Agriculture sustained the first settlers of Kentucky in the 1770s, and the business of raising crops and livestock continues to be the backbone of rural Kentucky today. Kentucky is home to a wide variety of agriculture production, from horses and beef cattle to tobacco and corn. Agriculture in Kentucky is one of the state’s leading and most vital industries, contributing about $45.6 billion to Kentucky’s economy each year. Kentucky agriculture is also constantly changing to keep up with consumer demand and the ever-growing world population.
Kentucky is home to 69,425 farms, from large to small. The average farm size in Kentucky is 179 acres, compared to the national average of 463 acres. Kentucky agriculture is dominated by small family farms. About 63 percent of its farms have annual sales of less than $10,000.
Of Kentucky’s 25.4 million acres, just under 50% is considered farmland (12.4 million acres).
Kentucky agricultural cash receipts (sale of crops and livestock) were just over $8 billion in 2023.
Kentucky's top agricultural enterprises based on sales:
SOYBEANS & CORN
These versatile crops are used for animal feed, food, fuels, and many other products. Feed grain sales totaled
$3.7 billion in 2023.
POULTRY
Broilers (chickens raised for meat), eggs, and turkeys provided Kentucky farmers with nearly
$1.6 billion in 2023.
HORSES & EQUINE
Horse, pony, mule, and donkey sales and service fees were the largest portions of “other animal sales” in 2023, totaling $1.2 billion.
CATTLE
Kentucky is home to
1.9 million cattle/calves; being the largest beef state east of the Mississippi River, selling over $1.2 billion in 2023.
While hay does not bring as much money from sales as other crops and livestock, hay (cut and dried grasses for feed) are produced on more than 2 million acres, more than any other crop. Hay sales for 2023 were estimated at $360,000 but valued at $788,000. Kentucky soils, water resources, and climate make the commonwealth the perfect place to feed grazing animals.
Where does Kentucky rank compared to other states?
1st in the nation - Horse & Equine Sales
2nd in the nation - Tobacco Sales
3rd in the nation - Grass Hay Production
4th in the nation - Number of Farms with Cattle
6th in the nation - Number of Total Farms
Kentucky Agriculture Cash Receipts in 2023:
Animals and products - $4.359 billion
Crops - $3.714 billion
Farm-related income - $1.689 billion
Total Farm Income: $9.922 billion
Top Commodities by Sales Receipts in 2023:
Soybeans - $1.402 billion
Broilers - $1.287 billion
Cattle and Calves - $1.259 billion
Corn - $1.242 billion
All other animals/products (including horses) - $1.173 billion
Hay - $360 million
Wheat - $249 million
Chicken Eggs - $246 million
Tobacco - $225 million
Milk & Dairy Products - $196 million
Hogs - $154.5 million
Miscellaneous Crops - $149 million
Turkeys - $39 million
Floriculture - $28 million
Farm chickens - $2.4 million
Honey - $1.9 million
Rapeseed - $660 thousand
Wool - $59 thousand
Mohair - $6 thousand
Source: USDA-NASS Economic Research Service Kentucky Fact Sheet and Census of Agriculture
Farms & Farmers
Farms: 69,425
Acres in Farms: 12,431,190
Percentage of State in Farmland: 48.9%
Average Farm Size: 179 acres, only 3% are > 1000 acres
98.5% of farms are owned by individuals, families, family-held corporations, or partnerships.
Learn more about our Farmers
Net Farm Income in 2023
$2.747 million
Top 5 Agricultural Exports in 2022
Horses (Other livestock) - $789.3 million
Soybeans - $766.7 million
Corn - $303.3 million
Tobacco - $257.6 million
Feeds and other feed grains - $229 million
Total exports - $3.29 billion
Top 5 Kentucky Counties in Agricultural Sales (2022 Census)
Graves County - $473.8 million
Daviess County - $335.9 million
Fayette County - $333.1 million
McLean County - $282.0 million
Christian County - $263.8 million
Related Resources & Articles
Importance of Agriculture to Kentucky Report (March 2022) - CEDIK
Kentucky Agriculture Overview | Ky Agriculture Bulletin - NASS-USDA
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