| Rank |
County |
Total USDA - Subsidies
2011 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $15,483,931 | 6.3% | 6.3% |
| 2 | Logan County, Kentucky | $12,943,838 | 5.2% | 11.5% |
| 3 | Graves County, Kentucky | $10,606,642 | 4.3% | 15.8% |
| 4 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $8,316,017 | 3.4% | 19.2% |
| 5 | Warren County, Kentucky | $8,294,303 | 3.4% | 22.5% |
| 6 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $8,070,077 | 3.3% | 25.8% |
| 7 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $7,362,874 | 3.0% | 28.8% |
| 8 | Union County, Kentucky | $7,015,022 | 2.8% | 31.6% |
| 9 | Todd County, Kentucky | $6,825,655 | 2.8% | 34.4% |
| 10 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $6,108,434 | 2.5% | 36.9% |
| 11 | Webster County, Kentucky | $6,053,568 | 2.5% | 39.3% |
| 12 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $5,977,703 | 2.4% | 41.7% |
| 13 | McLean County, Kentucky | $4,921,140 | 2.0% | 43.7% |
| 14 | Hart County, Kentucky | $4,709,541 | 1.9% | 45.6% |
| 15 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $4,414,691 | 1.8% | 47.4% |
| 16 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $4,203,343 | 1.7% | 49.1% |
| 17 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $4,148,163 | 1.7% | 50.8% |
| 18 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $4,118,110 | 1.7% | 52.5% |
| 19 | Barren County, Kentucky | $4,067,918 | 1.6% | 54.1% |
| 20 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $4,062,114 | 1.6% | 55.8% |
| 21 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $3,843,213 | 1.6% | 57.3% |
| 22 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $3,561,804 | 1.4% | 58.7% |
| 23 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $3,545,625 | 1.4% | 60.2% |
| 24 | Green County, Kentucky | $3,464,265 | 1.4% | 61.6% |
| 25 | Allen County, Kentucky | $3,246,871 | 1.3% | 62.9% |
| 26 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $2,921,514 | 1.2% | 64.1% |
| 27 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $2,917,711 | 1.2% | 65.3% |
| 28 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $2,905,951 | 1.2% | 66.4% |
| 29 | Adair County, Kentucky | $2,880,304 | 1.2% | 67.6% |
| 30 | Butler County, Kentucky | $2,846,819 | 1.2% | 68.8% |
| 31 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $2,799,893 | 1.1% | 69.9% |
| 32 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $2,778,514 | 1.1% | 71.0% |
| 33 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $2,732,613 | 1.1% | 72.1% |
| 34 | Larue County, Kentucky | $2,665,492 | 1.1% | 73.2% |
| 35 | Marion County, Kentucky | $2,509,129 | 1.0% | 74.2% |
| 36 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $2,351,656 | 1.0% | 75.2% |
| 37 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $2,194,734 | 0.9% | 76.1% |
| 38 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $2,185,549 | 0.9% | 76.9% |
| 39 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $2,160,646 | 0.9% | 77.8% |
| 40 | Meade County, Kentucky | $2,142,277 | 0.9% | 78.7% |
| 41 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $2,085,294 | 0.8% | 79.5% |
| 42 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $1,822,580 | 0.7% | 80.3% |
| 43 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $1,795,667 | 0.7% | 81.0% |
| 44 | Henry County, Kentucky | $1,785,112 | 0.7% | 81.7% |
| 45 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $1,672,745 | 0.7% | 82.4% |
| 46 | Mason County, Kentucky | $1,603,189 | 0.6% | 83.0% |
| 47 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $1,598,051 | 0.6% | 83.7% |
| 48 | Scott County, Kentucky | $1,593,219 | 0.6% | 84.3% |
| 49 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $1,580,892 | 0.6% | 85.0% |
| 50 | Madison County, Kentucky | $1,500,864 | 0.6% | 85.6% |
| 51 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $1,491,055 | 0.6% | 86.2% |
| 52 | Washington County, Kentucky | $1,457,538 | 0.6% | 86.8% |
| 53 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $1,429,530 | 0.6% | 87.4% |
| 54 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $1,393,525 | 0.6% | 87.9% |
| 55 | Casey County, Kentucky | $1,354,505 | 0.5% | 88.5% |
| 56 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $1,301,333 | 0.5% | 89.0% |
| 57 | Owen County, Kentucky | $1,260,325 | 0.5% | 89.5% |
| 58 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $1,167,576 | 0.5% | 90.0% |
| 59 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $1,133,668 | 0.5% | 90.4% |
| 60 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $1,129,154 | 0.5% | 90.9% |
| 61 | Clark County, Kentucky | $1,105,000 | 0.4% | 91.3% |
| 62 | Russell County, Kentucky | $1,097,429 | 0.4% | 91.8% |
| 63 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $1,044,983 | 0.4% | 92.2% |
| 64 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $1,033,345 | 0.4% | 92.6% |
| 65 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $961,896 | 0.4% | 93.0% |
| 66 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $926,586 | 0.4% | 93.4% |
| 67 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $904,618 | 0.4% | 93.8% |
| 68 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $858,468 | 0.3% | 94.1% |
| 69 | Bath County, Kentucky | $841,087 | 0.3% | 94.5% |
| 70 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $839,160 | 0.3% | 94.8% |
| 71 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $762,298 | 0.3% | 95.1% |
| 72 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $707,675 | 0.3% | 95.4% |
| 73 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $690,375 | 0.3% | 95.7% |
| 74 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $684,469 | 0.3% | 95.9% |
| 75 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $612,327 | 0.2% | 96.2% |
| 76 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $602,628 | 0.2% | 96.4% |
