Quantcast

Vacationland Times

Saturday, December 21, 2024

The state of taxpayer-funded farm subsidies in cities associated with Ottawa County in 2021

Tractor

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock

Farms throughout cities in Ottawa County received $1.4 million less in subsidies in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to the year before.

In 2021, 426 farmers in cities within Ottawa County received a total of $2.4 million in 817 farm subsidies, a 37.2% decrease compared to 2020, when the total was $3.9 million in 1,371 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 Ottawa County, Year Over Year
FarmerTotal Received in 2020Total Received in 2021% Difference
Danbarry Farms, LLC$208,004$79,756-61.7%
Jason Sandwisch$180,688$71,190-60.6%
RCR Partnership$127,291$64,753-49.1%
E. J. Croll$172,736$62,967-63.5%
James R. Moore$34,603$59,25871.3%
Winke Farms, LLC$116,212$58,509-49.7%
Carolyn Witt$26,964$57,417112.9%
David E. Sherman$0$44,247--
Ronald L. Laubacher$94,310$38,026-59.7%
Paul Goodman$82,978$37,258-55.1%
Blausey Farms Partnership, LLC$80,230$37,257-53.6%
Gary L. Apling$14,899$30,262103.1%
Gary Stone$54,745$29,224-46.6%
Larry A. Jensen$49,488$27,407-44.6%
Richard C. Lenke$58,165$26,883-53.8%
Jeff W. Hirt$61,273$26,882-56.1%
Buehler Farms & Fishery, LLC$62,534$25,809-58.7%
Harmeyer Farms, Ltd.$47,844$24,956-47.8%
Michael J. George$26,867$24,890-7.4%
Clover Leaf Farms Operations, LLC$55,993$24,299-56.6%
Jack Recker$36,248$23,373-35.5%
Marvin Risch$10,461$22,822118.2%
Behnke Management, LLC$35,701$22,636-36.6%
David Heinzl$8,511$21,011146.9%
Steven R. Harder$49,525$20,266-59.1%
Robert a Daup$22,147$19,489-12%
Michael Pavlica$3,174$19,158503.6%
Raymond Harder$40,132$17,994-55.2%
Daniel Peters$33,386$17,671-47.1%
Fred Wagner$4,857$17,568261.7%
Geo O. Trenchard Jr.$17,223$17,2230%
Danbury Heights Partners$16,894$17,2061.8%
Keith E. Heileman$6,088$17,187182.3%
Benny C. Petersen$16,947$16,9470%
Michael P. Libben$18,971$16,693-12%
Larry L. Heintz$14,481$16,28912.5%
John E. Moore$36,031$15,670-56.5%
Joseph R. Kapp$26,069$15,406-40.9%
Michael R. Harder$54,536$15,263-72%
Todd W. Kapp$22,266$15,223-31.6%
Gray-Dot Agency, Inc.$31,433$15,219-51.6%
Bradley Tabbert$14,856$15,1361.9%
Jeff Kuras$9,630$15,12057%
Gerald L. Whipple$14,530$14,7571.6%
Gyde Operations, Ltd.$15,865$14,363-9.5%
Robert H Mccormick Trust$23,730$14,210-40.1%
Audrey a Slovich$2,589$13,955439%
Melvin Mylander$38,582$13,717-64.4%
Craig Carr$13,688$13,6880%
Josh J. Behnke$8,308$13,66764.5%
Micah R. Lenke$27,833$13,665-50.9%
Michael L. Farrow$25,680$13,476-47.5%
Dan Hineline Farms, LLC$20,812$12,998-37.5%
