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Kentucky Economy

Agriculture

In terms of revenue generated, the top five agricultural products produced in Kentucky are horses/mules, broilers (young chickens), cattle and calves, tobacco, and soybeans.

Livestock

Livestock and livestock products generate revenues that amount to about 66% of Kentucky's agricultural economy. Thoroughbred horses and beef cattle are Kentucky's most important livestock products.

Other livestock products are broilers (young chickens), milk and eggs, and hogs.

Crops

Tobacco, soybeans, corn for grain, and wheat are Kentucky's leading field crops.

Barley, hay and grain sorghum are also grown.

Tomatoes are a leading "vegetable" crop... as they are categorized.

Apples are the leading fruit crop.

[ More ]

Manufacturing

Manufacturers add value to raw products by creating manufactured items. For example, cotton cloth becomes more valuable than a boll of cotton through manufacturing processes.

Manufacture of transportation equipment (motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts) is Kentucky's primary activity in this sector of the economy. Other manufactured transportation equipment includes aircraft parts, boat trailers and railroad cars.

Ranking second in the manufacturing sector is the manufacture of chemicals (cleaning products, pharmaceutical products, paints, industrial chemicals, industrial gases).

The manufacture of machinery (elevators, air filtration equipment, conveyors, heating and air-conditioning equipment, printers, compressors) ranks third.

Mining

Kentucky is a leading coal producing state.

Other mined products are natural gas, petroleum, and limestone.

Services

Kentucky's leading service industries are the community, business, and personal services (private health care, hotels, law firms, repair shops) and wholesale and retail trade industries (wholesale trade of coal, food products, motor vehicles, and retail automobile dealerships, gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants).

Government services (operation of public schools, hospitals, military bases) rank third in Kentucky's services sector.

Sources

James W. Hammack, Jr. and Karl B. Raitz, "Kentucky," World Book Online Americas Edition (14 August 2001).

U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Kentucky State Agriculture Overview, 2004", 3 January 2006, (12 January 2006)