Of the three major Tidewater cities having farm welfare recipients, Virginia Beach, widely self-touted as the World's Largest Resort City, has the 2nd highest amount of farm welfare payments - exceeded only by Suffolk which is primarily all farming.
The taxpayers have paid Virginia Beach City Councilwoman Barbara Henley farm welfare payments of $19,517.47 between 1996 and 2000.
Senate Approves Historic Reform to Subsidy Programs (Feb 7, 2002), the Senate approved 66 to 31 the Dorgan-Grassley amendment that finally closes the loopholes that allow wealthy non-farmers and agribusinesses to get enormous taxpayer checks. This vote showed the power of information can energize citizens to overcome special interests. From a narrower than expected loss in the House to a blow-out victory in the Senate several months later, it's clear that the status quo is in full retreat. Small family farmers and taxpayers are the winners. To find out more about the amendment, click here ..
The new Farm Bill See: Bill at a Glance passed the Senate 58-40 Wednesday. VA Sen. George Allen and John Warner both voted for the bill.
Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook, who has supported revision of the farm subsidy programs said of the bill that the Senate passed Wednesday, it wasn't the best, but it does hold some prospect for improvement. See Full statement
Virginia Sen. Allen voted to continue the welfare subsidy program and against the amendment while his colleague John Warner voted with the majority to end the taxpayer gifts to freeloading wealthy farmers. See also: Michelle Malkin and read who some of the big names in taxpayer rip-offs are, including ABC New's Sam ("Hey, I own a farm. I'm eligible as anyone else for these free taxpayer gifts") Donaldson.
Chesapeake Top 10 1996-2000 |
Virginia Beach Top 10* |
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| Lyle Pugh | $480,390.57 | Frank T. Williams & Sons | $603,691.57 | |
| Dana Todd | $452,215.56 | Guy Newman | $562,778.23 | |
| Li'l Bud's Farms Inc. | $395,740.35 | Ray Newman | $526,527.30 | |
| Rodney Foster | $337,828.02 | Donald Horsley | $514,226.88 | |
| Cartwright Farms | $264,949.67 | Bonney Bright Farms | $510,574.85 | |
| Edgar W. Lane | $260,639.97 | Frank T. Williams | $424,615.98 | |
| Whedbee Farms Inc. | $243,819.50 | H. M. Dudley Jr. | $421,286.92 | |
| O.G. Weatherly | $230,206.86 | William E. Sawyer | $403,331.72 | |
| Keith Harrison | $219,044.93 | Howard Salmons | $338,468.56 | |
| Chris Slabaugh | $213,281.20 | Curtis Wolfarth | $282,155.81 | |
| Total Received | $6,842,694.00 | Total Received | $8,768,434.00 | |
| Top 10 Received | $3,098.117.00 | Top 10 Received | $4,305,502.00 | |
| 4-year average for Top 10 | $309,812.00 | 4-year average for Top 10 | $430,550.00 | |
*Virginia Beach City Councilwoman Barbara Henley received $19,517.47
Suffolk Top 10 |
|
| Greenway Farms Ltd. | $610,058.94 |
| Frank Holland Jr. | $536,578.55 |
| M&W Farms | $510,322.37 |
| Wa&Ra Wright Farm | $415,911.60 |
| Kings Grant Farms Inc. | $386,307.30 |
| J&J Farms | $310,904.67 |
| Roundtree Farms | $308,958.20 |
| Three M Farming | $299,402.32 |
| Wesley Moore Jr. | $289,443.79 |
| Bobby Roundtree | $289,420.98 |
| Total Received | $10,924,900.00 |
| Top 10 Received | $3,957,309.00 |
| 4-year average for Top 10 | $395,731.00 |
**Click Farm Subsidies for a complete list of all welfare payments