Leroy Hall$12,994$12,9940%
Frank J. Michel$41,351$12,611-69.5%
Thomas D. Riedeman$22,212$11,813-46.8%
Heritage Creek Farms, LLC$10,240$11,77415%
Jerald Myers$15,269$11,445-25%
Paul W. Darr$9,931$11,43915.2%
David E. J. Floro$20,857$11,092-46.8%
Gerald Schultz$25,731$10,946-57.5%
Randy C. Sharlow$2,646$10,573299.6%
Gregory J. Tallman$20,011$10,332-48.4%
Robert D. Keller$0$10,315--
David Dewitz$24,999$10,198-59.2%
Fred Kohlman$12,767$10,126-20.7%
Denton Glovinsky$7,731$10,02629.7%
Luann Monak$9,982$9,9820%
Raymond N Obermyer$676$9,9221,367.8%
Sheldon L. Miller$7,546$9,73929.1%
Jean a Shetenhelm$9,441$9,4410%
Joel J. Sandwisch$18,140$9,397-48.2%
Dean C. Schiller Jr.$40,631$9,377-76.9%
Jeff Blay$17,966$9,205-48.8%
Eric D. Gahler$30,694$8,988-70.7%
Gary L. Buhrow$12,045$8,629-28.4%
Todd Whipple$8,467$8,4670%
John Brough$15,943$8,429-47.1%
Mcritchie Marsh, LLC$8,142$8,1420%
Richard Yurista$652$8,0161,129.4%
Barbara Lorensen$7,804$7,8540.6%
John C Bowlander$19,393$7,775-59.9%
Tom L. Lenz$16,880$7,543-55.3%
Michael L. Kelley$6,571$7,41912.9%
DMZ Farms, LLC$9,236$7,386-20%
Dennis Wagner$7,369$7,3690%
Brian Hild$7,188$7,1880%
Mark Alexander$15,612$7,178-54%
Robert Atkinson$13,767$7,096-48.5%
Herman Investors, LLC$7,017$7,0170%
Keith Dresser$685$6,963916.5%
Jane Fleming$8,092$6,947-14.1%
Danny Biggert$6,941$6,9410%
Geoff Rulman$1,373$6,849398.8%
Joseph D. Adams$6,846$6,8460%
Howard F. Kardatzke$14,408$6,749-53.2%
Steve R Zbierajewski$4,407$6,67851.5%
Kevin Atwater$6,358$6,6234.2%
Eugene F. Snow$6,319$6,5233.2%
Robert A. Witt$6,505$6,5050%
Paul Hopfinger$3,313$6,41993.8%
Rodger Wagner$6,420$6,310-1.7%
Ronald L. Zeller$14,905$6,276-57.9%
Charles M. Mattimoe$6,436$6,262-2.7%
Cathy M. Hall$6,224$6,2240%
Jerry L. Miller Farms, LLC$31,143$6,213-80.1%
David L. Sander$17,112$6,191-63.8%
Dolores Apling$2,253$6,179174.3%
Andrew John Sander$13,981$6,178-55.8%
Larry E. Jacobs$6,047$6,0470%
Toussaint River Land and Cattle, LLC$0$6,031--
Matthew T. Huss$14,956$6,028-59.7%
Richard Tallman$11,622$5,930-49%
Lawrence St Clair$5,929$5,9290%
Steven Nietfeld$5,795$5,7950%
Charles E. Carr Jr.$5,790$5,7900%
Kelli Jadwisiak$12,370$5,679-54.1%
Tracy Buhrow$2,582$5,626117.9%
Lee Wehner$5,562$5,5620%
Darryl Trent$5,455$5,4550%
Unilliance, Inc.$11,711$5,385-54%
Jeff Nehls$7,460$5,383-27.8%
Clay W. Morgan$5,294$5,2940%
Joshua T. Goetz$2,612$5,252101.1%
Dean W. Humberger$16,183$5,172-68%
Mahlon Avery$5,037$5,0370%
Timothy Jackson Parks$5,016$5,0160%
Edgar Hurdelbrink JR$8,697$4,894-43.7%
Gary A. Noble$4,727$4,8883.4%
Jared Richard Lattimore$8,514$4,850-43%
Lloyd Dayton$4,275$4,83113%
David a Fastinger$15,594$4,688-69.9%
