| Rank |
County |
Subtotal, Disaster Payments
1995-2011 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $11,756,972 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| 2 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $7,963,815 | 3.2% | 7.8% |
| 3 | Warren County, Kentucky | $7,069,805 | 2.8% | 10.6% |
| 4 | Logan County, Kentucky | $6,945,172 | 2.7% | 13.4% |
| 5 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $6,514,197 | 2.6% | 15.9% |
| 6 | Madison County, Kentucky | $5,936,689 | 2.3% | 18.3% |
| 7 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $5,920,371 | 2.3% | 20.6% |
| 8 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $5,052,110 | 2.0% | 22.6% |
| 9 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $4,952,067 | 2.0% | 24.6% |
| 10 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $4,864,952 | 1.9% | 26.5% |
| 11 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $4,840,761 | 1.9% | 28.4% |
| 12 | Todd County, Kentucky | $4,822,474 | 1.9% | 30.3% |
| 13 | Graves County, Kentucky | $4,468,860 | 1.8% | 32.1% |
| 14 | Adair County, Kentucky | $4,401,672 | 1.7% | 33.8% |
| 15 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $4,314,749 | 1.7% | 35.5% |
| 16 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $4,216,678 | 1.7% | 37.2% |
| 17 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $4,138,304 | 1.6% | 38.9% |
| 18 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $4,097,558 | 1.6% | 40.5% |
| 19 | Scott County, Kentucky | $3,822,276 | 1.5% | 42.0% |
| 20 | Barren County, Kentucky | $3,778,152 | 1.5% | 43.5% |
| 21 | Union County, Kentucky | $3,635,312 | 1.4% | 44.9% |
| 22 | Clark County, Kentucky | $3,496,946 | 1.4% | 46.3% |
| 23 | Casey County, Kentucky | $3,371,363 | 1.3% | 47.6% |
| 24 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $3,341,075 | 1.3% | 49.0% |
| 25 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $3,258,621 | 1.3% | 50.3% |
| 26 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $3,098,537 | 1.2% | 51.5% |
| 27 | Mason County, Kentucky | $3,064,507 | 1.2% | 52.7% |
| 28 | Bath County, Kentucky | $3,018,805 | 1.2% | 53.9% |
| 29 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $3,017,957 | 1.2% | 55.1% |
| 30 | Allen County, Kentucky | $2,864,356 | 1.1% | 56.2% |
| 31 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $2,821,088 | 1.1% | 57.3% |
| 32 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $2,765,317 | 1.1% | 58.4% |
| 33 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $2,724,066 | 1.1% | 59.5% |
| 34 | Meade County, Kentucky | $2,671,469 | 1.1% | 60.6% |
| 35 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $2,661,994 | 1.1% | 61.6% |
| 36 | Larue County, Kentucky | $2,598,502 | 1.0% | 62.6% |
| 37 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $2,590,100 | 1.0% | 63.7% |
| 38 | Marion County, Kentucky | $2,555,336 | 1.0% | 64.7% |
| 39 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $2,446,710 | 1.0% | 65.6% |
| 40 | Russell County, Kentucky | $2,349,746 | 0.9% | 66.6% |
| 41 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $2,314,289 | 0.9% | 67.5% |
| 42 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $2,262,125 | 0.9% | 68.4% |
| 43 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $2,254,204 | 0.9% | 69.3% |
| 44 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $2,246,281 | 0.9% | 70.2% |
| 45 | Hart County, Kentucky | $2,194,352 | 0.9% | 71.0% |
| 46 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $2,186,227 | 0.9% | 71.9% |
| 47 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $2,101,455 | 0.8% | 72.7% |
| 48 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $2,023,543 | 0.8% | 73.5% |
| 49 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $1,992,187 | 0.8% | 74.3% |
| 50 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $1,952,182 | 0.8% | 75.1% |
| 51 | Washington County, Kentucky | $1,917,969 | 0.8% | 75.9% |
| 52 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $1,912,613 | 0.8% | 76.6% |
| 53 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $1,836,638 | 0.7% | 77.3% |
| 54 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $1,766,269 | 0.7% | 78.0% |
| 55 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $1,699,603 | 0.7% | 78.7% |
| 56 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $1,699,265 | 0.7% | 79.4% |
| 57 | Henry County, Kentucky | $1,691,667 | 0.7% | 80.1% |
| 58 | McLean County, Kentucky | $1,676,612 | 0.7% | 80.7% |
| 59 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $1,588,840 | 0.6% | 81.3% |
| 60 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $1,581,074 | 0.6% | 82.0% |
| 61 | Owen County, Kentucky | $1,523,419 | 0.6% | 82.6% |
| 62 | Webster County, Kentucky | $1,480,083 | 0.6% | 83.2% |
| 63 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $1,468,597 | 0.6% | 83.7% |
