| Rank |
County |
Total USDA - Subsidies
1995-2012 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $216,962,746 | 5.7% | 5.7% |
| 2 | Graves County, Kentucky | $179,864,986 | 4.8% | 10.5% |
| 3 | Logan County, Kentucky | $167,414,928 | 4.4% | 14.9% |
| 4 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $126,464,558 | 3.3% | 18.2% |
| 5 | Union County, Kentucky | $125,852,869 | 3.3% | 21.6% |
| 6 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $124,814,505 | 3.3% | 24.9% |
| 7 | Todd County, Kentucky | $111,079,197 | 2.9% | 27.8% |
| 8 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $100,319,171 | 2.7% | 30.5% |
| 9 | Warren County, Kentucky | $95,021,004 | 2.5% | 33.0% |
| 10 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $92,702,784 | 2.4% | 35.4% |
| 11 | Webster County, Kentucky | $88,438,313 | 2.3% | 37.7% |
| 12 | McLean County, Kentucky | $82,950,245 | 2.2% | 39.9% |
| 13 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $82,758,049 | 2.2% | 42.1% |
| 14 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $71,500,356 | 1.9% | 44.0% |
| 15 | Kentucky NRCS | $69,625,023 | 1.8% | 45.9% |
| 16 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $66,751,258 | 1.8% | 47.6% |
| 17 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $65,837,420 | 1.7% | 49.4% |
| 18 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $65,768,905 | 1.7% | 51.1% |
| 19 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $63,009,544 | 1.7% | 52.8% |
| 20 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $60,657,725 | 1.6% | 54.4% |
| 21 | Barren County, Kentucky | $56,183,619 | 1.5% | 55.8% |
| 22 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $54,100,815 | 1.4% | 57.3% |
| 23 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $52,481,058 | 1.4% | 58.7% |
| 24 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $50,852,602 | 1.3% | 60.0% |
| 25 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $47,350,589 | 1.3% | 61.3% |
| 26 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $47,175,102 | 1.2% | 62.5% |
| 27 | Hart County, Kentucky | $45,699,121 | 1.2% | 63.7% |
| 28 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $44,513,478 | 1.2% | 64.9% |
| 29 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $41,986,392 | 1.1% | 66.0% |
| 30 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $41,859,340 | 1.1% | 67.1% |
| 31 | Butler County, Kentucky | $40,666,717 | 1.1% | 68.2% |
| 32 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $39,242,374 | 1.0% | 69.2% |
| 33 | Marion County, Kentucky | $38,634,574 | 1.0% | 70.2% |
| 34 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $37,917,421 | 1.0% | 71.2% |
| 35 | Larue County, Kentucky | $37,902,499 | 1.0% | 72.2% |
| 36 | Adair County, Kentucky | $36,580,219 | 1.0% | 73.2% |
| 37 | Meade County, Kentucky | $36,209,548 | 1.0% | 74.2% |
| 38 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $36,090,039 | 1.0% | 75.1% |
| 39 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $35,749,114 | 0.9% | 76.1% |
| 40 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $33,679,455 | 0.9% | 76.9% |
| 41 | Green County, Kentucky | $33,200,153 | 0.9% | 77.8% |
| 42 | Allen County, Kentucky | $31,879,434 | 0.8% | 78.7% |
| 43 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $30,782,901 | 0.8% | 79.5% |
| 44 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $28,560,700 | 0.8% | 80.2% |
| 45 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $28,485,158 | 0.8% | 81.0% |
| 46 | Mason County, Kentucky | $26,221,358 | 0.7% | 81.7% |
| 47 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $25,431,629 | 0.7% | 82.3% |
| 48 | Madison County, Kentucky | $24,270,564 | 0.6% | 83.0% |
| 49 | Scott County, Kentucky | $23,352,140 | 0.6% | 83.6% |
| 50 | Washington County, Kentucky | $23,191,420 | 0.6% | 84.2% |
| 51 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $22,625,558 | 0.6% | 84.8% |
| 52 | Henry County, Kentucky | $22,620,444 | 0.6% | 85.4% |
| 53 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $21,687,319 | 0.6% | 86.0% |
| 54 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $21,246,700 | 0.6% | 86.5% |
| 55 | Casey County, Kentucky | $21,078,069 | 0.6% | 87.1% |
| 56 | Clark County, Kentucky | $19,464,343 | 0.5% | 87.6% |
| 57 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $19,461,994 | 0.5% | 88.1% |
| 58 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $19,208,302 | 0.5% | 88.6% |
| 59 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $19,010,806 | 0.5% | 89.1% |
| 60 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $18,836,687 | 0.5% | 89.6% |
| 61 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $18,688,965 | 0.5% | 90.1% |
| 62 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $16,936,601 | 0.4% | 90.6% |
| 63 | Russell County, Kentucky | $16,330,338 | 0.4% | 91.0% |
| 64 | Bath County, Kentucky | $15,779,141 | 0.4% | 91.4% |
| 65 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $15,774,305 | 0.4% | 91.8% |
| 66 | Owen County, Kentucky | $15,013,082 | 0.4% | 92.2% |