Peggy Vaughn$5,117$4,619-9.7%
Paul Gottron$4,879$4,601-5.7%
Dennis Below$4,635$4,567-1.5%
Scott Finken$271$4,5531,580.1%
John A. Madison$4,495$4,4950%
Lori Madison$4,495$4,4950%
Charles Dewitz$8,953$4,447-50.3%
Robert Libben$10,729$4,440-58.6%
Daniel W. Brough$8,809$4,425-49.8%
Brian C. Kleinhans$4,350$4,3500%
Sherri Kleinhans$4,350$4,3500%
Elaine McRitchie$0$4,307--
James Schulte$8,594$4,168-51.5%
Scott A. Schimming$6,011$4,127-31.3%
John Wukie$3,779$4,0988.4%
Ronel, LLC$4,088$4,0880%
Wilma Jean Collins$3,462$4,06217.3%
James Sass$6,797$4,060-40.3%
Sharon Wirkner$3,959$3,9590%
Kenneth Miller$4,843$3,931-18.8%
Brady Hineline$3,873$3,8730%
Eric Moenter$10,630$3,772-64.5%
Ryan Ray Swope$6,493$3,760-42.1%
Calvin L. Biggert$3,752$3,7520%
Mark Schimmel$9,008$3,696-59%
David Kodak$3,653$3,6530%
Linda Jennings$3,575$3,5750%
Hartman Kremer, LLC$3,564$3,5640%
Ronald L. Miller$8,396$3,559-57.6%
Donald Leiser$6,658$3,555-46.6%
Ross Wagner$7,331$3,545-51.6%
Robert Kaiser$7,554$3,502-53.6%
James S. Mahler$3,445$3,4450%
Norman C. Witt$6,624$3,427-48.3%
Lindi Finke$3,391$3,3910%
Theron M. Finke$0$3,391--
Thelma M. Harder$5,866$3,322-43.4%
Larry L. Lickert$5,763$3,185-44.7%
Alfred J. Wozniak Jr.$3,121$3,1210%
Bill Hartman Farms, LLC$4,520$3,096-31.5%
Dennis Bahnsen$548$3,042455.1%
Janice Bahnsen$548$3,042455.1%
Don Hoeft$747$3,023304.7%
Robert Lee Buhrow$3,266$3,015-7.7%
Marian L. Clark$2,991$2,9910%
Michael G. Meng$5,134$2,975-42.1%
Ken Sander$2,943$2,9430%
Kevin Wagner$5,620$2,939-47.7%
Richard Petersen Jr.$3,587$2,903-19.1%
Richard M. Petersen Sr.$7,852$2,900-63.1%
Deborah Haubert$2,878$2,8780%
Gary Humberger$2,626$2,8789.6%
Kenneth E. Gyde$3,286$2,824-14.1%
Mark Kovach$2,819$2,8190%
James A. Collins$2,793$2,7930%
Charles Biggert Jr.$2,754$2,7540%
Alice Pierson$3,036$2,751-9.4%
Brian Michael$2,737$2,7370%
Roland E. Dewitz Jr.$18,751$2,734-85.4%
Joshua A. Brough$5,375$2,733-49.2%
Dale Hall$2,754$2,671-3%
Hefflinger Farms, LLC$5,022$2,670-46.8%
Mike Snow$2,641$2,6410%
Dewayne Brough$4,340$2,628-39.4%
Bryan Laughlin$5,622$2,581-54.1%
Walter T. Apling$6,101$2,523-58.6%
John Martin M. George$1,284$2,50695.2%
Thomas L. Goetz$9,154$2,503-72.7%
Rodney Biggert$2,501$2,5010%
Sandra K. Kremer$2,480$2,4800%
River Bottom Properties, LLC$2,420$2,4200%
Cindy Conner$2,420$2,4200%
David Bringman$5,459$2,412-55.8%
Kellen Smith$2,376$2,3760%
Charles F. Carr$6,337$2,302-63.7%
Matthew C. Chasteen$0$2,299--
Gary Joe Morgan$2,704$2,283-15.6%
Ralph McRitchie$10,444$2,275-78.2%
Michael C. Moffitt$2,717$2,232-17.9%
Wanderlust Farms, LLC$2,178$2,1780%
John Hartigan$6,521$2,167-66.8%
Jeon Farming, Ltd.$4,689$2,135-54.5%
Wavelene Mcritchie$2,125$2,1250%
