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Clark County, in Winchester, Kentucky has an agricultural history as rich and diverse as its topography and its soil resources. Located just east of Lexington, Clark County is on the eastern edge of the "Inner Bluegrass" area of Kentucky. The varied topography includes rolling pastures in the west, limestone cliffs overlooking the Kentucky River, fertile bottom land along the Red River, and steep foothills in the southeastern part of the country. There is strong evidence to indicate that the Native Americans tended crops in a flat area known as "Indian old fields" near the Powell County Line.
 The most recent census shows 966 farms in Clark County, with an average size of almost 150 acres. Burley tobacco remains the main cash crop, with slightly more than six million pounds produced last year. Much of the farm land in Clark County is classified as highly erodible, and must be managed carefully to prevent erosion and keep the land productive. The soils and climate are especially suited for the production of forages. Some of this forage is harvested as hay and sold, but most is fed locally. The predominant livestock enterprise is beef cattle, with over 50,000 beef animals in the country. Horses remain an important part of the agriculture of the area. There is a small but growing number of more exotic livestock, such as llamas, ostriches, emus, and bison.
Commercial vegetable production is growing slowly but surely into an important part of the local economy. Industrial hemp was once a major cash crop in Clark County, but is currently illegal in the United States, and there are serious questions about how profitable it would be if it were permitted. The Southern States Co-operative operates a grain purchasing facility along with its feed mill. This provides a local outlet for harvested grain.
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