| 67 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $14,411,367 | 0.4% | 92.6% |
| 68 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $14,388,197 | 0.4% | 93.0% |
| 69 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $14,365,382 | 0.4% | 93.4% |
| 70 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $14,105,847 | 0.4% | 93.8% |
| 71 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $13,132,627 | 0.3% | 94.1% |
| 72 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $11,587,533 | 0.3% | 94.4% |
| 73 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $11,546,623 | 0.3% | 94.7% |
| 74 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $10,988,534 | 0.3% | 95.0% |
| 75 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $10,748,631 | 0.3% | 95.3% |
| 76 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $9,996,903 | 0.3% | 95.5% |
| 77 | Boone County, Kentucky | $8,953,686 | 0.2% | 95.8% |
| 78 | Grant County, Kentucky | $8,714,798 | 0.2% | 96.0% |
| 79 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $8,605,407 | 0.2% | 96.2% |
| 80 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $8,493,921 | 0.2% | 96.5% |
| 81 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $7,872,421 | 0.2% | 96.7% |
| 82 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $7,673,389 | 0.2% | 96.9% |
| 83 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $7,498,178 | 0.2% | 97.1% |
| 84 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $7,376,102 | 0.2% | 97.3% |
| 85 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $7,375,672 | 0.2% | 97.5% |
| 86 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $7,111,477 | 0.2% | 97.7% |
| 87 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $6,792,861 | 0.2% | 97.8% |
| 88 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $6,379,810 | 0.2% | 98.0% |
| 89 | Carter County, Kentucky | $6,348,343 | 0.2% | 98.2% |
| 90 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $5,289,324 | 0.1% | 98.3% |
| 91 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $4,719,724 | 0.1% | 98.4% |
| 92 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $4,575,440 | 0.1% | 98.6% |
| 93 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $4,559,248 | 0.1% | 98.7% |
| 94 | Estill County, Kentucky | $4,558,343 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 95 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $4,434,294 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 96 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $4,204,451 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 97 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $3,805,360 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 98 | Powell County, Kentucky | $3,611,517 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 99 | Clay County, Kentucky | $3,560,022 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 100 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $3,310,146 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 101 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $3,000,131 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 102 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $2,731,515 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 103 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $2,548,024 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 104 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $2,326,521 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 105 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $2,207,668 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 106 | Knox County, Kentucky | $1,895,368 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 107 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $1,803,888 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 108 | Lee County, Kentucky | $1,693,291 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 109 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $1,597,044 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 110 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $1,372,941 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $454,983 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $422,041 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Perry County, Kentucky | $157,075 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $138,858 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Bell County, Kentucky | $122,770 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 116 | Harlan County, Kentucky | $67,341 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 117 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $48,603 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 118 | Pike County, Kentucky | $33,015 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 119 | Knott County, Kentucky | $20,333 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 120 | Letcher County, Kentucky | $16,847 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 121 | Martin County, Kentucky | $13,563 | 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.