Dean E. Price$2,100$2,1000%
Alan Jacoby$4,473$2,079-53.5%
Sharon Devine$2,074$2,0740%
Dan R. Jensen$3,240$2,059-36.5%
Irene R. Schulte$2,225$2,033-8.6%
Steve Mylander$4,409$2,018-54.2%
Billy Weiland$2,218$1,971-11.1%
Kenneth L. Mapes$3,801$1,954-48.6%
Ellen Schulte$2,613$1,883-27.9%
Beverly K. Rust$1,876$1,8760%
R & L Farms Ohio, LLC$3,390$1,860-45.1%
Ronald Risch$4,704$1,809-61.5%
John A. Vallance$120$1,8051,404.2%
John F. Konieczny$3,474$1,771-49%
Ronald D Libben$3,285$1,749-46.8%
Alice Kolhoff$4,918$1,740-64.6%
Dustin James Hetrick$1,752$1,723-1.7%
Joseph F Verb$2,183$1,712-21.6%
Brody N. Goetz$1,832$1,710-6.7%
Frederick Schultz$1,561$1,6686.9%
Gary N. Schulte$2,814$1,648-41.4%
Jamie M. Ashton$1,895$1,644-13.2%
B & H Farms of Genoa, LLC$1,296$1,62625.5%
Donna Weiland$1,596$1,5960%
Sara R. Shanteau$8,793$1,585-82%
Dean Anderson$2,514$1,579-37.2%
Jeffrey M Robacki$1,565$1,5650%
Steinmetz Living Trust-Janet$1,528$1,5280%
Russell Blatt$1,442$1,5265.8%
Eric L. McAtee$1,512$1,5120%
Sandra Miller$2,641$1,504-43.1%
John Fulkert$1,498$1,4980%
Neil Bower$1,488$1,4880%
Delores A. Buhrow$1,338$1,48410.9%
Willard L. Hetrick$877$1,44064.2%
Brian A. Beard$2,059$1,437-30.2%
Hayward Farms, LLC$2,337$1,398-40.2%
Ronald L. Martin$1,339$1,3390%
Sally Germani$990$1,33935.3%
Roger Carpenter$1,329$1,3290%
George L. Hurrell II$1,263$1,3275.1%
Freddie Barton$2,675$1,313-50.9%
Tracy Whittaker$1,300$1,3000%
Thomas Blausey$2,982$1,297-56.5%
David P. Hetrick$1,310$1,289-1.6%
William Behnken$3,007$1,285-57.3%
Carl L. Hopfinger$2,733$1,279-53.2%
Ronald Buehler$2,569$1,245-51.5%
Michael R. Riojas$259$1,240378.8%
Ernest J Warns Trust$3,602$1,196-66.8%
Mary Lou Krasniewski$1,841$1,191-35.3%
Behnke Farms, LLC$1,176$1,1760%
Gary Harder$1,169$1,1690%
Frederick J Sanicky$838$1,15037.2%
Henry C. Biggert$1,208$1,142-5.5%
Jay R. Finke$845$1,12633.3%
Jack L. Lenz$2,815$1,096-61.1%
Rick Johannsen$1,088$1,0880%
Lester Biggert$1,073$1,0730%
Janet K. Zunk$1,715$1,070-37.6%
Gary L. Anderson$4,064$1,059-73.9%
Laura A. Winter$2,819$1,032-63.4%
Thomas Baker$764$1,02934.7%
Steve Gloer$1,019$1,0190%
Dennis Zunk$2,334$1,003-57%
Justin Moore$1,882$1,003-46.7%
Laura Mattimoe$848$97715.2%
Cheryl Buehler$945$9450%
Tory Alan Gabriel$891$8910%
Glenn F Empcke$885$8850%
Patrick L Empcke$885$8850%
Roger Velliquette$1,528$876-42.7%
Arlene A. Carr$1,677$859-48.8%
Ronald F. Schimming$853$8530%
Marjorie A. Carlson$2,823$852-69.8%
Matthew J. Heintz$1,536$821-46.5%
Brian Ewing$819$8190%
James and Barbara Wenzinger Irrevocable Trust$0$782--
James McGee$1,850$781-57.8%
Ronald A. Miltz$760$7600%
Carol A. Rieff$0$754--
Daniel W. Reif$2,058$728-64.6%