| 77 | Grant County, Kentucky | $594,393 | 0.2% | 96.7% |
| 78 | Boone County, Kentucky | $582,881 | 0.2% | 96.9% |
| 79 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $580,309 | 0.2% | 97.1% |
| 80 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $441,998 | 0.2% | 97.3% |
| 81 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $422,635 | 0.2% | 97.5% |
| 82 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $417,947 | 0.2% | 97.7% |
| 83 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $405,818 | 0.2% | 97.8% |
| 84 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $389,425 | 0.2% | 98.0% |
| 85 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $352,145 | 0.1% | 98.1% |
| 86 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $340,198 | 0.1% | 98.3% |
| 87 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $332,194 | 0.1% | 98.4% |
| 88 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $330,236 | 0.1% | 98.5% |
| 89 | Carter County, Kentucky | $326,353 | 0.1% | 98.7% |
| 90 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $298,677 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 91 | Clay County, Kentucky | $252,577 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 92 | Estill County, Kentucky | $238,645 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 93 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $231,310 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 94 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $223,504 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 95 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $221,521 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 96 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $219,194 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 97 | Powell County, Kentucky | $200,378 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 98 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $196,764 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 99 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $151,797 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 100 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $146,733 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 101 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $142,560 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 102 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $131,462 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 103 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $126,827 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 104 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $108,935 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 105 | Knox County, Kentucky | $107,608 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 106 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $75,869 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 107 | Lee County, Kentucky | $68,890 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 108 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $55,434 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 109 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $54,733 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 110 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $9,336 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $9,255 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Perry County, Kentucky | $8,137 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $5,778 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Bell County, Kentucky | $2,491 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $409 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled from USDA data.
Note: The information on conservation spending for 2011and 2012 are incomplete due to missing data from USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service. In addition some payments made in 2010 were not assigned to recipients in the data received from NRCS. Those payments are also not included.
The information provided for the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) provides an inaccurate picture of how WRP payments are distributed. USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service uses title companies as intermediaries to finalize wetlands easements under the Wetlands Reserve Program. As a result, the data provided to us shows large sums of money going to these title companies. In reality, the payments are ultimately distributed to landowners participating in the WRP.
Unfortunately, NRCS has not provided the data to show where these farms and wetlands are located or which farmers or landowners are enrolling in the program, so EWG is unable to allocate these large sums of money to individuals beyond the title companies. Therefore, these companies skew the conservation rankings and payment concentration, which EWG cannot avoid unless and until NRCS makes available the additional farm attribution data. Therefore, we have not included WRP payments in the 2011 or 2012 data update.
We have separated data on farm commodity, disaster and conservation payments in order to provide a more accurate picture of top recipients and concentration of payments among the three main categories of USDA programs.
Finally, EWG works hard to ensure the accuracy of the information it provides through its products and services, but obtains data for the Farm Subsidy Database from the U.S. Department of Agriculture pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Therefore, EWG cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information USDA provides or any analysis based thereon. If you find an error or discrepancy on the site, please contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office to check its records before contacting EWG.
