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In 2021, 132 farmers in cities within Maui County received a total of $965,835 in 209 farm subsidies, a 77% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $4.2 million in 405 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 Maui County, Year Over Year
| Farmer | Total Received in 2020 | Total Received in 2021 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| James C Sakugawa & Sons | $291,084 | $116,602 | -59.9% |
| Diamond B Ranch, LLC | $225,135 | $93,533 | -58.5% |
| Kula Country Farms, LLC | $435,244 | $70,645 | -83.8% |
| Loe Farm, Inc. | $136,113 | $65,736 | -51.7% |
| James W. Tavares | $0 | $56,597 | -- |
| Anthony G Livic | $30,138 | $30,138 | 0% |
| Cabrals Ranch, LLC | $21,724 | $26,996 | 24.3% |
| Dunbar Ranch Properties, LLC | $0 | $26,434 | -- |
| Cohi, Inc. | $68,037 | $24,936 | -63.3% |
| William Gerard Jacintho | $41,489 | $23,435 | -43.5% |
| Manos & Manos, LLC | $0 | $23,038 | -- |
| Bryan Takeshi Otani | $72,033 | $21,354 | -70.4% |
| Ridpath Farms, LLC | $45,289 | $18,707 | -58.7% |
| Nobrigas Ranch, Inc. | $33,249 | $17,991 | -45.9% |
| Sue a Haylor | $14,758 | $14,758 | 0% |
| Artistry on Maui, LLC | $0 | $14,164 | -- |
| Cabaero Farm, LLC | $50,327 | $13,778 | -72.6% |
| Thompson Ranch & Riding Stables, LLC | $18,225 | $13,270 | -27.2% |
| Rory James Souza | $20,490 | $11,287 | -44.9% |
| Kolealea Retreat Center of Maui, LLC | $0 | $11,250 | -- |
| Molokai Homestead Livestock Association | $16,469 | $11,244 | -31.7% |
| Evonuk Farms, LLC | $100,623 | $10,795 | -89.3% |
| 3MC Farm, LLC | $13,075 | $9,788 | -25.1% |
| Dennis Kamakana SR | $20,821 | $8,838 | -57.6% |
| Ricky Rikio Kametani | $29,006 | $7,685 | -73.5% |
| Thomas D. Hammitt | $7,630 | $7,630 | 0% |
| Steven Chaikin | $43,861 | $6,400 | -85.4% |
| Howards Nurseries, Inc. | $255,354 | $6,400 | -97.5% |
| Maui Floral, Inc. | $77,225 | $6,400 | -91.7% |
| Native Nursery, LLC | $60,183 | $6,400 | -89.4% |
| Pacific Produce, Inc. | $264,259 | $6,400 | -97.6% |
| Proteas of Hawaii, LLC | $0 | $6,400 | -- |
| Pukalani Plant Company, Inc. | $114,198 | $6,400 | -94.4% |
| Kulahaven Farms, LLC | $500 | $6,374 | 1,174.8% |
| Kula Hydroponics, Inc. | $5,827 | $5,685 | -2.4% |
| Michael P. McCoy | $5,354 | $5,438 | 1.6% |
| Diane Palalay Llaneza | $44,226 | $5,368 | -87.9% |
| Larry G. Alexander | $11,871 | $5,347 | -55% |
| Chun's Nursery, Inc. | $62,648 | $5,242 | -91.6% |
| Ono Organic Farms, Inc. | $56,131 | $5,078 | -91% |
| LB Farm, LLC | $0 | $4,600 | -- |
| Angelberg Padua | $0 | $4,355 | -- |
| Lawrence L. Chang | $9,203 | $4,161 | -54.8% |
| Noel Escobedo Farm, Inc. | $72,793 | $3,967 | -94.6% |
| Edmund Pedro | $2,084 | $3,858 | 85.1% |
| Kyle Cody Caires | $7,940 | $3,736 | -52.9% |
| Darryl K. Leer | $3,225 | $3,225 | 0% |
| Henry K. Pali | $6,206 | $2,978 | -52% |
| Stacy M. Lynch | $713 | $2,890 | 305.3% |
| Howard Dunnam | $2,744 | $2,714 | -1.1% |
| Circle L Ranch, LLC | $8,820 | $2,654 | -69.9% |
| Marie Jessie Gronquist IRR Trust | $9,909 | $2,599 | -73.8% |