Margaret E. Clemons$585$72624.1%
Thomas Yingling$1,248$722-42.1%
Thomas E. Noe$716$7160%
Daniel D. Carr$1,677$715-57.4%
Judy Bahnsen$1,093$673-38.4%
Phyllis Bensch$660$6600%
Bradley N. Goetz$623$6575.5%
Waterhouse Family Farms, LLC$1,410$641-54.5%
Robert T. Buhrow$1,481$640-56.8%
Lyle Woolley$993$606-39%
Elizabeth A. Draper$1,425$604-57.6%
Gary Hahn$1,467$603-58.9%
Dan Mikolas$602$6020%
Gene F. Myers$885$595-32.8%
Allen R Lipstraw$1,362$593-56.5%
Aaron M. Hall$920$591-35.8%
Bill Coyle$1,242$585-52.9%
Jeffrey Lee Hurdelbrink$280$578106.4%
Alice Ann Turley$907$577-36.4%
Jim Ebel$1,142$561-50.9%
Rebekah J. Will$551$5581.3%
Roger L. Huston$1,217$554-54.5%
George Libben$970$546-43.7%
Barbara Libben$541$5410%
Janis Barth$540$5400%
Robert Waggoner$1,134$538-52.6%
James Neidert$1,155$536-53.6%
Edward J. Wagner$410$52427.8%
Emily T. Long$508$5080%
Matthew F. Molnar$511$504-1.4%
Schaaf Farm$1,256$501-60.1%
Lauren Lieske$500$5000%
Terry Masserant$1,201$494-58.9%
Kent Delventhal$1,203$486-59.6%
Allan James Avery Jr.$951$485-49%
Chad Bahnsen$472$4720%
Thomas J. Clemons$854$457-46.5%
Dennis L. Goodman$0$448--
Paul a Lacumsky$948$447-52.8%
Timothy Hartigan$953$442-53.6%
Frances Avery$827$417-49.6%
Jared Canfield$0$401--
Sandra Blausey$400$4000%
William Risch$797$398-50.1%
Audrey Milbrodt$821$393-52.1%
William A. Beier$685$391-42.9%
Hubertus Holdings, LLC$265$39047.2%
Rebecca Kurtz$1,110$384-65.4%
Jefferson R Cronau$295$38329.8%
Dean G. Buhrow$671$378-43.7%
Lucille A. Bartell$376$3760%
Norma L. Branum$805$374-53.5%
Betty Fulkert$769$366-52.4%
Thomas Wehner$1,064$357-66.4%
Glen Gardner$731$356-51.3%
Jason J. Wolf$258$34433.3%
Arlene Carr$0$344--
Robert Weibel$587$335-42.9%
Kevin P. Haley$554$334-39.7%
Richard G. Brimmer$565$334-40.9%
Helen M. Pfeiffer$332$3320%
Chet's Place, Inc.$356$321-9.8%
David W. Apling$691$315-54.4%
John A. Brady$712$307-56.9%
Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools$910$303-66.7%
Ada Swan$547$300-45.2%
Gregg Johnson$583$294-49.6%
Dennis Peters$603$293-51.4%
Ronald Lako Jr.$788$292-62.9%
Ruby Rucker$601$287-52.2%
Sharon A. Smith$804$285-64.6%
David R. Wahlers$531$281-47.1%
Robert Bench$271$2710%
Bernard Darr$271$2710%
Dennis Darr$271$2710%
Barbara Jean Hermes$204$26630.4%
Sharon Samuto Heinberger$69$264282.6%
Judith K. Lacer$552$263-52.4%
Harbor Acres, LLC$195$26033.3%
Linda Dunn$578$259-55.2%
David Neuman$1,508$258-82.9%
Randall Hyde$575$247-57%
Julie Hemminger$243$2430%
Judy Arebaugh$491$241-50.9%
Raymond J. Zychowicz$188$24027.7%
Veronda K. Renz$224$2396.7%
Frederick R. Risch$357$235-34.2%
Bernard R. Blausey$233$2330%
Steven Weirich$665$226-66%
Karen J. Bennett$218$2180%
