Nelson County, Kentucky · 2022 Census of Agriculture
What does Nelson County, Kentucky grow?
Of the crops tracked here, Nelson County's biggest by acreage are hay (27,015 acres), soybeans (25,918 acres) and corn (21,394 acres). Its farms sold $79.5 million of crops and livestock in 2022, 34th of 120 counties in Kentucky.
- Farm sales, 2022
- $79.5 million1593rd of 3,050 US counties
- Farms
- 1,241157,488 acres of farmland
- Crops vs. livestock
- 72% cropsshare of farm sales
- Items reported
- 4727 published, 18 withheld, 2 under half a unit
County map
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture.
What does Nelson County grow the most of?
Crops ranked by acres harvested (bearing acres for orchards), 2022 Census of Agriculture.
How does Nelson County rank?
Each item's rank among counties in Kentucky and in the US, by the 2022 Census of Agriculture measure shown. An asterisk means the rank is among counties with published figures; a county whose figure is withheld could rank higher.
| Item | Amount | State rank | US rank | Share of KY | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnuts | 75 acres | 1* | 18* | 21% | bearing acres |
| Asparagus | 1 acre | 3* | 275* | 2% | acres harvested |
| Goats | 1,081 goats | 5* | 534* | 2% | head on farms |
| Cattle | 34,082 cattle | 17 | 785* | 2% | head on farms |
| Corn | 3.8 million bushels | 20 | 817* | 2% | production |
| Hay | 58,144 tons | 21 | 480* | 2% | production |
| Sweet potatoes | 1 acre | 6* | 215* | 2% | acres harvested |
| Onions | 1 acre | 12* | 440* | 2% | acres harvested |
| Blackberries | 5 acres | 9* | 183* | 1% | bearing acres |
| Soybeans | 1.4 million bushels | 24 | 798* | 1% | production |
| Sheep | 1,003 sheep | 23 | 921* | 1% | head on farms |
| Honey | 6,641 pounds | 21* | 1,022* | 1% | production |
| Wheat | 400,361 bushels | 19* | 665* | 1% | production |
| Lettuce | 1 acre | 14* | 543* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Cabbage | 1 acre | 21* | 416* | under 1% | acres harvested |
Show all 27 items
| Item | Amount | State rank | US rank | Share of KY | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | 2 acres | 36* | 718* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Pumpkins | 6 acres | 36* | 785* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Cucumbers | 1 acre | 39* | 834* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Bell peppers | 1 acre | 47* | 774* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Squash | 1 acre | 25* | 916* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Green beans | 1 acre | 57* | 844* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Cantaloupe | 1 acre | 18* | 531* | under 1% | acres harvested |
| Apples | 1 acre | 15* | 831* | under 1% | bearing acres |
| Hogs | 441 hogs | 14* | 930* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Eggs | 4,273 laying hens | 22* | 697* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Turkeys | 217 turkeys | 8* | 386* | under 1% | head on farms |
| Chickens | 568 broiler chickens | 37* | 1,071* | under 1% | head sold |
Also reported here, but withheld by NASS to protect individual farms: sorghum, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet corn, chile peppers, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, collard greens, garlic, grapes, blueberries, tart cherries, peaches, pears, hazelnuts and milk.
Reported at less than half a unit (for example, under half an acre): green peas and watermelon.
What livestock does Nelson County raise?
| Animal | Head | State rank | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 34,082 | 17 | head on farms |
| Laying hens | 4,273 | 22* | head on farms |
| Goats | 1,081 | 5* | head on farms |
| Sheep | 1,003 | 23 | head on farms |
| Broiler chickens | 568 | 37* | head sold |
| Hogs | 441 | 14* | head on farms |
| Turkeys | 217 | 8* | head on farms |
Other farm counties in Kentucky
| County | Farm sales |
|---|---|
| Graves County | $474 million |
| Daviess County | $336 million |
| Fayette County | $333 million |
| McLean County | $282 million |
| Christian County | $264 million |
| Webster County | $259 million |
| Bourbon County | $251 million |
| Woodford County | $236 million |
| Logan County | $225 million |
| Todd County | $224 million |
| Hopkins County | $211 million |
| Hickman County | $199 million |
About this data
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture, the only NASS source that covers every county. The Census is taken every five years; the next is for 2027. Values NASS withholds to avoid disclosing individual farms are shown as withheld, never as zero. Data processed 2026-11-06. Methodology.