| Rank |
County |
Subtotal, Conservation Programs
1995-2011 | Pct of
Total | Running
Percentage |
| 1 | Kentucky NRCS | $69,623,348 | 10.1% | 10.1% |
| 2 | Graves County, Kentucky | $61,435,736 | 8.9% | 18.9% |
| 3 | Christian County, Kentucky | $47,664,233 | 6.9% | 25.8% |
| 4 | Logan County, Kentucky | $29,607,891 | 4.3% | 30.1% |
| 5 | Webster County, Kentucky | $21,314,934 | 3.1% | 33.2% |
| 6 | Warren County, Kentucky | $21,089,560 | 3.0% | 36.2% |
| 7 | Caldwell County, Kentucky | $20,189,850 | 2.9% | 39.2% |
| 8 | Crittenden County, Kentucky | $19,892,699 | 2.9% | 42.0% |
| 9 | Breckinridge County, Kentucky | $18,991,409 | 2.7% | 44.8% |
| 10 | Hart County, Kentucky | $18,888,200 | 2.7% | 47.5% |
| 11 | Hickman County, Kentucky | $17,111,039 | 2.5% | 50.0% |
| 12 | Calloway County, Kentucky | $16,870,772 | 2.4% | 52.4% |
| 13 | Grayson County, Kentucky | $16,858,842 | 2.4% | 54.9% |
| 14 | Livingston County, Kentucky | $15,747,832 | 2.3% | 57.1% |
| 15 | Hopkins County, Kentucky | $14,795,693 | 2.1% | 59.3% |
| 16 | Todd County, Kentucky | $14,223,262 | 2.1% | 61.3% |
| 17 | Marshall County, Kentucky | $14,117,629 | 2.0% | 63.4% |
| 18 | Green County, Kentucky | $13,535,521 | 2.0% | 65.3% |
| 19 | Butler County, Kentucky | $12,717,647 | 1.8% | 67.2% |
| 20 | Muhlenberg County, Kentucky | $11,216,287 | 1.6% | 68.8% |
| 21 | Carlisle County, Kentucky | $10,966,683 | 1.6% | 70.4% |
| 22 | Ballard County, Kentucky | $10,459,238 | 1.5% | 71.9% |
| 23 | Allen County, Kentucky | $8,713,349 | 1.3% | 73.1% |
| 24 | Barren County, Kentucky | $8,710,910 | 1.3% | 74.4% |
| 25 | Adair County, Kentucky | $8,583,645 | 1.2% | 75.6% |
| 26 | Union County, Kentucky | $8,123,021 | 1.2% | 76.8% |
| 27 | Edmonson County, Kentucky | $7,934,809 | 1.1% | 78.0% |
| 28 | Bourbon County, Kentucky | $7,894,913 | 1.1% | 79.1% |
| 29 | Meade County, Kentucky | $6,985,389 | 1.0% | 80.1% |
| 30 | Trigg County, Kentucky | $6,850,613 | 1.0% | 81.1% |
| 31 | Henderson County, Kentucky | $6,557,269 | 0.9% | 82.0% |
| 32 | Fulton County, Kentucky | $6,471,201 | 0.9% | 83.0% |
| 33 | Metcalfe County, Kentucky | $6,293,518 | 0.9% | 83.9% |
| 34 | Marion County, Kentucky | $6,071,621 | 0.9% | 84.8% |
| 35 | Lyon County, Kentucky | $5,940,832 | 0.9% | 85.6% |
| 36 | Hardin County, Kentucky | $5,594,817 | 0.8% | 86.4% |
| 37 | McCracken County, Kentucky | $5,376,303 | 0.8% | 87.2% |
| 38 | Taylor County, Kentucky | $5,329,544 | 0.8% | 88.0% |
| 39 | McLean County, Kentucky | $5,166,699 | 0.7% | 88.7% |
| 40 | Simpson County, Kentucky | $4,625,819 | 0.7% | 89.4% |
| 41 | Ohio County, Kentucky | $4,353,433 | 0.6% | 90.0% |
| 42 | Daviess County, Kentucky | $4,221,301 | 0.6% | 90.6% |
| 43 | Washington County, Kentucky | $4,081,061 | 0.6% | 91.2% |
| 44 | Nelson County, Kentucky | $3,550,253 | 0.5% | 91.7% |
| 45 | Shelby County, Kentucky | $2,492,215 | 0.4% | 92.1% |
| 46 | Casey County, Kentucky | $2,389,761 | 0.3% | 92.4% |
| 47 | Fleming County, Kentucky | $2,289,854 | 0.3% | 92.8% |
| 48 | Lincoln County, Kentucky | $2,218,233 | 0.3% | 93.1% |
| 49 | Larue County, Kentucky | $2,087,525 | 0.3% | 93.4% |
| 50 | Clark County, Kentucky | $2,023,144 | 0.3% | 93.7% |
| 51 | Monroe County, Kentucky | $1,947,389 | 0.3% | 94.0% |
| 52 | Madison County, Kentucky | $1,829,997 | 0.3% | 94.2% |
| 53 | Harrison County, Kentucky | $1,820,844 | 0.3% | 94.5% |
| 54 | Mercer County, Kentucky | $1,783,014 | 0.3% | 94.8% |
| 55 | Nicholas County, Kentucky | $1,707,707 | 0.2% | 95.0% |
| 56 | Fayette County, Kentucky | $1,686,941 | 0.2% | 95.2% |
| 57 | Hancock County, Kentucky | $1,661,116 | 0.2% | 95.5% |
| 58 | Russell County, Kentucky | $1,637,416 | 0.2% | 95.7% |
| 59 | Garrard County, Kentucky | $1,451,490 | 0.2% | 95.9% |
| 60 | Boyle County, Kentucky | $1,429,949 | 0.2% | 96.1% |
| 61 | Bath County, Kentucky | $1,348,585 | 0.2% | 96.3% |
| 62 | Lewis County, Kentucky | $1,308,659 | 0.2% | 96.5% |
| 63 | Scott County, Kentucky | $1,299,507 | 0.2% | 96.7% |
| 64 | Mason County, Kentucky | $1,273,125 | 0.2% | 96.9% |
