| Rank |
County |
Subtotal, Farming Subsidies
1995-2011 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $104,144,650 | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| 2 | Logan County, Kentucky | $90,645,700 | 4.4% | 9.4% |
| 3 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $89,673,533 | 4.3% | 13.7% |
| 4 | Union County, Kentucky | $88,870,177 | 4.3% | 18.0% |
| 5 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $85,518,168 | 4.1% | 22.1% |
| 6 | Graves County, Kentucky | $81,857,483 | 3.9% | 26.1% |
| 7 | Todd County, Kentucky | $65,529,784 | 3.2% | 29.2% |
| 8 | McLean County, Kentucky | $56,889,241 | 2.7% | 32.0% |
| 9 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $55,828,808 | 2.7% | 34.6% |
| 10 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $53,588,203 | 2.6% | 37.2% |
| 11 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $52,187,814 | 2.5% | 39.7% |
| 12 | Webster County, Kentucky | $48,185,162 | 2.3% | 42.1% |
| 13 | Warren County, Kentucky | $44,974,101 | 2.2% | 44.2% |
| 14 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $40,177,429 | 1.9% | 46.2% |
| 15 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $37,632,689 | 1.8% | 48.0% |
| 16 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $35,952,908 | 1.7% | 49.7% |
| 17 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $35,360,883 | 1.7% | 51.4% |
| 18 | Barren County, Kentucky | $33,917,345 | 1.6% | 53.1% |
| 19 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $33,739,846 | 1.6% | 54.7% |
| 20 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $32,277,277 | 1.6% | 56.2% |
| 21 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $30,801,174 | 1.5% | 57.7% |
| 22 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $28,893,803 | 1.4% | 59.1% |
| 23 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $28,615,522 | 1.4% | 60.5% |
| 24 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $27,292,573 | 1.3% | 61.8% |
| 25 | Marion County, Kentucky | $24,171,310 | 1.2% | 63.0% |
| 26 | Larue County, Kentucky | $23,914,291 | 1.2% | 64.1% |
| 27 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $23,325,721 | 1.1% | 65.2% |
| 28 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $21,390,924 | 1.0% | 66.3% |
| 29 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $20,342,837 | 1.0% | 67.3% |
| 30 | Butler County, Kentucky | $20,150,099 | 1.0% | 68.2% |
| 31 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $19,486,478 | 0.9% | 69.2% |
| 32 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $19,238,639 | 0.9% | 70.1% |
| 33 | Adair County, Kentucky | $19,188,561 | 0.9% | 71.0% |
| 34 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $18,943,827 | 0.9% | 71.9% |
| 35 | Meade County, Kentucky | $18,683,441 | 0.9% | 72.8% |
| 36 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $18,308,232 | 0.9% | 73.7% |
| 37 | Hart County, Kentucky | $17,980,983 | 0.9% | 74.6% |
| 38 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $17,535,499 | 0.8% | 75.4% |
| 39 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $16,884,199 | 0.8% | 76.2% |
| 40 | Mason County, Kentucky | $16,515,379 | 0.8% | 77.0% |
| 41 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $16,228,211 | 0.8% | 77.8% |
| 42 | Henry County, Kentucky | $15,950,958 | 0.8% | 78.6% |
| 43 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $14,990,985 | 0.7% | 79.3% |
| 44 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $14,669,993 | 0.7% | 80.0% |
| 45 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $14,632,400 | 0.7% | 80.7% |
| 46 | Scott County, Kentucky | $13,677,062 | 0.7% | 81.4% |
| 47 | Madison County, Kentucky | $13,544,413 | 0.7% | 82.0% |
| 48 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $13,406,512 | 0.6% | 82.7% |
| 49 | Washington County, Kentucky | $13,363,302 | 0.6% | 83.3% |
| 50 | Green County, Kentucky | $13,136,932 | 0.6% | 84.0% |
| 51 | Casey County, Kentucky | $12,726,617 | 0.6% | 84.6% |
| 52 | Allen County, Kentucky | $12,659,217 | 0.6% | 85.2% |
| 53 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $12,435,610 | 0.6% | 85.8% |
| 54 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $12,318,664 | 0.6% | 86.4% |
| 55 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $11,677,500 | 0.6% | 86.9% |
| 56 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $10,766,646 | 0.5% | 87.5% |
| 57 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $10,606,746 | 0.5% | 88.0% |
| 58 | Russell County, Kentucky | $10,599,611 | 0.5% | 88.5% |
| 59 | Clark County, Kentucky | $10,578,583 | 0.5% | 89.0% |
| 60 | Owen County, Kentucky | $10,333,411 | 0.5% | 89.5% |
| 61 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $10,036,851 | 0.5% | 90.0% |
| 62 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $9,085,621 | 0.4% | 90.4% |
| 63 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $8,983,950 | 0.4% | 90.8% |
| 64 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $8,530,698 | 0.4% | 91.3% |
| 65 | Bath County, Kentucky | $8,494,489 | 0.4% | 91.7% |
