| Rank |
County |
Subtotal, Farming Subsidies
2011 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Christian County, Kentucky | $3,774,303 | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| 2 | Graves County, Kentucky | $3,465,098 | 3.7% | 7.7% |
| 3 | Logan County, Kentucky | $3,461,871 | 3.7% | 11.4% |
| 4 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $3,365,286 | 3.6% | 15.0% |
| 5 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $2,672,672 | 2.9% | 17.9% |
| 6 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $2,547,560 | 2.7% | 20.6% |
| 7 | Union County, Kentucky | $2,409,434 | 2.6% | 23.2% |
| 8 | Todd County, Kentucky | $2,341,501 | 2.5% | 25.7% |
| 9 | McLean County, Kentucky | $1,972,176 | 2.1% | 27.8% |
| 10 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $1,806,322 | 1.9% | 29.7% |
| 11 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $1,803,516 | 1.9% | 31.6% |
| 12 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $1,654,621 | 1.8% | 33.4% |
| 13 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $1,599,921 | 1.7% | 35.1% |
| 14 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $1,560,672 | 1.7% | 36.7% |
| 15 | Barren County, Kentucky | $1,536,229 | 1.6% | 38.4% |
| 16 | Webster County, Kentucky | $1,511,309 | 1.6% | 40.0% |
| 17 | Warren County, Kentucky | $1,492,369 | 1.6% | 41.6% |
| 18 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $1,379,532 | 1.5% | 43.1% |
| 19 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $1,356,418 | 1.4% | 44.5% |
| 20 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $1,351,726 | 1.4% | 46.0% |
| 21 | Scott County, Kentucky | $1,328,729 | 1.4% | 47.4% |
| 22 | Marion County, Kentucky | $1,288,713 | 1.4% | 48.7% |
| 23 | Henry County, Kentucky | $1,234,713 | 1.3% | 50.1% |
| 24 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $1,215,336 | 1.3% | 51.4% |
| 25 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $1,164,360 | 1.2% | 52.6% |
| 26 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $1,156,856 | 1.2% | 53.8% |
| 27 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $1,154,866 | 1.2% | 55.1% |
| 28 | Adair County, Kentucky | $1,117,457 | 1.2% | 56.3% |
| 29 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $1,106,805 | 1.2% | 57.4% |
| 30 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $1,104,095 | 1.2% | 58.6% |
| 31 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $1,077,824 | 1.2% | 59.8% |
| 32 | Hart County, Kentucky | $1,073,715 | 1.1% | 60.9% |
| 33 | Madison County, Kentucky | $1,044,118 | 1.1% | 62.0% |
| 34 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $1,041,349 | 1.1% | 63.1% |
| 35 | Owen County, Kentucky | $1,016,150 | 1.1% | 64.2% |
| 36 | Mason County, Kentucky | $990,520 | 1.1% | 65.3% |
| 37 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $986,061 | 1.1% | 66.3% |
| 38 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $981,135 | 1.0% | 67.4% |
| 39 | Washington County, Kentucky | $947,217 | 1.0% | 68.4% |
| 40 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $932,724 | 1.0% | 69.4% |
| 41 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $923,199 | 1.0% | 70.4% |
| 42 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $914,006 | 1.0% | 71.4% |
| 43 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $895,259 | 1.0% | 72.3% |
| 44 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $882,689 | 0.9% | 73.2% |
| 45 | Larue County, Kentucky | $880,278 | 0.9% | 74.2% |
| 46 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $756,113 | 0.8% | 75.0% |
| 47 | Clark County, Kentucky | $755,974 | 0.8% | 75.8% |
| 48 | Green County, Kentucky | $755,097 | 0.8% | 76.6% |
| 49 | Meade County, Kentucky | $722,589 | 0.8% | 77.4% |
| 50 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $720,015 | 0.8% | 78.1% |
| 51 | Russell County, Kentucky | $699,782 | 0.7% | 78.9% |
| 52 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $685,442 | 0.7% | 79.6% |
| 53 | Allen County, Kentucky | $683,741 | 0.7% | 80.4% |
| 54 | Casey County, Kentucky | $671,736 | 0.7% | 81.1% |
| 55 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $670,528 | 0.7% | 81.8% |
| 56 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $646,700 | 0.7% | 82.5% |
| 57 | Butler County, Kentucky | $617,658 | 0.7% | 83.1% |
| 58 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $592,287 | 0.6% | 83.8% |
| 59 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $590,785 | 0.6% | 84.4% |
| 60 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $590,596 | 0.6% | 85.0% |
| 61 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $588,962 | 0.6% | 85.7% |
| 62 | Bath County, Kentucky | $552,430 | 0.6% | 86.2% |
| 63 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $546,384 | 0.6% | 86.8% |
| 64 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $524,390 | 0.6% | 87.4% |
| 65 | Grant County, Kentucky | $521,987 | 0.6% | 87.9% |
| 66 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $500,139 | 0.5% | 88.5% |
| 67 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $490,253 | 0.5% | 89.0% |
| 68 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $469,602 | 0.5% | 89.5% |
| 69 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $466,077 | 0.5% | 90.0% |
| 70 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $466,005 | 0.5% | 90.5% |
| 71 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $463,369 | 0.5% | 91.0% |
| 72 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $440,329 | 0.5% | 91.5% |
| 73 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $437,748 | 0.5% | 91.9% |
| 74 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $423,208 | 0.5% | 92.4% |
| 75 | Boone County, Kentucky | $402,944 | 0.4% | 92.8% |
| 76 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $394,931 | 0.4% | 93.2% |
| 77 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $390,695 | 0.4% | 93.7% |
| 78 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $386,846 | 0.4% | 94.1% |
| 79 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $342,356 | 0.4% | 94.4% |
| 80 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $336,143 | 0.4% | 94.8% |
| 81 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $306,455 | 0.3% | 95.1% |
| 82 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $303,667 | 0.3% | 95.4% |
| 83 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $286,182 | 0.3% | 95.7% |
| 84 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $285,975 | 0.3% | 96.0% |
| 85 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $251,228 | 0.3% | 96.3% |
| 86 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $248,201 | 0.3% | 96.6% |
| 87 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $244,158 | 0.3% | 96.8% |
| 88 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $223,858 | 0.2% | 97.1% |
| 89 | Carter County, Kentucky | $220,073 | 0.2% | 97.3% |
| 90 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $207,391 | 0.2% | 97.5% |
| 91 | Clay County, Kentucky | $200,857 | 0.2% | 97.8% |
| 92 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $189,711 | 0.2% | 98.0% |
| 93 | Estill County, Kentucky | $182,534 | 0.2% | 98.1% |
| 94 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $157,308 | 0.2% | 98.3% |
| 95 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $156,446 | 0.2% | 98.5% |
| 96 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $142,603 | 0.2% | 98.6% |
| 97 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $133,432 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 98 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $126,935 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 99 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $126,235 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 100 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $110,722 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 101 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $109,742 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 102 | Powell County, Kentucky | $109,173 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 103 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $106,935 | 0.1% | 99.5% |
| 104 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $93,898 | 0.1% | 99.6% |
| 105 | Knox County, Kentucky | $93,257 | 0.1% | 99.7% |
| 106 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $72,115 | 0.1% | 99.8% |
| 107 | Lee County, Kentucky | $65,309 | 0.1% | 99.9% |
| 108 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $49,670 | 0.1% | 99.9% |
| 109 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $42,568 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 110 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $9,139 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $8,332 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Perry County, Kentucky | $8,137 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $5,757 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Bell County, Kentucky | $2,491 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $143 | 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.