| 65 | Pulaski County, Kentucky | $1,268,382 | 0.2% | 97.1% |
| 66 | Montgomery County, Kentucky | $1,205,520 | 0.2% | 97.3% |
| 67 | Henry County, Kentucky | $936,054 | 0.1% | 97.4% |
| 68 | Woodford County, Kentucky | $916,496 | 0.1% | 97.5% |
| 69 | Carter County, Kentucky | $850,904 | 0.1% | 97.6% |
| 70 | Jessamine County, Kentucky | $842,071 | 0.1% | 97.8% |
| 71 | Whitley County, Kentucky | $798,089 | 0.1% | 97.9% |
| 72 | Anderson County, Kentucky | $766,752 | 0.1% | 98.0% |
| 73 | Bullitt County, Kentucky | $745,340 | 0.1% | 98.1% |
| 74 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | $681,887 | 0.1% | 98.2% |
| 75 | Greenup County, Kentucky | $638,196 | 0.1% | 98.3% |
| 76 | Wayne County, Kentucky | $625,158 | 0.1% | 98.4% |
| 77 | Oldham County, Kentucky | $623,825 | 0.1% | 98.5% |
| 78 | Rockcastle County, Kentucky | $596,998 | 0.1% | 98.6% |
| 79 | Jackson County, Kentucky | $561,508 | 0.1% | 98.6% |
| 80 | Franklin County, Kentucky | $539,885 | 0.1% | 98.7% |
| 81 | Elliott County, Kentucky | $533,001 | 0.1% | 98.8% |
| 82 | Owen County, Kentucky | $516,324 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 83 | Spencer County, Kentucky | $497,767 | 0.1% | 98.9% |
| 84 | Laurel County, Kentucky | $483,389 | 0.1% | 99.0% |
| 85 | Grant County, Kentucky | $441,144 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 86 | Cumberland County, Kentucky | $428,467 | 0.1% | 99.1% |
| 87 | Clinton County, Kentucky | $426,801 | 0.1% | 99.2% |
| 88 | Rowan County, Kentucky | $411,163 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 89 | Morgan County, Kentucky | $408,247 | 0.1% | 99.3% |
| 90 | Wolfe County, Kentucky | $407,457 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 91 | Lawrence County, Kentucky | $347,757 | 0.1% | 99.4% |
| 92 | Estill County, Kentucky | $331,333 | 0.0% | 99.5% |
| 93 | Trimble County, Kentucky | $289,330 | 0.0% | 99.5% |
| 94 | Owsley County, Kentucky | $281,796 | 0.0% | 99.6% |
| 95 | Menifee County, Kentucky | $275,751 | 0.0% | 99.6% |
| 96 | Knox County, Kentucky | $257,555 | 0.0% | 99.6% |
| 97 | Bracken County, Kentucky | $245,420 | 0.0% | 99.7% |
| 98 | Lee County, Kentucky | $239,280 | 0.0% | 99.7% |
| 99 | Campbell County, Kentucky | $230,464 | 0.0% | 99.7% |
| 100 | Jefferson County, Kentucky | $211,807 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 101 | Boone County, Kentucky | $202,778 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 102 | Magoffin County, Kentucky | $197,531 | 0.0% | 99.8% |
| 103 | Powell County, Kentucky | $174,435 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 104 | Johnson County, Kentucky | $173,689 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 105 | McCreary County, Kentucky | $119,684 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 106 | Carroll County, Kentucky | $110,775 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 107 | Clay County, Kentucky | $109,494 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 108 | Boyd County, Kentucky | $105,439 | 0.0% | 99.9% |
| 109 | Breathitt County, Kentucky | $100,750 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 110 | Gallatin County, Kentucky | $71,734 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 111 | Kenton County, Kentucky | $54,416 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 112 | Robertson County, Kentucky | $52,757 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 113 | Bell County, Kentucky | $34,903 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 114 | Floyd County, Kentucky | $30,246 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 115 | Perry County, Kentucky | $19,812 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 116 | Pike County, Kentucky | $18,441 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 117 | Knott County, Kentucky | $9,454 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 118 | Leslie County, Kentucky | $6,112 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| 119 | Martin County, Kentucky | $3,738 | 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.
