Johnson | $8,852 | $17,913 | 102.4% |
| Erminio Martinez | $10,928 | $17,618 | 61.2% |
| Olive P. Bolander | $23,661 | $14,215 | -39.9% |
| Robert R. Ortega | $9,405 | $12,941 | 37.6% |
| Mr. Jerry B. Hardy | $0 | $12,192 | -- |
| George Taulman | $12,031 | $12,031 | 0% |
| D R Couch - Daniel Robert Couch Trust | $0 | $11,981 | -- |
| Rose Marie Roberts Rev Trust | $19,986 | $11,948 | -40.2% |
| John Mirabal | $18,080 | $10,227 | -43.4% |
| 2R Holdings, LLC | $24,069 | $9,082 | -62.3% |
| Cisneros Cattle Company | $0 | $6,210 | -- |
| Timothy Sanchez | $1,122 | $6,069 | 440.9% |
| Pacomio Mondragon | $5,223 | $5,480 | 4.9% |
| Danny R. Gonzales | $1,386 | $5,189 | 274.4% |
| William Brown Jr. | $5,230 | $5,167 | -1.2% |
| Luis R. Garcia | $6,796 | $5,001 | -26.4% |
| Antonio Sanchez | $0 | $3,753 | -- |
| Jimmy Ortega | $3,738 | $3,696 | -1.1% |
| Chinacoola, LLC | $3,621 | $3,621 | 0% |
| Robert A. Martinez | $4,591 | $3,389 | -26.2% |
| Jose Adelmo Mascarenas | $0 | $3,360 | -- |
| Jerry Hardy | $0 | $3,063 | -- |
| Lola M Bretz Trust | $3,003 | $3,003 | 0% |
| Manuel A. Griego | $0 | $2,675 | -- |
| Jose D. Mondragon | $2,484 | $2,504 | 0.8% |
| Howard Carlyle & Sons | $12,727 | $2,467 | -80.6% |
| Ezequiel Rael | $8,536 | $2,219 | -74% |
| Miguel Ortiz | $5,655 | $2,040 | -63.9% |
| Miguel Romero | $2,211 | $1,961 | -11.3% |
| Louis Herrera | $1,638 | $1,946 | 18.8% |
| Heather L. Larson | $3,418 | $1,841 | -46.1% |
| Boyd Randall | $8,085 | $1,506 | -81.4% |
| Raul E. Hurtado | $0 | $1,417 | -- |
| Joseph Valdez | $0 | $1,352 | -- |
| Ruben Graham | $1,056 | $1,268 | 20.1% |
| Frances Rodarte | $1,155 | $1,141 | -1.2% |
| Andrew I. Roybal | $858 | $1,108 | 29.1% |
| Max Mascarenas | $0 | $1,018 | -- |
| Dora Torres | $0 | $925 | -- |
| Leonard Willey | $1,403 | $921 | -34.4% |
| Alfredo Romero | $1,311 | $919 | -29.9% |
| Manuel P. Trujillo | $908 | $904 | -0.4% |
| Leroy Graham | $1,287 | $829 | -35.6% |
| Johnny Casados | $0 | $821 | -- |
| Rudy Rodarte | $0 | $715 | -- |
| Benny Vigil | $528 | $699 | 32.4% |
| Umami Gardens | $0 | $696 | -- |
| Susan K. Gandy | $654 | $654 | 0% |
| Leo G DE Geest | $2,007 | $606 | -69.8% |
| Norbert R. Vigil | $3,865 | $596 | -84.6% |
| Jerry B. Sanchez | $1,970 | $381 | -80.7% |
| Aaron J. Fewell | $1,617 | $377 | -76.7% |
| Peter Vigil | $231 | $341 | 47.6% |
| Diana Miller | $0 | $300 | -- |
| Jacquelin Ruth ELS Imberger | $285 | $285 | 0% |
| Paul Cross | $8,539 | $0 | -100% |
| Lawrence Lovato | $1,655 | $0 | -100% |
| Picuris Pueblo | $7,086 | $0 | -100% |
| D/B/A Johnny and Max Mascarenas | $10,635 | $0 | -100% |
| Mary Ann Boughton | $912 | $0 | -100% |
| Lorraine Cordova | $1,132 | $0 | -100% |
| Rob Trivino | $181 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $374,983 | $343,169 | -8.5% |
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