Kentucky Cropland Trend by Land Capability Class

• About 82 percent of all cultivated and non-cultivated cropland in Kentucky occur on soils, which are in land capability classes I through III. In general, these soils are deep or very deep, and have a slope that ranges from nearly level to sloping. These soils are used for agricultural production and may have slight to severe erosion hazards (depending on the slope) if conventional tillage is used. However, these are the most favorable soils for using conservation farming practices on. In 1982, 81 percent of the cropland in Kentucky was on land capability classes I through III, and in 1997 it was 82 percent. Of this cropland acreage, about 68 percent was cultivated cropland and about 32 percent non-cultivated cropland (hayland).
• About 10 percent of the cropland in Kentucky occur on soils that are capability class IV. Of this cropland acreage, about half of it is cultivated cropland and half of it is non-cultivated cropland (hayland). Most of these soils are moderately deep or deep, and have moderately steep slope. Erosion may be a severe hazard on these soils if conventional tillage is used. These soils require the use of conservation farming techniques to keep soil erosion to a minimum.
• About 8 percent of the cropland in Kentucky occur on soils that are in land capability classes V through VII. Class V soils usually has a flooding hazard while class VI and VII soils are steep and have a severe erosion hazard. Most acreage of Class V soils are in cultivated crops. About half of the Class VI and VII acreage is non-cultivated cropland (hayland) and about half in cultivated cropland. These soils require the use of conservation farming techniques to keep soil erosion to a minimum. Most of these areas of cropland on Class V, VI, and VII land are small in size.

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