| Mai-Lynn K Donnelly | $12,421 | $2,444 | -80.3% |
| Rebecca Buckley-Battaglia | $0 | $2,431 | -- |
| Diana Bresnan | $0 | $2,431 | -- |
| Rebecca Suzanne Woodburn-Rist | $0 | $2,380 | -- |
| Terry M Vais Trust Share | $2,354 | $2,354 | 0% |
| Marla Ann Cooper Family Trust | $2,286 | $2,286 | 0% |
| TLR, LLC | $8,845 | $2,254 | -74.5% |
| Dean Hideo Tanaka | $7,049 | $2,251 | -68.1% |
| Molokai Seed Company Corporation | $4,397 | $2,222 | -49.5% |
| Mr Issac Aikanaka Kanoa JR | $28,070 | $2,144 | -92.4% |
| Ryther L. Barbin | $0 | $2,140 | -- |
| Lee K. Peters | $2,499 | $2,132 | -14.7% |
| Christian Chica Rili | $39,012 | $2,123 | -94.6% |
| Yee's Orchard, LLC | $36,243 | $2,064 | -94.3% |
| William M. Irvine | $5,550 | $2,019 | -63.6% |
| Goble's Flower Farm, LLC | $8,315 | $1,913 | -77% |
| Janice Kobayashi | $3,127 | $1,876 | -40% |
| Ronald P. Davis | $3,263 | $1,863 | -42.9% |
| Lauifi's Farming, LLC | $4,697 | $1,847 | -60.7% |
| Malolo Farm, LLC | $9,745 | $1,798 | -81.5% |
| Sydney Lee Smith | $382 | $1,794 | 369.6% |
| Olopawa Farms | $17,130 | $1,791 | -89.5% |
| Richard Negrillo Jr. | $2,987 | $1,720 | -42.4% |
| Roderick J. Graham | $842 | $1,624 | 92.9% |
| Solomon K Maliu SR | $2,851 | $1,619 | -43.2% |
| CN Farms, LLC | $26,135 | $1,586 | -93.9% |
| Frank C. K. Borden | $1,938 | $1,517 | -21.7% |
| Edward P. Davis | $2,730 | $1,503 | -44.9% |
| Fe Traje Farm, LLC | $29,193 | $1,462 | -95% |
| Peggy Odell Robertson | $2,439 | $1,460 | -40.1% |
| Charles L. Kamai III | $2,220 | $1,281 | -42.3% |
| Michael Patrick Paki Kamakana JR | $2,043 | $1,269 | -37.9% |
| Timothy C. Meyer Sr. | $1,962 | $1,212 | -38.2% |
| Daniel Niebrugge | $145 | $1,184 | 716.6% |
| Annette Marie Niles | $4,530 | $1,150 | -74.6% |
| Paul Bamberger | $1,579 | $1,097 | -30.5% |
| James I Paleka JR | $2,087 | $1,090 | -47.8% |
| Puu O Hoku Ranch, Ltd. | $462 | $1,071 | 131.8% |
| Grace Mokiao | $1,706 | $1,065 | -37.6% |
| Richard Thome | $2,069 | $1,026 | -50.4% |
| Barbara S. Grandon | $979 | $979 | 0% |
| Howard Hatsumi Hashimoto | $12,154 | $965 | -92.1% |
| Gerald F. Sieck | $3,058 | $947 | -69% |
| Layne Nakagawa | $0 | $932 | -- |
| Joseph J. Partlow | $0 | $827 | -- |
| Thomas P. Michaels | $823 | $823 | 0% |
| Brannon Jacob Valdez | $6,369 | $812 | -87.3% |
| James F. Michaels | $799 | $799 | 0% |
| Brent Keliiokamalu Nakihei | $1,409 | $782 | -44.5% |
| David Williams Revocable Living Trust | $0 | $647 | -- |
| Terri A. Rezentes | $4,347 | $638 | -85.3% |
| Mary Ann Bien | $1,469 | $634 | -56.8% |
| Patnode Family Farm | $3,962 | $621 | -84.3% |
| Sue Grubler | $586 | $586 | 0% |
| Terrell Welch | $581 | $581 | 0% |
| Andy S. Gagliardi | $2,366 | $574 | -75.7% |
| Rex Koa Kamakana | $984 | $505 | -48.7% |
| Mama Organic Moringa Farm, LLC | $0 | $500 | -- |
| Kenneth Masao Okamura | $9,223 | $500 | -94.6% |
| Mark O. Dunlap | $376 | $500 | 33% |
| Ellen Sugawara | $0 | $482 | -- |
| Carla T. Deangelo | $585 | $478 | -18.3% |
| William O. Abreu | $1,802 | $462 | -74.4% |