| 64 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $1,464,602 | 0.6% | 84.3% |
| 65 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $1,462,706 | 0.6% | 84.9% |
| 66 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $1,461,421 | 0.6% | 85.5% |
| 67 | Green County, Kentucky | $1,458,717 | 0.6% | 86.1% |
| 68 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $1,399,182 | 0.6% | 86.6% |
| 69 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $1,397,693 | 0.6% | 87.2% |
| 70 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $1,385,702 | 0.5% | 87.7% |
| 71 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $1,369,884 | 0.5% | 88.3% |
| 72 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $1,285,254 | 0.5% | 88.8% |
| 73 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $1,280,361 | 0.5% | 89.3% |
| 74 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $1,226,632 | 0.5% | 89.8% |
| 75 | Carter County, Kentucky | $1,206,497 | 0.5% | 90.2% |
| 76 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $1,200,955 | 0.5% | 90.7% |
| 77 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $1,168,392 | 0.5% | 91.2% |
| 78 | Butler County, Kentucky | $1,132,939 | 0.4% | 91.6% |
| 79 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $1,129,555 | 0.4% | 92.1% |
| 80 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $1,115,903 | 0.4% | 92.5% |
| 81 | Grant County, Kentucky | $1,114,426 | 0.4% | 92.9% |
| 82 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $1,066,830 | 0.4% | 93.4% |
| 83 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $1,053,341 | 0.4% | 93.8% |
| 84 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $931,563 | 0.4% | 94.2% |
| 85 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $903,181 | 0.4% | 94.5% |
| 86 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $858,646 | 0.3% | 94.9% |
| 87 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $836,240 | 0.3% | 95.2% |
| 88 | Estill County, Kentucky | $786,775 | 0.3% | 95.5% |
| 89 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $773,336 | 0.3% | 95.8% |
| 90 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $770,734 | 0.3% | 96.1% |
| 91 | Boone County, Kentucky | $753,924 | 0.3% | 96.4% |
| 92 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $728,649 | 0.3% | 96.7% |
| 93 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $719,225 | 0.3% | 97.0% |
| 94 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $684,416 | 0.3% | 97.2% |
| 95 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $680,861 | 0.3% | 97.5% |
| 96 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $642,995 | 0.3% | 97.8% |
| 97 | Powell County, Kentucky | $636,225 | 0.3% | 98.0% |
| 98 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $625,726 | 0.2% | 98.3% |
| 99 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $604,263 | 0.2% | 98.5% |
| 100 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $493,576 | 0.2% | 98.7% |
| 101 | Lee County, Kentucky | $442,827 | 0.2% | 98.9% |
| 102 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $408,481 | 0.2% | 99.0% |
| 103 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $393,047 | 0.2% | 99.2% |
| 104 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $362,676 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 105 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $272,178 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 106 | Knox County, Kentucky | $265,403 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 107 | Clay County, Kentucky | $254,096 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 108 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $252,015 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 109 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $180,881 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 110 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $148,832 | 0.1% | 99.9% |
| 111 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $138,730 | 0.1% | 99.9% |
| 112 | Harlan County, Kentucky | $39,949 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Bell County, Kentucky | $32,689 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Perry County, Kentucky | $28,165 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $11,132 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 116 | Letcher County, Kentucky | $9,017 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 117 | Martin County, Kentucky | $8,930 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 118 | Knott County, Kentucky | $7,574 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 119 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $6,500 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 120 | Pike County, Kentucky | $4,377 | 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.
