The subsidies amount to a reward for the farmer/rancher who cooperates with governmental farm policy by either doing, or not doing, a certain thing. For example, not planting cotton, corn, tobacco or wheat. Or, on the other hand, adopting approved conservation and wildlife management techniques.
It's not a welfare program. It has nothing to do with the farmer's income or situation -- only with governmental policy.
Most of the subsidies are either stupid, wasteful or unnecessary. Or all of the above. But I can't blame an individual for collecting them, if they earned them.
“a reward... or not doing, a certain thing.
It’s not a welfare program.”
Getting paid to not do something sure sounds like welfare.