Ronald Monnett$400$216-46%
Donald J. Kaczynski$151$20133.1%
John F. Behnken$199$1990%
Sandra Butzin$174$19411.5%
Madonna Beard$192$1920%
Steve Rhodes$508$190-62.6%
Dennis L. Bodi$583$189-67.6%
Richard Keiser$242$186-23.1%
D&D Agent Venture, LLC$182$1820%
Jeffery G. Witt$376$182-51.6%
Jerry P. Schuett$179$1790%
Herman Joseph Frisch$170$1700%
Catherine M Smarkel$164$1640%
Paul E. Clemons Jr.$157$1570%
Andy Benko$383$140-63.4%
Barbara Ellen Hermes$501$139-72.3%
Jeffrey M. Hetrick$1,355$128-90.6%
Michael D. Brooks$581$123-78.8%
Lyle Short$258$111-57%
Karin Messner$177$108-39%
Lillian M. Repka$106$1060%
Beth A. Lorensen$100$1066%
Robert W. Harris$166$101-39.2%
Carol Deal$447$77-82.8%
John C Kuli JR$121$74-38.8%
Michael Robert Meng$0$73--
Charles Mays$118$72-39%
Patricia A. Weidner$153$71-53.6%
Joseph Roper$112$69-38.4%
Paul E. Dornbusch$55$609.1%
Shelby Peto$70$43-38.6%
James Laubacher$522$42-92%
Sharon K. Hodulik$41$410%
Perry Kokinda$62$40-35.5%
Paul Wentling$64$39-39.1%
Rick Rahm$50$31-38%
John Virtue$37$23-37.8%
Herman Kohlman$15$150%
Janet Selby$0$6--
Don Hoeft$4,822$0-100%
Harold Schulte$2,937$0-100%
Thomas E Kosmyna$1,683$0-100%
Werner Family Irrevocable Trust$46$0-100%
Gary J. Watkins$352$0-100%
Bradley Schlagheck$1,877$0-100%
Bruce Michael$4,483$0-100%
Chad Brough$1,498$0-100%
Cobi W Brough$2,346$0-100%
David Haar$152$0-100%
Eileen Hasselbach$282$0-100%
Evelyn Brunkhorst$471$0-100%
Jason Lafountain$440$0-100%
Jason Laubacher$2,354$0-100%
Joan M. Atwater$873$0-100%
John W. Kohlman$1,504$0-100%
June Blake$147$0-100%
Lawrence S Poiry$546$0-100%
Lois Rae Harder$8,681$0-100%
Melvin Brough$7,283$0-100%
Mona Thorbahn$80$0-100%
Noah V Neiderhouse$4,131$0-100%
Rebecca Weidner$2,299$0-100%
Steven R. Wagner$469$0-100%
Toussaint River Land and Cattle L$13,983$0-100%
Beatrice Hopfinger Estate$709$0-100%
Blanca R. Reyna$82$0-100%
Brenten Mackey$569$0-100%
Philip C. Trick$5,039$0-100%
David Howell$2,290$0-100%
Francis Eugene Hermes$376$0-100%
Wm H. Wahlers Jr.$6,097$0-100%
Lockwood Road Properties, LLC$17,678$0-100%
Nicholas J Priesman$34$0-100%
Patricia Ann Hofacker$524$0-100%
Ralph W Keller Estate$1,174$0-100%
Roger Lewis$83$0-100%
Ronald K. Watkins$352$0-100%
Veronda K. Meikle$144$0-100%
Vicki Brough$3,391$0-100%
William Reed$24$0-100%
Brody N. Goetz$1,006$0-100%
Total subsidies$3,851,304$2,419,384-37.2%

!RECEIVE ALERTS

The next time we write about any of these orgs, we’ll email you a link to the story. You may edit your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
Sign-up

DONATE

Help support the Metric Media Foundation's mission to restore community based news.
Donate

MORE NEWS