| Lona Ridge, LLC | $404 | $434 | 7.4% |
| Michael P Kamakana | $718 | $428 | -40.4% |
| Victoria P Burrows-Ignacio | $361 | $349 | -3.3% |
| Thomas B. Gagliardi | $1,393 | $287 | -79.4% |
| James Geiger | $0 | $284 | -- |
| James Geiger | $1,148 | $284 | -75.3% |
| Lars Robin Lind | $2,652 | $280 | -89.4% |
| Eileen M. Comeaux | $0 | $253 | -- |
| Molokai Land Trust | $240 | $240 | 0% |
| Bradley K. Bayless | $0 | $216 | -- |
| William C. Ripperger | $663 | $197 | -70.3% |
| Kegal K Tancayo | $1,310 | $192 | -85.3% |
| Vicki L. Yagi | $1,080 | $174 | -83.9% |
| Eric A. Harp | $1,082 | $174 | -83.9% |
| Donna Gamiao | $0 | $157 | -- |
| Patricia A. Cook | $38 | $99 | 160.5% |
| Lorna van Kirk | $22 | $22 | 0% |
| Barbara Jean L. Keiley | $8,464 | $0 | -100% |
| Clayton D. Russell Jr. | $108 | $0 | -100% |
| Laulima Farm, LLC | $5,705 | $0 | -100% |
| Kayse E. Aschenbrenner | $277 | $0 | -100% |
| Oby's Farm, LLC | $70,066 | $0 | -100% |
| Richard Manangan | $8,766 | $0 | -100% |
| Twisted Sisters Farm, LLC | $63 | $0 | -100% |
| Luann Cefola | $19,590 | $0 | -100% |
| Wade H. Buscher | $10,981 | $0 | -100% |
| Hawaii Seed Pro, LLC | $10,708 | $0 | -100% |
| Steven O. Eggemeyer | $64,178 | $0 | -100% |
| Alison Leigh Minney | $1,262 | $0 | -100% |
| Coca Farms, LLC | $33,158 | $0 | -100% |
| Dori Ann Ishii | $2,705 | $0 | -100% |
| Gerald M. Ross | $9,531 | $0 | -100% |
| Hawaii Taro Farm, LLC | $13,909 | $0 | -100% |
| Jamie M. Shishido | $10,856 | $0 | -100% |
| Jon S Harp and Vicki Yagi | $91 | $0 | -100% |
| Maui Olive Company | $1,584 | $0 | -100% |
| Maui Wine, Ltd. | $10,736 | $0 | -100% |
| O Guest Ranch Maui, LLC | $36,667 | $0 | -100% |
| Okoa Farms | $49,870 | $0 | -100% |
| Paradise Flower Farms, Inc. | $139,979 | $0 | -100% |
| Paul G. Rice | $5,362 | $0 | -100% |
| Robert J. McLean | $57,574 | $0 | -100% |
| Watanabe Vegetable Processing, LLC | $10,363 | $0 | -100% |
| David Williams Revocable Living T | $676 | $0 | -100% |
| J&G, Inc. | $2,798 | $0 | -100% |
| Mauigrown Coffee, Inc. | $43,973 | $0 | -100% |
| Simpli-Fresh Produce, LLC | $146,279 | $0 | -100% |
| SRA Global Solutions, LLC | $434 | $0 | -100% |
| Andrew Jay Zehr | $4,056 | $0 | -100% |
| Anuhea Hog Farm, LLC | $17,202 | $0 | -100% |
| Arthur Delima Jr. | $8,433 | $0 | -100% |
| Chase Jon Scott Stephenson | $8,129 | $0 | -100% |
| Evan Ryan | $7,768 | $0 | -100% |
| Jason C Smith | $2,408 | $0 | -100% |
| Lapa'AU Farm, LLC | $11,519 | $0 | -100% |
| Tumbaga Enterprises, LLC | $44,023 | $0 | -100% |
| Pakamon Britt | $3,074 | $0 | -100% |
| Pilipa'a Hawaii, LLC | $8,553 | $0 | -100% |
| Zuhair Tamimi | $60,734 | $0 | -100% |
| Maui Nui Farm, LLC | $18,426 | $0 | -100% |
| Allan J. Mendes Sr. | $768 | $0 | -100% |
| Ho'omana Farms, LLC | $21,313 | $0 | -100% |
| Kahanu Aina Greens, LLC | $14,754 | $0 | -100% |
| Kapuna Farms, LLC | $2,926 | $0 | -100% |
| Maui Green Nursery, LLC | $23,207 | $0 | -100% |
| Total subsidies | $4,196,525 | $965,835 | -77% |
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