| 66 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $8,123,709 | 0.4% | 92.1% |
| 67 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $7,915,425 | 0.4% | 92.4% |
| 68 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $7,692,047 | 0.4% | 92.8% |
| 69 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $7,648,790 | 0.4% | 93.2% |
| 70 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $7,520,738 | 0.4% | 93.5% |
| 71 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $7,180,320 | 0.3% | 93.9% |
| 72 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $6,808,527 | 0.3% | 94.2% |
| 73 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $6,515,722 | 0.3% | 94.5% |
| 74 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $6,294,188 | 0.3% | 94.8% |
| 75 | Boone County, Kentucky | $6,231,769 | 0.3% | 95.1% |
| 76 | Grant County, Kentucky | $5,873,041 | 0.3% | 95.4% |
| 77 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $5,812,087 | 0.3% | 95.7% |
| 78 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $5,627,615 | 0.3% | 96.0% |
| 79 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $5,201,810 | 0.3% | 96.2% |
| 80 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $5,111,727 | 0.2% | 96.5% |
| 81 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $5,041,774 | 0.2% | 96.7% |
| 82 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $4,939,995 | 0.2% | 96.9% |
| 83 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $4,661,511 | 0.2% | 97.2% |
| 84 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $4,551,109 | 0.2% | 97.4% |
| 85 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $4,360,591 | 0.2% | 97.6% |
| 86 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $3,907,793 | 0.2% | 97.8% |
| 87 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $3,555,439 | 0.2% | 98.0% |
| 88 | Carter County, Kentucky | $3,250,840 | 0.2% | 98.1% |
| 89 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $3,056,500 | 0.1% | 98.3% |
| 90 | Estill County, Kentucky | $2,978,831 | 0.1% | 98.4% |
| 91 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $2,807,877 | 0.1% | 98.5% |
| 92 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $2,636,872 | 0.1% | 98.7% |
| 93 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $2,521,676 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 94 | Clay County, Kentucky | $2,514,245 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 95 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $2,503,656 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 96 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $2,321,695 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 97 | Powell County, Kentucky | $1,977,490 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 98 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $1,943,274 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 99 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $1,668,736 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 100 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $1,660,540 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 101 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $1,615,929 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 102 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $1,363,963 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 103 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $1,283,135 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 104 | Knox County, Kentucky | $1,154,838 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 105 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $1,105,365 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 106 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $1,007,435 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 107 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $861,059 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 108 | Lee County, Kentucky | $846,403 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 109 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $777,007 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 110 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $184,750 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $140,726 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $96,573 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Perry County, Kentucky | $93,865 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Bell County, Kentucky | $52,308 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $11,157 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 116 | Pike County, Kentucky | $10,055 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 117 | Letcher County, Kentucky | $4,007 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 118 | Knott County, Kentucky | $3,305 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 119 | Martin County, Kentucky | $895 | 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.
