| Rank |
County |
Total USDA - Subsidies
2010 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $14,769,340 | 6.0% | 6.0% |
| 2 | Logan County, Kentucky | $11,407,311 | 4.6% | 10.7% |
| 3 | Graves County, Kentucky | $11,321,174 | 4.6% | 15.3% |
| 4 | Warren County, Kentucky | $8,850,683 | 3.6% | 18.9% |
| 5 | Todd County, Kentucky | $7,270,590 | 3.0% | 21.8% |
| 6 | Union County, Kentucky | $6,938,409 | 2.8% | 24.7% |
| 7 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $6,541,151 | 2.7% | 27.3% |
| 8 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $6,478,878 | 2.6% | 30.0% |
| 9 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $6,384,177 | 2.6% | 32.6% |
| 10 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $5,671,436 | 2.3% | 34.9% |
| 11 | Hart County, Kentucky | $4,979,669 | 2.0% | 36.9% |
| 12 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $4,921,379 | 2.0% | 38.9% |
| 13 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $4,624,599 | 1.9% | 40.8% |
| 14 | Webster County, Kentucky | $4,581,021 | 1.9% | 42.6% |
| 15 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $4,476,993 | 1.8% | 44.5% |
| 16 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $4,280,558 | 1.7% | 46.2% |
| 17 | McLean County, Kentucky | $4,098,231 | 1.7% | 47.9% |
| 18 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $3,575,330 | 1.5% | 49.3% |
| 19 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $3,572,334 | 1.5% | 50.8% |
| 20 | Adair County, Kentucky | $3,562,848 | 1.5% | 52.2% |
| 21 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $3,499,914 | 1.4% | 53.7% |
| 22 | Barren County, Kentucky | $3,485,958 | 1.4% | 55.1% |
| 23 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $3,427,422 | 1.4% | 56.5% |
| 24 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $3,402,141 | 1.4% | 57.9% |
| 25 | Green County, Kentucky | $3,231,636 | 1.3% | 59.2% |
| 26 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $3,193,444 | 1.3% | 60.5% |
| 27 | Larue County, Kentucky | $3,157,905 | 1.3% | 61.8% |
| 28 | Allen County, Kentucky | $3,104,009 | 1.3% | 63.0% |
| 29 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $2,936,059 | 1.2% | 64.2% |
| 30 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $2,888,468 | 1.2% | 65.4% |
| 31 | Marion County, Kentucky | $2,835,326 | 1.2% | 66.6% |
| 32 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $2,669,285 | 1.1% | 67.6% |
| 33 | Butler County, Kentucky | $2,482,173 | 1.0% | 68.6% |
| 34 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $2,442,599 | 1.0% | 69.6% |
| 35 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $2,402,041 | 1.0% | 70.6% |
| 36 | Meade County, Kentucky | $2,366,990 | 1.0% | 71.6% |
| 37 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $2,331,737 | 0.9% | 72.5% |
| 38 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $2,320,367 | 0.9% | 73.5% |
| 39 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $2,288,478 | 0.9% | 74.4% |
| 40 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $2,215,731 | 0.9% | 75.3% |
| 41 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $2,093,983 | 0.9% | 76.2% |
| 42 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $2,085,191 | 0.8% | 77.0% |
| 43 | Madison County, Kentucky | $2,071,211 | 0.8% | 77.9% |
| 44 | Scott County, Kentucky | $2,000,457 | 0.8% | 78.7% |
| 45 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $1,973,515 | 0.8% | 79.5% |
| 46 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $1,869,661 | 0.8% | 80.2% |
| 47 | Henry County, Kentucky | $1,810,191 | 0.7% | 81.0% |
| 48 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $1,768,128 | 0.7% | 81.7% |
| 49 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $1,746,563 | 0.7% | 82.4% |
| 50 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $1,686,054 | 0.7% | 83.1% |
| 51 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $1,578,932 | 0.6% | 83.7% |
| 52 | Russell County, Kentucky | $1,534,407 | 0.6% | 84.4% |
| 53 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $1,486,289 | 0.6% | 85.0% |
| 54 | Mason County, Kentucky | $1,463,902 | 0.6% | 85.6% |
| 55 | Washington County, Kentucky | $1,446,568 | 0.6% | 86.1% |
| 56 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $1,445,072 | 0.6% | 86.7% |
| 57 | Casey County, Kentucky | $1,328,525 | 0.5% | 87.3% |
| 58 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $1,296,068 | 0.5% | 87.8% |
| 59 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $1,293,633 | 0.5% | 88.3% |
| 60 | Owen County, Kentucky | $1,201,327 | 0.5% | 88.8% |
| 61 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $1,164,093 | 0.5% | 89.3% |
| 62 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $1,157,932 | 0.5% | 89.8% |
| 63 | Clark County, Kentucky | $1,141,074 | 0.5% | 90.2% |
| 64 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $1,117,438 | 0.5% | 90.7% |
| 65 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $1,087,113 | 0.4% | 91.1% |
| 66 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $1,080,722 | 0.4% | 91.6% |
| 67 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $1,058,402 | 0.4% | 92.0% |
| 68 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $1,048,848 | 0.4% | 92.4% |
| 69 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $917,296 | 0.4% | 92.8% |
| 70 | Bath County, Kentucky | $900,231 | 0.4% | 93.2% |
| 71 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $877,480 | 0.4% | 93.5% |
| 72 | Kentucky NRCS | $859,845 | 0.4% | 93.9% |
| 73 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $840,403 | 0.3% | 94.2% |
| 74 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $829,549 | 0.3% | 94.6% |
| 75 | Grant County, Kentucky | $780,117 | 0.3% | 94.9% |
| 76 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $777,296 | 0.3% | 95.2% |
| 77 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $762,152 | 0.3% | 95.5% |
| 78 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $736,838 | 0.3% | 95.8% |
| 79 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $704,711 | 0.3% | 96.1% |
| 80 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $638,731 | 0.3% | 96.3% |
| 81 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $627,773 | 0.3% | 96.6% |
| 82 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $589,348 | 0.2% | 96.8% |
| 83 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $557,182 | 0.2% | 97.1% |
| 84 | Boone County, Kentucky | $540,958 | 0.2% | 97.3% |
| 85 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $533,959 | 0.2% | 97.5% |
| 86 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $457,615 | 0.2% | 97.7% |
| 87 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $418,687 | 0.2% | 97.9% |
| 88 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $416,875 | 0.2% | 98.0% |
| 89 | Carter County, Kentucky | $416,255 | 0.2% | 98.2% |
| 90 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $395,457 | 0.2% | 98.4% |
| 91 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $355,299 | 0.1% | 98.5% |
| 92 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $332,539 | 0.1% | 98.6% |
| 93 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $318,733 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 94 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $281,084 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 95 | Clay County, Kentucky | $245,150 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 96 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $239,113 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 97 | Estill County, Kentucky | $215,273 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 98 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $210,275 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 99 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $189,564 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 100 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $184,712 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 101 | Knox County, Kentucky | $181,497 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 102 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $179,498 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 103 | Powell County, Kentucky | $177,662 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 104 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $153,183 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 105 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $137,495 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 106 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $132,544 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 107 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $117,849 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 108 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $108,080 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 109 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $82,357 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 110 | Lee County, Kentucky | $71,610 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $64,811 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $15,466 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Bell County, Kentucky | $10,745 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Perry County, Kentucky | $7,234 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $5,799 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 116 | Pike County, Kentucky | $1,530 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 117 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $480 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
Source: Environmental Working Group. Compiled from USDA data.
Note: The information on conservation spending for 2011 is 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 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.
